From kitchen to table highlights | PDD

From kitchen to table highlights

By Sarita

on August 13 2014

Wow, we’re over half way through the year and it seems not so long ago that some of our team at PDD visited Ambiente (Frankfurt) and IHA Housewares (Chicago) to scout out the latest kitchen and table trends, as well as for the launch of our own collection for ZAK! Designs. So, well into the third quarter and in the midst of summer we’re taking a look back at some of the colourful and inspiring highlights!

Kitchens can be by far one of the most costly areas in the home to replace, so it is of no wonder that the kitchen tool and tableware market is booming, allowing people to revamp spaces and add a splash of colour to their often ‘classic and timeless’ interiors. In addition we are seeing an increase in open shelves as an alternative to fully cabinet-clad kitchens, turning functional space into playfully eclectic, and storage into curation. The days of purely functional equipment that would sit sedately behind kitchen cupboards is gone; now ‘character’ and ‘lifestyle’ have become a core component and differentiator alongside usability.

So here are some of the things that caught our eye at the shows this year…

Burnt Orange | COLOUR
A deep earthy colour usually seen in pottery, translated into plastics from gloss, satin and soft touch through to solid, transparent and opaque – shifting from playful to serious in character through saturation.

 

Super-Saturates | COLOUR
Moving on from CMYK colour direction seen across the consumer electronics last year; these ‘Super-Sats’ have exploded into the kitchen sector in full rainbow spectrum – featured in solid, full body application.

 

Lumi-Neon | COLOUR
Think ‘Super Sats’ cranked up a notch – then you’ve got the ‘Lumi-Neons’! Somewhat unusual colours for the kitchen, but we love them! Bold, playful, energetic – featured in glossy plastic and soft touch silicon. A little will go a long way!

 

Technical Black | COLOUR
In contrast to the abundance of colour, technical black in satin and matt finish forms a more serious and professional aesthetic. Form and detail become the bold elements instead of colour – think tools, not accessories.

 

Functional Deco | FINISH
Sensorial textures with function as well as visual intrigue spread across 3D surfaces. Patterns in unexpected places highlight functional parts and shift perceptions – this is not just a tool for cutting.

 

Natural Fibre | MATERIAL
Natural materials featured in new and familiar applications; paired with high gloss, high saturated plastics to create a modern freshness. While more traditional applications retained an element of purity and ‘closer to nature’ aesthetic.

 

Slow Perfection | FORM
Like something you would expect to see in an old science lab; coffee is slowly brewed to perfection using filters and the grace of time. We love the aesthetic of these – driven by process and established techniques. For more of our thoughts in the coffee area take a look at ‘The craft of coffee’ blog series.