Stack ‘em high

“The stand out trend this year is the artistic way in which cabinets are being placed in the kitchen. Moving away from the traditional straight run of cabinetry, stacked cabinets at varying heights and open shelving are being showcased in a myriad of design possibilities that are unique, creative and oozing with personality,” says Susan Hasler, national sales manager from Freedom, who attended Italy’s EuroCucina 2012 - the world’s largest kitchen fair.

Handle-free

“Handles are almost entirely absent in modern kitchens,” says Pernilla Johansson, Electrolux design director of major appliances for Asia Pacific. “If they are there, they consist of flatly angled grips, perfectly integrated with the base material, such as wood on wood or glass on glass.”

Curves are back

“Curved edges are back with horizontally and vertically curved edges, panels and trims now fully realised with the addition of concave and convex corners. This trend, a nod to 1980s design, utilises what used to be dead spaces creating storage solutions with soft, smooth and rounded effects across all kitchen elements,” says Andrew Vidor, managing director from Made Living.

Say it with blue

“Cobalt blue is on trend. A deep, luxurious colour, cobalt pops perfectly against white, complements natural wood and looks sleek and modern next to stainless steel appliances,” says Susan Hasler from Freedom.

Some like it hot

“As the kitchen is the hub of the home, and with families increasingly time poor, Australians are looking for products that save them time and energy, as well as looking good in their home,” says Fiona Irving, Corporate Marketing Manager at LG Australia.

“Induction cooktops are a great option for busy families looking for a safe and efficient stovetop. Induction heating ensures precise cooking, through the use of electromagnetic energy. This is generated by an induction coil that reacts only with magnetic materials, meaning the base of the pot or pan absorbs the electromagnetic energy and converts it into energy, making the base of the pan the source of the heat. There’s a huge safety benefit with this as it’s flameless, has a lower cooking surface temperature and automatically turns off for spillage and/or overheating.”

“The Pyrolytic oven is another great product as the self-cleaning function eliminates the need for harsh chemicals and takes the hard work out of cleaning. With the press of a button, the oven heats up to 500°C, turning food scraps and oil into ash that can be easily wiped away. The child safety lock is designed to prevent the oven from being switched on unintentionally, keeping it safe with little hands around.”

Great outdoors

“An outdoor kitchen is a great way to entertain – and leave the mess outside!” says Belinda Geels, Reece Bathroom Marketing Manager. “Incorporate an outdoor kitchen to your outdoor entertaining area. Your outdoor kitchen will be the perfect final touch for those who love to entertain alfresco.”

On this, Asko has created Australia’s first outdoor dishwasher. “Outdoor kitchens are growing in popularity and are a perfect fit with Australian’s love of the great outdoors,” says Lisa Sutcliffe, sales and marketing executive for Asko. The design made the finals of the 2012 Australian International Design Awards.

Gloss gone

“Warmer matte finishes on cabinetry and benchtops are re-emerging in favour of high gloss materials,” says Breville spokeswoman Roberta Marcroft. “Homeowners are complementing these contemporary, easier to maintain kitchen surfaces with pearlescent white and brushed stainless kitchen appliances for an effortless touch of class.”