Braver, more personalised spaces are restoring our love of the kitchen, reflecting what the kitchen has always been – the heart of the home. Here, your character should be apparent in the design, boldly executed with plenty of colour, contrast and texture, and with the addition of favourite items of furniture and artworks, as well as collectables and pot plants displayed on open shelving.

Dirty pots and pans can be hidden from guests in a built-in scullery or a broken-plan or zoned kitchen layout can be created using shelving or a raised breakfast bar to create separation from messy dishes. “We should consider how we tend to live around the kitchen area,” explains architectural designer Paul Spooner. “While placing a sink in an island bench looks good in magazine shoots, the reality is the sink is a dumping zone for dirty dishes and this is not ideal front and centre. Instead, consider positioning the sink against a window or wall where clutter is less noticeable.”

Kitchen islands are working even harder for us now with better utilisation of storage, while built-in lighting offers different effects for different activities and times of the day. Industrial materials continue to be popular: made more homely when contrasted with warmer materials like timber, patterned tiling and mixed metallic shades.

Expect to see the appearance of blue-coloured kitchens, especially in darker shades of blue, while easy-to-open handles are making a comeback, as a break from the recent trend for push-front cupboards. The ‘trough sink’ seems like a great idea for food preparation or for soaking kitchen herb pots; even better still, fill it with ice for serving champagne or oysters at your next dinner party.

Most importantly, kitchen design should be exciting as well as functional, reflecting the eclectic nature of each of our lives and personalities. But, if minimalism is still your thing, that’s fine too, just make it beautiful and sculptural.

Textured minimalism – Leanne Larking of quattro uno on Urban Kitchen in Havelock North

“This lovely home is tucked away down a long driveway in a leafy, green street in Havelock North. The client gave me a strict brief that narrowed down to simple, clean lines and hard-wearing surfaces. We worked through various layouts but the suggestion of opening up to the garden through new bi-folding doors won her over. Bulkheads were designed to merge the cabinetry into its new space seamlessly. Tall cabinets conceal much-needed storage and there is a small butler’s pantry through a concealed pivot door, housing small appliances and offering an area where things can hidden out of sight. Stainless-steel work surfaces were chosen to be robust and reliable. The remaining materials are simple oak and a paint finish, and there is a textural play through the hexagon-tiled splashback.”

Clean geometry – Leanne Larking of quattro uno on River Kitchen in Hawke’s Bay

“This architecturally designed home sits alongside the Tukituki River. The existing kitchen was internalised with a window facing the river. The view and flow were the starting points. The space was opened up by removing the window and adding new bi-folding doors to create flow and a sense of space, which enhanced and encouraged the view, framing it to the river beyond the pergola. The space has a very high, sweeping ceiling with skylights between the rafters over the dining area; these offer a lovely ethereal light to the space. I designed the kitchen as an insertion of form into the space so as not to alter or deter from its architecture. Form and details are specific to this kitchen. Benchtops and cabinetry are almost one and vertical negative details are consistent throughout while also being functional.”

Inside out – Paul Spooner of Spooner Architectural Solutions on Paihia Kitchen in Bay of Islands

“This kitchen space overcame challenges arising from its location in the compact corner of an L-shaped open-plan area. As part of an alteration project that transformed a 1950s’ brick-and-tile home, the new kitchen, dining and living areas were afforded an extra-high stud, along with very tall windows and doors, to raise the visual horizon. This created the impression of a much larger space and allowed penetration of natural light. On one side, the kitchen has a generous window that opens onto a small deck. Another side of the kitchen is centred on a bi-fold window across the dining space, creating a direct visual connection with the main outdoor living area. Natural cedar cladding and dark aluminium joinery contrast with a light and bright interior. Added accents of black and timber in the kitchen and furniture bring cohesion within the interior/exterior contrast.”

Dark and mysterious – Leanne Larking of quattro uno on Havelock North Kitchen in Hawke’s Bay

“The kitchen sits at the rear of a large home. New French doors flow to an outdoor area and allow morning light to fill the space. We had a lengthy design process that allowed us to explore possibilities of different cabinetry materials. Laminex Allure Ash was used for the majority of the kitchen, offering a sophisticated effect balanced with a Corian Cameo white block of cabinetry at the far end of the kitchen. This contrasts with the darker materials that showcase the abundance of Gaggenau appliances. The block was chosen for its robust nature and soft, chalky appearance. The large island sits proudly in the centre, with a custom-made rangehood giving a sense of much-needed intimacy to the large kitchen. Lighting frames each form and is also a lovely surprise, softly illuminating the insides of the drawers when they are opened.”