At first there was a white kitchen. Minimalist and monochrome, its color palette, or lack thereof, created a timeless and sure-fire backdrop for everyday sautéed and steamed dishes. The countertop was delicate, fine-veined quartzite. The faucet and refrigerator were made of stainless steel.
No more. In 2024, kitchens will go full technicolor. Gone are the subtle color palettes of duck eggs and deep greens. Instead, homeowners and kitchen designers alike are favoring palettes like black and pink and matching ovens, microwaves, and dishwashers. Moody vs. cheerful.
To borrow an example from pop culture, kitchen appliances are undergoing a full-fledged Babenheimer transformation.
“I've been loyal to classic white kitchens for a long time,” admits interior designer and Elle Deco A-Lister Ghislaine Viñas. “I'm currently in a period of exploration.”
Viking has introduced a new color palette with eye-popping hues, like the Fuchsia series of Valentine's hues that border this Barbie doll.
I can't say I didn't foresee this happening. Last August, Sherwin-Williams released its annual color mix forecast. It targets black and pink in its 2024 trend report, and how the palette has become part of a “global turmoil” and “dualistic conversation,” as color marketing director Sue pointed out. Quoted by Tsutsuruka. Wadden.
Pinterest predicted the rise of so-called kitchens, cooking spaces sprinkled with retro colors and cute decor. The term “kitschy kitchen” has increased by 75 percent in searches, “retro pink kitchen” has increased by 40 percent, and “eccentric kitchen” has increased by a whopping 160 percent.
But the spread of this trend became even more apparent at last month's Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Las Vegas. Subtlety has been replaced by paradox. That truth is especially evident in Viking's eye-popping booth. The appliance brand has debuted a new color palette that includes tried-and-true neutrals, but also embraces big colors. Valentine, for example, was a fuchsia shade that felt like it was taken straight from Barbie's Dreamhouse. Kitchen His designer Matthew Quinn set these larger-than-life colors against a Lichtenstein-esque backdrop in his plans for the Viking booth. “If there's one thing that remains constant, it's that our clients express themselves rather than following trends created by others,” he tells Elle Decor.
Bertazzoni has extended the matte black finish of Carbonio to its entire product suite, so you can get the look on everything from ovens and ranges to dishwashers and hoods.
Still, if last year has taught us anything, it's that every bubblegum pink Barbie mood board has a gritty, dark Oppenheimer variation that shifts the scale. The latter was most evident in Bertazzoni's showcases, where the Carbonio finish introduced last year was extended to all products, including dishwashers and refrigerators. That the brand continues to invest in the darker side of its appliances is a sure sign that it's not going anywhere. Miele signaled this by using matte black on his built-in appliances, especially his sleek Artline ovens and microwaves.
Of course, as with Babenheimer, the shiny pink and matte black aesthetic is better when combined. “Black is the base color for appliances,” says interior designer Isabel Rudd. “I like to have the eye move through the space, rather than just sitting there focusing on a piece that sways and attracts attention.”
Looking for a test case? Ladd has created KBIS vignettes that incorporate almost all of the above, from black ovens to emerald green wallpaper via Harlequin to pastel blue and warm red tones courtesy of Benjamin Moore ( aptly named “Bold Drama”).
Following last year's Emerald Green series, Café Appliances debuts a new color line: Breeze, Chartreuse, and Poppy.
So what does high-contrast, all-or-nothing color look like in the rear view? “I had three clients who asked for colorful appliances a few days after they saw my KBIS space. ,” says Rudd. “They changed their original choice of stainless steel.”
Indeed, El Deco A-list designer Ghislaine Viñas says that in a country of dark blacks and bright pastels, there's little room for the once-popular chrome kitchens, and she's turning to something darker. “Remarkable changes.” Home appliances. But what's really outdated is what clients were demanding not so long ago. “White kitchens are becoming less and less common,” Quinn says.
Now, unabashed self-expression has come to the fore, fueled by a pop culture phenomenon that has generated billions of dollars in box office revenue. “It's not just about functionality. It's about making a statement and turning your kitchen into a canvas,” says Anne Pulicelli, executive vice president of Middleby Residential, Viking's parent company. “Color has power.”
Helena Madden is Elle Decor's Associate Market Editor, covering products and trends in everything from tableware and furniture to kitchen and bath. She previously worked as a staff writer. rob report, There she covered luxury news with a focus on interior design.
