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Most Included Trends In 2018 Designs

Most included trends in 2018 designs.

If you have just recently renovated or are looking into doing so, you’ll probably already know about these common trends everyone’s diving for in 2018 and we don’t blame these choices – read on to see what everyone’s hyping over!

Banquette Seating:

Believe it or not, this is an older trend which has rocketed into today’s trends and we aren’t complaining! This simple, yet practical idea has an edgy yet comfortable look and has more room for family/friends for that Sunday night roast or even a nice hot cuppa’ tea on that rainy day with your favorite book. With its space-saving design of bench seating made more sense than including a full set of table and chairs in the space of the kitchen.

Furniture historians trace the banquette, derived from the Germanic word for bench, back to 15th century France. Having seating is the kitchen was to have a concealed entry to secret passages that may have been located underneath banquettes in palaces and castles and was typically made from wood whereas nowadays they are made with cushioning and material to match your style.

Flat front Cabinetry:

We all want the simple yet elegant look but also still want to be able to open and close our cabinets and drawers, so this is where our push touch system comes into the trends of 2018 – no more catching your clothes on the edge of your handles, no more bumps and bruises on the children’s foreheads from running into the edge. Unfortunately, this design has no history behind it but take it from us that if you’re wanting a clean, seamless edge then for sure go for this!

Tile splashbacks:

While the kitchen splashback is a common aspect in many houses now, it wasn’t always this way. In fact, the modern idea of a kitchen splashback is a relatively recent invention, but where did this fantastic, practical idea originate from?

Like many common household features, the splashback can’t be traced to one single source. What we can confirm about the original splashbacks is that they came into use shortly after running water became widespread around the 1930s due to the advent of running water, kitchen innovations emerged swiftly, and the backsplash became a common kitchen sight.

Originally, backsplashes were about 4 inches high and were made of fragile materials like glass or tiles. Many were simply attached to the then-popular butler sink. When under-mount sinks rose to popularity in the 40s, splashbacks were no longer directly attached to the sink, so the only solution was mounting the backsplash directly to the wall. Over the following decade, the splashback became a popular place to demonstrate decor tastes. Around this time, the bright colors and creative patterns of the cement tile backsplash became the stylistic standard.

Even though the cement tile splashback rose to fame in the 1950s, it’s held up to the many home decor style changes over the years with ease whether it adds liveliness to a simple kitchen or accompanies a lively, colorful kitchen, the cement tile backsplash shines in just about every setting. In addition to its persistence’s, cement tile has proven to be one of the best materials for a splashback, why? Because of Its natural durability and easy clean-up is perfect for facing the splatters, stains of cooking. Over the years, production quality has only increased, so modern cement tile is likely to last even longer and hold to even more sauce stains, oil spatters, and splashes of water than its prototypes.

Mixed Metals:

This is such an elegant touch to incorporate into your designs to give the kitchen an edgy yet modern touch, there are different sorts of colors and finishes to choose from to suit your style like Matte black/white, polished chrome, brushed nickel just to name a few. There isn’t much history behind this one as it’s more so a design compliment for the finishing touches.

Multi-purpose islands:

2018 has just gone a step higher with trends and practicality has seemed to really boost up there alongside all the trends – this is a great example.

Shortly after World War II, popular home design shifted from closed floor plans to open concept spaces (sound familiar?) designed to make the work within the home more efficient and less labor-intensive. An expansive, wide-open kitchen meant that dinner could be prepared while children in the family room were in clear view. Once dinner was ready, everyone could eat in the kitchen itself rather than the dining room, making it easier for the cook to serve and manage the meal but with all the benefits an open concept floor plan presented, it came with challenges, namely a shortage of storage and counter space. Therefore, the kitchen island was born.

The kitchen island became a solution to space challenges, providing more surface area, storage potential, and a place for everyone to come together while others were cooking (plus, as we well know now, it also serves the purpose of separating the kitchen from living areas in absence of walls).

It is very popular to add in a cook top or a sink into your island now, but the options of design are endless! Come and talk to us down at Next Edition Kitchens to see what we can do for you!

