This year marked the return of EuroCucina, the showcase of the latest in kitchen designs, products, and launches that happens at Milan’s Salone del Mobile every other year. The novelties were as inspiring as expected and we noticed a taste for playfulness, with new pops of color and unexpected use of glass standing out as a refreshing new trend.
There was also a reinterpretation of the way in which we use the kitchen now, as a space for social interaction and gathering, rather than just for cooking. This explores how the heart of our home continues to evolve and offers new possibilities and ties into a look that is not far from that of a living space. Luxurious and calming, new materials that create a sense of warmth were showcased, with a particular focus on durable ceramics with a stone appearance and the return of terracotta.
As this is the month we celebrate the best of Italian design with our dedicated Italian Issue for 2024, we delve deeper into the looks unveiled at EuroCucina that will shape the future of kitchen trends.
1. Marazzi reinterprets terracotta and brings warmth to kitchen spaces
There is a strong tendency in the design world at the moment, and seen a lot at this year's Milan Design Week, to focus more and more on natural elements and their power to make a space feel instantly warm and inviting. Their development creates new iterations of the natural materials as we know them and tile and flooring brand Marazzi, through its Slow and Art Craft collections, is rediscovering the value and beauty of terracotta used in kitchen tiles by merging technological innovation and craftsmanship.
The new collections mark the start of a new era for terracotta: traditionally confined to rustic-style interiors, it has now been completely reinvented for the modern kitchen aesthetic. The new tile sizes give terracotta a fresh look and enable applications never attempted before, while porcelain stoneware ensures its versatility, strength, and outstanding technical properties.
Using 3D Ink Premium technology the Slow collection features tiles with unique patterns and textures that come in six sizes, creating the matt, sandy yet iridescent surfaces typical of clays. The Art Craft collection features the 20" x 20" square, brick and hexagon sizes to reinterpret the variety and shapes of traditional terracotta. Together they help create a new kitchen look that is a modern interpretation of human history and authenticity of materials.
2. Scavolini unveils the kitchen as a space for interaction
Scavolini's new proposition for kitchen design takes into account the way we live now. Designed by Spalvieri & Del Ciotto, Stilo is the new project revealed at EuroCucina and it's a testament to the changing nature of social interaction and domestic life, where spaces converge and flow into one another.
'Today, designing a kitchen means taking into account complex issues which go beyond finding the perfect place to cook, embracing concepts such as the changes in social interaction, the way people experience their home and greet guests and, more recently, the way they work,' explain Spalvieri & Del Ciotto.
The project showcases the kitchen as a space that encourages sociability and hosts interaction between people, and therefore lends it a strong textural and architectural presence, while still offering complete functionality. The large volumes, warm colors, and tactile materials make the Scavolini kitchen a pleasant space to be in both to cook, and relax or entertain as one would in a living room. These are designs that truly offer the best of both worlds.
3. The Nuance collection by Cesar introduces colored glass
Cesar’s collaboration with Garcia Cumini studio is a continued exploration of diverse textures and colors, stepping away from the traditional aesthetics of a kitchen. Their joint project, Nuances, explores the subtle shades of color on glass, drawing inspiration from the sophisticated glasswork of the last century reinterpreted into a sophisticated look perfect for a modern home.
To complement the use of color on glass, and add another element of interest for the gaze to enjoy, the Groove door was created. The flat cupboard door is a thing of the past in this collection where the door features a beautiful pattern of irregular three-dimensional vertical grooves that camouflage the joints between modules and give the impression of a single unified surface.
Both the Nuances finish and Groove door can be seen in the Tanagram collection that brings them together celebrating curves and endless ways that they can be combined to form kitchen islands and compositions with unconventional shapes. With these latest developments the brand has shown that they understood the need for spaces to be practical, but also to create joy, and have a sense of playfulness. Needless to say, they are leading kitchen design on an exciting path.
4. Patricia Urquiola and Signature collaborate on joyful kitchen furniture
Another example of a joyful kitchen trend comes from the collaboration between Patricia Urquiola and Signature Kitchen Suite. The top-of-the-range built-in-appliances brand joined forces with the designer to create an exclusive collection of textural, colorful cabinets for the Undercounter convertible refrigerator. And they are nothing but an absolute treat!
Brands are recognizing the need for spaces to flow into each other, in homes where boundaries between kitchen and living areas are blurred, therefore the kitchen needs to have a much more 'liveable' look whilst conserving its function. Urquiola and Signature respond to this and transform a domestic appliance into an authentic furnishing element that integrates the Signature Kitchen Suite technology within Mantle, a modular, free-standing textural cabinet that is a joy to look at.
At Milan Design Week, Mantle is being presented in the exclusive finish Cimento tiles (also signed by Patricia Urquiola). The tiles – in shades of Vanilla, Blue, Burgundy, Green or Sand – enclose the refrigerator with repetitive shapes to create a design that evolves into a sculptural shape. A wood finish is also available, in a natural or stained colour.
5. Atlas Plan draws inspiration from the natural world for its luxurious new surfaces
When it comes to kitchen tile surfaces of outstanding quality and ultra-sophisticated feel, Atlas Plan has got it covered. At this year's Milan Design Week we saw the most beautiful surfaces that turn a kitchen into an elegant, grounding space with a luxurious feel.
Negresco, a porcelain slab that embodies the magnificence of Brazilian granite, stood out. Advancing the trend of rich, deep tones in kitchens that create a look of timeless elegance, the material features white veins on a deep black background, and subtle accents that nod to the warmth of the original stone it's emulating.
The pull towards nature and natural looking materials hasn't gone unnoticed by the brand who creates the most calming look with their Boost Natural Pro Sand pieces, which have an earthy, sand-like look with a unique warmth and lightness, not to mention they are very durable.
Kitchen design is going in a new direction, where the utilitarian space is being reimagined as a space of living and comfort, one that is pleasant and calming to be in, inspired and inhabited by natural materials and tones. Atlas Plan have demonstrated they are at the forefront of this movement.
6. Officine Gullo's outdoor kitchen mixes performance and style
Officine Gullo creates an outdoor haute cuisine setting with a touch of conviviality, setting a new trend that shows us the heart of the home can also be the heart of the outdoor living space. This is a convivial area where you can gather with your family in the morning to have breakfast, prepare a delicious lunch with the finest professional cooking appliances, or enjoy a relaxing aperitivo as you wait for guests to arrive for dinner in the open air.
We're seeing the customization trend more and more in kitchen settings, and Officine Gullo offers a myriad of design solutions that can be catered to your exact needs, and how you use your space. From the furniture to the appliances, tailor-made solutions can be crafted to your taste, without losing any of the functionality of an indoor kitchen. If there was any doubt, this confirms that it's time to take our kitchen outdoors.
