Posted: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 10:27 am

 There are several areas in any development or property renovation that need to stand the test of time and cannot be designed according to faddy design trends that will be dated before the property is even completed. Kitchens are one of these areas, where the spend is high and the look of the finished design is paramount for the success of the whole development. A designer has to be very careful and pick and choose the best of these trends and aim for a design that will keep the kitchen looking as good as possible for its entire lifetime.
At Suna Interior Design, our current design ethos for kitchens is generally to create a finished product that has the look of a bespoke, unique kitchen for each and every property, even in a large-scale development. Whether dealing with a kitchen in an open plan apartment, or in a four-storey town house, the idea of a kitchen as ‘furniture’ rather than as arbitrary units in a space, is a really current approach. Individual touches, such as open shelving designed to run from the kitchen into an open plan living area, or utilising space above the kitchen units for open cube shelving in an area that has higher than average ceiling heights, can work really well to integrate the kitchen as a whole into surrounding living space.Large pocket doors that swing back into the units and tuck neatly away can be used to hide away cookers and hobs and work particularly well in open plan apartments where a living space and kitchen are accommodated in a relatively tight space, and integrated appliances are a must.Kitchen unit doors tend to be flush doors in most designs now. Shaker and panelled doors have seen their day, and the more classic, simpler lines of flat fronted, handle-less doors are the way forward. Door finishes are tending to move more towards unusual wood finishes, gloss lacquers, and painted glass. Textures are big in kitchen finishes at the moment, with grooved details or carved detail finishes looking great for wood finishes or flat coloured doors.Technology in the kitchen is also moving forward with appliances and extractors. Cooker hoods can either be integrated and well hidden if located on a run of units against a wall, or kept to simple classic designs if the extractor is to be situated over a peninsular or island unit. Avoid anything too gimmicky or fussy, and again, look at practicality as many over complicated extractors will just gather grease and grime and will forfeit function for design.In all design, and specifically in kitchens, function must be accommodated first and foremost, and the design of a kitchen must be led by the necessity of the way a space will be used. So, for a kitchen, storage and practicality must be considered first and then the finishes and the attention to detail can be looked at to create an up to date design that will stand up to ten years of life without looking dated or modish.Rebecca Tucker was Head of Design for Bryant Homes, Scotland, before becoming a Director of Suna Interior Design.  Having trained in fine arts, she is a natural colourist, and has a wealth of knowledge about textiles, and furniture, which is portrayed in her interior design schemes.  Founded in 2000, Suna Interior Design is Located in South West London.  Under the guidance of its two directors Helen Fewster, and Rebecca Tucker, the company is now recognised within the industry as a prominent innovator and design leader. This extensive and varied experience has just led to them winning ‘The Best Kitchen Contract Design’ 2009 at the Kitchens & Bathrooms Design Awards.