 

 

Style trends come and go, so don’t invest in the latest look unless you love it. That said, highly-personalized or outdated style choices can limit the appeal of your property for resale.

For major renovation projects, it’s always a good idea to stick to the more neutral colors and classic styles. It will give your remodel durability and appeal to the greatest number of buyers when it comes time to sell. It will also give you flexibility to update your look in a few years without a total overhaul. Use non-permanent fixtures – like paint, furniture and accent pieces – to personalize the space and incorporate trendier choices.

 

Butler sink

The Butler sink – Must have sink 2018

A couple of weeks ago, one of our suppliers had come to us and proposed an updated brochure of beloved sinks and mixers we use with a few new additions thrown in here and there and let me tell you – we are in for a jolly good treat!

One sink that particularly stuck out to us was the butler sink (or otherwise known as the farmhouse sink) I decided to do a bit of research on this gem and prepare to be amazed – there is a bit of history behind the idea designers had whilst designing this little beauty.

Let’s start with the history so we can appreciate it even more knowing is origination.

You will notice this sink has many different names it goes by depending on what part of the world you live in, here in NZ and Australia we most commonly identify these as a Butler sink or Farmhouse sink, but they are also called apron front (mostly in the US), London and Belfast. (I’m going to stick with using Butler sink for this blog) London and Belfast are in fact two specific designs of farmhouse sink – read a little more about this below.

The Butler sink originated in a time when there was no running water, so in this time we all used buckets (or pales if you will) of water, the idea behind the sink was that it was a place to hold large amounts of water – water that had to be collected by hand with buckets and barrels from nearby water wells, lakes or rivers.

The two original iconic Butler style sinks, which emerged in Ireland and Britain in the late 17th century, were the London and the Belfast sink. They were both of similar design, however – each had their own noticeable different characteristics designed to suit the area they would be used for. The Belfast sink was deep and had an overflow so that excess water could be easily drained away instead of flowing over the sides of the sink. Unlike Belfast, the London sink was designed to be shallower and had no overflow so that every drop could be kept inside the sink.

The design of the sink means that the user can stand directly at the front of the basin – with no cabinets or benchtop in between. This made the Butler sink more comfortable to use for women who would, in olden days, spend some of their day at the sink, preparing food, washing dishes, washing clothes and even washing babies.

Practicality of the size:

While you could still wash your baby in today’s Butler sink, you’ll probably find it more useful for washing large pots, baking/oven trays etc. – items that you would generally struggle to wash in a typical sink, and – if one large bowl isn’t enough, you can find several double bowl options, too.

Installation:

Originally, Butler sinks were designed to sit slightly to the front of the cabinets so that any water that spilled over down the front of the sink it would run directly to the floor instead of flowing on and damaging the cabinets, this is still how Butler sinks are typically installed in a kitchen.

They are also installed just under the benchtop level so that the bench can slightly overhang the sides of the sink, making it easy to wipe water from the bench straight into the sink.

Whats the material?

White Butler sinks are most commonly made from either fireclay or porcelain.

Fireclay sinks are made of clay, which is heated to an extremely high temperature that makes the sink very hard and durable. It also gives the sink its beautiful high shine. The durability of fireclay means that it is very resistant to scratches and chips and is also very easy to clean.

Porcelain sinks are a ceramic material, again heated to high temperatures, although not quite as high as fireclay. They look like fireclay sinks but are less expensive. Porcelain sinks are not quite as durable as fireclay and are more prone to chipping and discoloration.

There are many other options regarding copper colors & stainless steel which both have many benefits.

There is a modern version which unlike the butler sink, it sits on top of the benchtop and has a space for a tap hole incorporated into the sink, eliminating the need to have a benchtop run around the back of the sink. The fact that this sink sits on top of the bench eliminates the risk of water finding its way down the sides of the sink, making for a more water tight option – although not as authentic as the original design.

If you’re needing inspo, don’t fret! i have you covered….https://www.pinterest.nz

 

Toe Kicks

Why toe kicks are a MUST in the kitchen.

This blog is about an aspect in your kitchen you probably didn’t even know existed – the all mighty toe kicks. The toe kick for those who don’t know is a small panel located under your cabinets where the doors usually end, the toe kick covers the space from then to the flooring. It turns out that paying a little attention to this hidden away spot can make a huge difference in the look and feel of your kitchen.

