New Kitchen Trends for 2019 - as Featured in Multiple Newspapers

At Contour, we’re already thinking about what’s new in kitchen design for 2019. Our creative director, Rachael Burgess, has recently spoken to a multitude of regional publications including the Newcastle Journal, the Birmingham Mail, the Liverpool Echo, Leicester Mercury, the Gloucestershire Echo and more, to provide her top kitchen design tips for the coming year.

Rachael predicts that industrial style will remain very much in vogue over the next 12 months. Our showroom features concrete as one of the most popular finishes – and we’ll be pairing this with steel doors in our 2019 collection. Rachael also told how olive green is set to be one of 2019’s new colours – which pairs well with Northern American Hardwood. Veined worktops are also likely to continue in popularity – including quartz, composite and Corian. At Contour, our showroom includes Corian, Silestone, Dekton and Granit – high quality materials that give the kitchen a premium feel. Concealment, another popular trend, involves covering up appliances and kitchen equipment, allowing for a minimalistic and uncluttered finish.

The trend focused feature has been helpful in providing other kitchen design tips – based on predicted styles. Bold and interesting kitchens are also on the rise, with greys and darker blue shades still being widely used. These look great with clean, contemporary work surfaces and can be incorporated as part of a kitchen island, cabinetry or even appliances. Considering the use of space is important when deciding on colour palettes. If you have a larger space to work with, bolder and darker colours can work well – particularly in well-lit areas. For more enclosed spaces, vibrant shades for accessories, such as lighting and kitchen gadgets, tend to work well.

Lighter colour palettes are also likely to be an increasing trend, since they tend to make kitchen spaces appear larger. Many surfaces and textures reflect light and so, if using a light colour palette, this can really work to brighten the area. Furthermore, a blend of several light shades creates a sophisticated and relaxed environment. Contrasting colours, too, are set to see an increase in popularity, so this is a great opportunity to combine light and dark colour palettes.

Interesting textures are also a growing trend. 2019 will likely see a shift towards natural textures, colours and materials - including bronze, burnt brass and timber. Contrasting textures will add an interesting yet modern feel to the kitchen, with metal finishes softening industrial style kitchens.

Since the kitchen is increasingly becoming the heart of the home and a place to socialise, islands remain ever popular. These are spaces where multiple people can cook together, or sit around and eat. It’s a good idea to an use an island as the focal point by adding in a  pop of colour or interesting textures. Islands and peninsulas are ideal places to socialise; so incorporating some comfortable bar stools and stylish furniture pieces such as  a wine cabinet is a good way to create an inviting space for guests.

Here at Contour, we’re passionate about combining the latest trends with your preferences to create a unique yet stylish area that’s right for you. Click here to see some of our previous projects. We’ve also featured in Luxury Lifestyle Magazine; see here for some more kitchen design tips.

Our Suppliers... Who We Use and Why

The Contour showroom features a whole range of products supplied by luxury brands, such as Gaggenau, Leicht and Siemens. We like to use suppliers that produce high quality products, offer a highly efficient service and whose designs have innovation in mind. All the suppliers we work with are passionate about supporting the product user – an important part of our aftercare policy. We also ensure that all our suppliers’ products are made with superior materials so that we provide our customers with the highest quality materials and the longest-lasting appliances.

Leicht, founded in 1928, is a furniture brand that we have chosen to incorporate in our kitchen showroom. It offers high quality cabinetry with designs that are stylish yet timeless, fitting in with our own visions here at Contour. We also like to use Dekton, Sensa Granit and Silestone surfaces in our showrooms, which are provided to us by Cossentino. These materials are of superior quality and are versatile in colour, adding a unique touch to the home. We work with Cossentino not only because it distributes distinctive, innovative worktops, but also because it’s always at the forefront of surface technology.

Gaggenau, one of the most premium brands we work with, prides itself on manufacturing products to an exceptional standard – and has been doing so since 1683. This is thanks to expert craftspeople carrying out quality control checks by hand for each and every product before they’re sold. This way, no imperfections can be missed before the product is installed into the kitchens of homeowners. With dishwashers that slide effortlessly back into the kitchen cabinet and customisable cooking tops, Gaggenau’s appliances are sleek and seamless, and can be tailored to fit your needs and preferences. These innovations are the closest you can find to professional cookware designed for the home. Gaggenau is also the first brand to create a steam oven for the domestic market.

We also choose to work with Siemens, another brand, whose products are kept up-to-date with the latest technology. This reflects Siemens’s goal of making cooking easier and faster for the user. Its products cleverly allow the user to control multiple appliances through Home Connect, which links appliances to the user’s smartphone or tablet.

