Feature

Curved kitchens making a comeback – why? It’s a refreshing change to linear kitchens

There is a noticeable move towards all things curvy in modern kitchen design, where sweeping shapes and contours are taking the edge off the sharp lines in the kitchen. Although linear kitchens continue to have strong appeal, there is a definite trend towards a softer approach in the styling of kitchens, with curves being easier on the eye and more comfortable to live with, especially as the kitchen is increasingly becoming the main living area in the home.

Shape in the kitchen is a key design trend, be it contemporary or classic style. Various finishes such as timber, steel, aluminium, hi-gloss and even granite can be beautifully curved to create a softer feel to the interior. Curved and shaped doors and drawers make interesting and individual pieces of furniture and are increasingly being used by UK designers. In terms of the effect on the mood and feel of a room, contoured ends and gentle undulating curves soften the look, something that is increasingly important when creating today’s easy-living style. For worksurfaces, curves add a distinctive appeal to the interior and also assist with ergonomics. As the popularity of natural materials continues to gather pace in kitchen design, more traditional materials such as granite and timber are being given a thoroughly modern twist by shaping them in more curvaceous styles. This can look particularly effective if the worksurface shape echoes the contours of the furniture for a clean and streamlined look.

What are the benefits over the linear kitchen? Design/ergonomics

There are a number of benefits over linear kitchens. In design terms, curves offer the designer more freedom of expression, a palette of features to create inspirational schemes. From an ergonomic perspective, curves can create zones in the kitchen for specific activities, such as a shaped breakfast bar to sit around (see Avant kitchen shot). From a safety point of view, curves also reduce the risk of small children knocking into sharp and angular edges, so for a family with young children, introducing curves can be a strong consideration.

Is there strong consumer demand for curves? Individuality, bespoke look etc

As consumers become increasingly ‘design-aware’ there is a growing demand for curves and shape in the kitchen. Where before curved units and shaped worksurfaces were seen as luxuries at the top end of the bespoke kitchen market, kitchen manufacturers and distributors have responded with curved door components and carcasses to create the look of a bespoke kitchen without the hefty price tag previously attached to shaped layouts.

Consumers are also looking to put their own stamp of individuality on each room of their home, and the kitchen is often the one that they choose to make a real statement. Cue curves in the kitchen to create that important individual style. So in both classic and contemporary styling the move is towards a ‘make it your own’ kitchen. A statement of individuality, which is great news for kitchen retailers who can test their design skills to the limit in terms of designing more individual and quirky pieces to personalise each project. An off-the-peg kitchen with all the necessary ingredients to create a curvy ‘bespoke-look’ is of course great news for the retailers, especially those who buy from suppliers who offer all of this from their standard fascias and elements. Never before has the choice of components been so wide. Never before have kitchen designers had so many interestingly shaped features at their fingertips, enabling them to design an individual kitchen, which to all intents and purposes is off-the-peg, save for perhaps some template and fit with the worktop. Take a modern styled off-the-peg kitchen - the range content is now so extensive with far more bells and whistles than ever before. There is likely to be a myriad of accessories in the range 
to create a bespoke-look kitchen. With the careful use of curved feature doors, curved pilasters, radius ends, corner blocks and other ‘twiddly bits’ the kitchen has all the essential ingredients of a custom-designed project. Today’s kitchen retailers are in-tune with these developments and are now fully equipped to plan and design a scheme that incorporates many curvaceous features, which previously had to be handcrafted.

Curved kitchens Italian in flavour – is this true, why?

The Italians are truly the experts where curvaceous kitchens are concerned, and it is their continental influence that has set the UK trend for all things curvy. The Italian door manufacturers have designed some outstanding shaped fascias, and at PJB Cabinets we are introducing contoured elements into many of our more contemporary ranges. However, it’s not just Italian influences that inspire curves in the kitchen. They are also being heavily inspired by the retro era which is very much in-vogue at present. Curved elements for both modern and classic retro-styling are big news, and we will see more of this coming through, not only in solid colour and woodgrains, but increasingly in metallic effects too. The retro kitchen is all about fun. It harkens back to a time when design was simple but had character. Typical details include shiny metallic accessories, glossy worktops, and of course lots of rounded edges. In retro terms, curves are definitely cool! The Fresco range from PJB Cabinets is a great example of this, taking a simple slab door and introducing lots of retro shape.

Are curved kitchens more difficult to design/manufacture than linear ones – is it easier to work in wood than laminate and other man-made materials?

In the past kitchen designers may have shied away from introducing shape into a kitchen, simply because they didn’t have the experience or the supplier base to gain confidence in moving away from linear design. However, as more manufacturers recognise the appeal and attraction of curved kitchen design, suppliers have responded with a menu of curved design options, together with advice on best design and installation practice. To this end, it is now quite commonplace for shaped worksurfaces and contoured units to be the norm, rather than the exception.

Natural materials such as timber and granite make stunning curved features, however with the latest developments in acrylic edging and worksurface tooling, laminate worksurfaces can also now be successfully shaped in stunning curves.