There’s a reason the toe kick exists to begin with, the next time you’re standing in front of your kitchen sink or working at the benchtop, take a look down at your toes, chances are you won’t be able to see your toes because they’re actually positioned underneath the front edge of your cabinets, in the toe kick.

When you stand at your kitchen sink or cook at the bench, chances are your feet are positioned so that your toes are in the toe kick, without this little foot cubby hole you’d either bang your toes into the front of your cabinets, or have to learn over awkwardly to reach things at the back of your benchtop. It’s a helpful little ergonomic detail that’s so common that most people don’t think about it at all. (Bathroom cabinets that go all the way to the floor also have these.)

The toe kick can actually be more than just a practical thing in the kitchen – in most kitchens the toe kick is either painted black or the same color as the cabinets, to make it as invisible as possible. Although, some people like to make a statement out of these toe kicks, there is many different colors you can make these (you can even get a mirrored one! how snazzy is that?) reason being is it can actually be a good, simple way to tie in the color scheme of your cabinetry with the benchtop right up to the handles.

So there you have it, a toe kick is pretty much a tiny compartment for your feet to sit so you have a lot more comfort while working in the kitchen.

 

 

 

 

Mangatapere Beauty – New Kitchen In Whangarei

Check out this beautiful new kitchen in Mangatapere created for Trevor and Cheryl Barfoote by Next Edition Kitchens LTD, Get in touch today with the team on (09)4303074 to get your new kitchen!

6 Popular kitchen layouts (with pictures)

Ever noticed how creative you can get with your layout of a kitchen? the most asked question is “What layout would suit me and my house?” well, no more wondering – we have the perfect guide (with pictures) that will make being in the kitchen a breeze with the layout suited to your space.

First we have the U-shaped kitchen – this is perfect if you have a couple of cooks in the house who enjoy cooking together, this layout is designed to create and hold a wide range or space and storage making it easier to have more than just one in the kitchen. This layout best suits the larger rooms the kitchen is located as this layout is quite spaced out. The U-shape is perfect as it offers counters and work spaces on 3 walls and there is still the option of adding an island in the middle. Essentially, the U-shaped kitchen can offer the best of both worlds. The middle of the kitchen is yours to play with –  you can even include an island in the middle, this is ideal for the home owner that likes to not only spent lots of time in the kitchen making meals and baking but also sees it as a communal family room where everyone can get together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secondly, we have the L-shaped kitchen – this is perfect for those smaller units/flats that don’t have as much space but you still want to have as much space and storage as you possibly can, this is mainly ideal for one person cooking per time in a comfortable space. The only difference between this and the U-shaped kitchen is your pretty much losing one bench top and a few cupboards and drawers but being a smaller house with less residents this is perfectly workable. This dead end approach is great for those wanting to cook in privacy but if you don’t want the family shut out and like the idea of kids wandering through to check on dinner, the next option could be for you.

The third is the wonderful Gallery kitchen – This is a GREAT space saver and to be fair, some will argue this has slightly gone off the fashion board in the recent years with people more budging for those U & L shaped kitchen layouts because of the strict shape and closed-in feel doesn’t compliment a open plan living plan. But let me tell you the benefits, firstly, they can provide a two-walled approach to storage and facilities in a small space. Everything that a home cook needs is available on both sides but it is still a great way to save space in kitchen with minimal room to move. Secondly, the long walkway between the two work areas can open up the space on either side, allowing for a constant stream of traffic between the back yard and the dining area and a communal feel.

Number 4 Island kitchen – This design divides large kitchens into efficient, smaller working areas. The Island kitchens are by far the most popular layout because not only do they provide a host of new design options for new builds and renovations but they can actually enhance the layouts mentioned above. An island has many benefits depending on your design taste and style, it can give excellent depth and an opportunity to change this into a L-shaped kitchen but also a new meaning to a gallery kitchen as long as there is enough space to play with. Galleys are typically narrow but in a larger room, an island gives a stopping point in the middle for families to sit at. In other kitchens, like the large U-shaped kitchens, islands can be a great focal point in the middle of a large, dominating kitchen. Some kitchens that are short on space can use them for preparation while others will gain an alternative dining area.