Neff, another one of our quality suppliers, is renowned for creating products with easy functionality and exceptional customer service. Popular amongst home bakers, Neff products have been seen on cookery shows such as the Great British Bake Off which features their ‘hide and slide’ ovens; the doors of which intelligently slide underneath the product to save space – perfect for smaller kitchens, wheelchair users or people who simply wish to manoeuvre around their oven more easily.

Bora, renowned for its ability to create multifunctional gas and induction hobs, create sleek, minimalistic and ergonomic products that act as both a cook top and extractor in one. The Bora Venting Hobs achieve this effortlessly, meaning that there is no need for the user to install a bulky extractor. These venting hobs also help to keep the kitchen smelling fresh, eliminating odours as soon as they leave the pan.

Quooker is a brand that we are proud to work with, and which created the first tap to dispense boiling water at 100 degrees celsius. Dutch made and beautifully engineered, these taps eradicate risks associated with kettles. They also use much less energy, and so are more beneficial for the environment.

Our showroom showcases worktops and dining furniture manufactured by Danish designers, Spevka. Since being established in 1968, Spevka has become a leading worktop manufacturer which never distributes products that are anything short of high quality, taking pride in their craftsmanship. We particularly like Spevka worktops because they offer unique, natural surface textures that fit beautifully alongside our ethos of offering uncomplicated designs.

Ultimately, our suppliers’ values match ours, and this is why we’ve chosen to integrate their products into our showrooms.

How to Pick the Kitchen Company That's Right for You

If you’ve recently thought about designing or upgrading your kitchen, you’re probably aware of the vast array of kitchen companies out there to choose from. Whilst it’s great that there are so many experts available to help you design your dream kitchen, it can be overwhelming when you’re trying to decide which company to go for – especially as the kitchen is the heart of the home. Some of you are no doubt contemplating designing your own, but this can be a huge risk, considering most homeowners lack the expert knowledge needed to fit a well-functioning, well-balanced kitchen. Hiring a kitchen designer, therefore, is highly recommended; however, choosing the right one for you can be a challenge.

Planning is key. After researching some options, write down what it is that you want from your new kitchen, as well as the kitchen company that will design and build it for you. Narrowing down your preferences and needs with regards to your specific kitchen will ultimately help you to fine-tune the kitchen company that’s right for you. A company who is willing to help you in the planning process is also something to consider, especially if you’re struggling with deciding on what it is that you want.

Choosing a long established kitchen company with a great track record is essential, since this will ensure that you’re provided with expert advice and high quality products. Having a look at the company website for testimonials, reviews and past projects is a great way to discover the true value of a company. This way, you’ll gain a visual insight into the kind of styles that the company specialises in – and decide whether they align with the styles that you’re after. You might also decide to go a step further and contact previous clients of a company you’re interested in. Additionally, looking for evidence of credentials, specialist training and licensing will help to ensure that you’re choosing a legitimate company.

Finding a company that listens to your wants and needs and is willing to tailor their advice to you is always a good start. Visiting a kitchen company in-store and speaking to a design consultant can be the best way to get a true feel for how flexible the company is with regards to tailoring their designs to your specification. Additionally, it’s worth considering that you’ll be consulting with these people throughout the whole process – so it pays to pick a company that you feel you can work with. Visiting in store is also a great chance to ask for extra design examples of previous work that has been carried out. Moreover, seeing the products in a showroom will give you an idea of the practicality of the products on offer, allowing you to check that functionality matches up to aesthetics.

If a kitchen company has a good track record, good reviews from previous clients and credentials/specialist training, then you’re already off to a great start. To speak to one of our design consultants, come and visit us in store.

We’ve Been Added to an Elite Honours List!

Here at Contour, we’re delighted to reveal that we’ve been inducted into an elite industry honour roll – Cosentino’s Elite Honours List.

Cosentino is a worldwide interiors manufacturer, producing high-quality ceramic surfaces and – having been added to the list – we’ll be joining the ranks of a select few elite kitchen studios.

The Cosentino judges looked at our sales, personal feedback and studio experience before coming to a decision, with Cosentino’s Laura Davie saying: “They are the crème de la crème of our very best Elite Premium Studios, and you can’t get much better than that. They have been selected thanks to their unfailing loyalty to Cosentino and their amazing customer service – they work with fabulous high-end projects and are fantastic ambassadors of our Silestone, Dekton and Sensa surfaces”.

Our Creative Director, Rachael Burgess said of being added to the list: “It’s a great honour for Contour to be recognised in such a way. We’re very proud of the work we do, very proud to work with Cosentino and very proud to be inducted into such a prized roll of elite studios.”

To celebrate being added to the list, Cosentino invited us to dinner at the Le Manoir Aux Quat’saisons in Oxford, which proved to be a lovely occasion at an excellent venue with delicious food.

To find out more about what we can offer and to hear more about our work with Cosentino, why not pop into our studio? Or you, of course, you can get in touch with us via our contact page.