Dark panels in kitchen - Grey

Peninsula kitchen coming in at number 5 – This is pretty much just a U-shape kitchen but without the wall behind, this design is perfect if you are wanting to achieve an island in your layout but just don’t have the space to put it in the middle This is ideal for homes that really want an island to work on or eat but don’t really have the space to build one out in the middle of the room. There are limitations to this approach in terms of its use and accessibility, but it can be a great compromise for enhancing a small, L-shaped layout.

 

 

The comfortable kitchen for one at number 6 we have our last but not least One wall kitchen – again, these are great for those smaller living areas, this layout would work fantastic in a holiday home or even a small flat, the layout has just enough space for everything one person needs – it looks tidy and can be kept that way quite easily – it is great for those on a budget as well as you aren’t really adding much to this design as it’s a nice, simple layout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Choices

Kitchen Professional or General Contractor?

This time of year is the time everyone decides the kitchen needs some TLC or a whole new look, finding the best, creative kitchen wizard can become a nightmare if you leave this too long, bookings come in and out the door like crazy and delays occur with the kitchen installation dates and even manufacturing of the project BUT the reason home owners decide to suck it up and work around the talented lass/lad is because of the exceptional knowledge and organizing they take care of instead of you stressing out wondering if you have sorted everything and prepared all the subcontractors etc. also, you generally just end up dealing with the wizard himself opposed to making countless contact to different places here and there to sort everything.

Quality VS. Value:

Sure, we all tend to naturally go for what’s cheaper but if your looking for a quality job that will stand the test of time (and a definite guarantee on this one!) then a professional kitchen designer, manufacturer and installer is 100% the way to go. In many purchasing situations – a great deal is the desired outcome, the same goes for a standard renovation. A ‘too good to be true’ price could result in low-grade products and a hasty installation. A professional kitchen designer can offer you peace of mind that your investment is backed by their guarantee, and even more value in the form of reliability, expert advice and customer service another bonus is a lot of kitchen professionals can offer more customization around your ideas and style.

Reliability:

Most homeowners are more open to spending a little extra if it buys them peace of mind. A general contractor generally can’t offer the same level of reliability as a professional can – and in saying this, it’s not a deliberate situation they are constantly in but more so because they have many other projects that may come to be a priority, or some may be more urgent to complete than others. Some (not all) general contractors may have proof of the proper business licenses and insurances, but that’s usually where the credentials stop. A kitchen professional will have more resources to prove that his/her work is certified and reliable. Read reviews on the business pages, ask around locally to see who people recommend and make sure you won’t get into a catastrophe.

Level of expertise:

From your appointment to your installation, a kitchen specialist can offer you an elevated level of expert advice. For instance, Next Edition Kitchens LTD has a team of kitchen designers that are dedicated to finding the most current trends and helping you design your dream kitchen. Because most of its products are made and manufactured in its on-site facility, every member of Next Edition Kitchens LTD family is equipped to answer any question you may have, as well as offer expert advice regarding your personal wants and needs.

Customer Service:

Now this is probably one of the most important aspects — specialized professionals have the ability to tend to your needs from before your consultation appointment is scheduled, to, well – after your project is completed. Where a general contractor may be over-worked and too busy to work with your busy schedule, a professional kitchen company has employees ready to help. Oftentimes, a professional can schedule your appointment and installation when it’s most convenient for you. If you have questions or concerns, a professional company will always be there to answer your phone calls. Should you have to reach them for any reason after your installation, the same holds true. Whereas, it can be nearly impossible with a contractor. But you can rest assured that a professional will be around—and flexible—after your job is completed.

There are plenty of instances where a general contractor is a viable option, but for kitchen re-modelling specifically, a specialist is the way to go. The kitchen can be an especially demanding room to renovate, and a true professional has the level of expertise and reliability that is in line with those demands. No wonder more homeowners are choosing kitchen specialists for their kitchen re-modelling projects!

 

NEKL

Handles VS. No Handles

Are you in the middle of planning your next project and just can’t quite decide on whether handles would be the icing on the cake? Read on for some interesting pros and cons of each and my take on what is best for different styles, hopefully we can help you stop scratching and start the ball rolling.

As we know, Handles are becoming a very head-scratching decision to make now-days as there is so many different design ideas out there and lots of different styles to dash for. Some may not know, but the handle-less style was a reasonably popular choice for homeowners in the 1970s too; and now it’s gained popularity again, particularly over the last few years.

The main reason a lot of renovators decide to go for the push-touch drawers/cabinets with no handles is because of the seamless, elegant and TIDY look it gives off. It also enhances the use of the push-touch feature making it 100x more convenient for opening and closing in a quick, effortless manner. Renovators also love, love, LOVE the look of the flat, smooth surface.

Pros that I have been researching and can confirm is as follows:

  • Timeless style – The no handle look will never out-date, I mean look at the 1970’s statement I made before, it was such a popular choice back then and fast forwarded to now – they still are! It’s a win-win situation.
  • Safety – Have you ever had your children/grandchildren/siblings etc, come over and knock themselves on the handle protruding off your cabinet/drawers or have you ever walked past and its hooked onto a bit of clothing? Well – not anymore, with the push touch option, there is no obstacles in your way.

With pros comes cons, I have carefully researched and gathered some information from out knowledge (which is very little to no complaints):

  • Cost – you may think having no handles may be slightly cheaper because you aren’t adding the additional object to your kitchen, well not to be a buzz kill but depending on the option you choose, they usually cost 20-50 percent more than having handles. Reason being is the magical system the push-touch requires to function does come at a price, but don’t be scared away from the idea as it is still an affordable option and definitely worth investing in.

This isn’t to say that handles have gone completely off the cards because there are some very eye-catching handles out there that compliment the renovators project just perfect, handles are very beneficial in the aspects of having something to hook your fingers on in high places and those corner cabinets etc.

The pros for having handles is definitely the advantages it has for keeping your cleaning to a minimum – as you may already have guessed, having handles aims for having that one dedicated space to grab for when opening/closing the unit whereas, having a handle less, push-touch system it is more likely to get grubby finger marks all over the face of the unit as there is not one dedicated spot to press and open, it is free for all some may say and you can virtually push anywhere for the system to open/close which means, grubby finger marks EVERYWHERE!

  • Cost – As stated above, having handles can be cheaper, not always as some different handles of course come with a different price but there are so many good bargains on some exquisite handles out there just screaming that it’s the icing on the top of your project.
  • Styles – There are many different styles and colors of handles out to literally suit everyone’s style/taste. In my opinion this is a great advantage as they will always be in trend its just the style that will vary but they are easy to replace and again, can be quite the bargain while keeping the illusion of elegance or even quirkiness!

Cons:

  • Trends – this isn’t really a big deal if you aren’t too worried about trends going in and out but for those who love to keep up with the trends then handles may not be complimentary on that aspect with styles continuously changing, if you do happen to love your trends and styles then this method of having handles can be costly with replacing etc but do again keep in mind there are plenty of bargains about! A lot of handle styles tend to stay in trend for awhile – i’m talking years and given the era we live in, they are all pretty similar to what new designs come out in some way.

I hope we have helped minimize the head scratching decision in some ways with detailed information on each option, we know it’s a tough choice to make but we can guarantee that either option, your project will be looking exquisite – if you are still hum-ing and harr-ing go down to your local joinery place, we will take in all aspects like your personal style, what look you’re going for and of course, your budget.

 

 

 

 

Kitchen

Old kitchen trends that have made a comeback

We all knew this would happen at some point, lets just say living in the 70’s and beyond looked to be a creative era and in this aspect it’s making a huge comeback that everyone just loves, look no further than the kitchen, where a variety of once relived kitchen trends are stealing the spotlight again and leaving us in question as to why they ever left.

1. Pull out chopping boards – We’ve all been in an older kitchen and noticed a little drawer which pulls out to be a chopping board, reason why we love this is firstly, it has it’s very own storage sorted out (no excuses for misplacing it in the wrong cupboard/drawer) it’s got many uses for different design ideas –  one that i like is having one above your pull-out bins as you can have a hole cut into the edge of the chopping board so when you finish cutting food up there’s a little long-drop for your scraps, how easy would cleaning that up be!?

2. Colorful Cabinetry –  Once upon a few years ago (we’re talking 50’s, 60’s and 70’s) kitchens would be in a range of colours – red, green, blue, yellow, pink, orange, purple you name it, these where the normal. Venturing in to the coming years a lot of wood finishes came into trend pushing the colours aside and then the whites an your more natural colours shined upon our designs and was the most common colours (still is to this date) but now….. colour has made a fast approached comeback and the colours aren’t so bad, they are more subtler than the ones from the 50’s, 60’s & 70’s (we promise)

3. Shiny kickboards and handles – I’m not saying every kitchen had this feature but some of them did, the handles would come in many different, antique looking styles which we still have a few around today so this comeback wasn’t much of a surprise BUT we love the look so we thought we’d mention this one too.

4. Tiled Splashbacks – Tiled splashbacks were a more DIY job for making your kitchen look a bit unique and spruced up, there’s no denying how cost efficient this was and the outcome had everyone blown away as it was seen as “creative” and “quirky” – this has made an extravagant comeback as it was slowly introduced by the textures glass splashbacks are offered in.

 

So now we come to an old but new era yet again, it’s one we’ve all been waiting for so we can shine our true colours with creativity and bring back some good old childhood memories.

Whats your thoughts?

 

 

 

Granite

All you need to know about Granite

Tough, practical, beautiful.. no wonder Granite is the top choice for stone benchtops..

For those who are interested in granite, granite is an igneous rock with between 20% and 60% quartz by volume, and at least 35% of the total feldspar consisting of alkali feldspar, it is a incredible hard-wearing stone (ideal for kitchens) the price ranges from rarity of the stone and where it originates from also the labor involved in manufacturing this to suit any design – makes it more of an investment than a cheap fix.

Granite is produced naturally in a variety of colours this will always depend of the mix of quartz, mica & feldspar.  So, a wonderful range to choose from!

To achieve different finishes, the stone’s surface is worked with diamond pads, starting with the roughest and getting finer until the required look is produced. A high-shine, polished finish brings out the brilliant colours and shine which comes from the reflection of the stone’s crystals.

For a contemporary honed finish, polished stone is buffed to create a flat, low-sheen surface. Sandblasted granite gives a raw, textured surface. This is more porous than a polished surface and is not suitable for hardworking areas.

Clean granite with stone soap or a mild dish-washing liquid diluted in warm water. Use a clean, soft cloth, remove the detergent from the surface with a second cloth soaked in cold water, then wipe dry. Blot up any spills before they soak into the surface

 

Now, you’re probably wondering what the pro’s and con’s are to this magnificent product? well here goes:

PROS:

  •              Granite benchtops don’t d­epreciate in value.
  •            It’s a one-of-a-kind, natural surface that has an almost luminous look.
  •             Granite adds value to your home.
  •            It’s sanitary — bacterial contamination is not a problem with granite.
  •             Formed by heat and pressure, it can take the heat of a pan.
  •             It’s easy to clean with warm water and a mild detergent.

CONS:

  •         Granite benchtops last forever. If you get tired of the colour, you’ll either need to learn to live with it or rip out the entire counter, because you can’t change the colour.
  •          Each slab of granite is different, so it may not be a good choice if you prefer a completely uniform look.
  •          Granite itself is expensive, and the labor-intensive installation can run three times more than the cost of the material.
  •          Granite can be permanently stained if you seal it with a pre-existing stain.
  •          It can crack when hit by a hard, sharp object like a meat cleaver.
  •         Because it’s so heavy, granite often requires additional structural support, especially in spans and cantilevers.
  •          Once glued onto the cabinets, granite is quite difficult to remove, and may result in damage to the cabinets.

Here’s a link to our main supplier of granite benchtops – here you can browse through the different colours and find out where they are from, there also some finished projects on there too (don’t be afraid to pop down to their showroom and have a chat! they won’t bite!) https://www.stone.co.nz/