Joinery Trends 2018

Stone, Metals and Marble

Timber’s huge environmental advantages are continuing to make it the ‘go to’ material on the market and there’s been an increase in trend for timber flooring (in particular parquet), timber clad walls and pocket or sliding doors. It’s not just timber that’s causing a stir. Mixed materials of stone, marble and metals (particularly brass and copper), including liquid metals, are still going strong.

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©www.auhaus.com.au

Ironmongery

In this internet-driven age where people have much more access to ideas and visual concepts, over the last couple of years, we have seen an increase in the trend for unusual ironmongery.

There are more and more companies offering stunning ranges of very design driven pieces. They can be expensive but we feel, when used in the right place, it is well worth the investment. We love it because it allows our clients to add beauty and personal flair to their concept and design. Bespoke cabinetry doesn’t have to be boring!

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©www.auhaus.com.au

We also work with several manufacturers that provide different varieties of metal finishes as well as some liquid metals, thereby enabling us to provide you with a really stunning selection of options.

Bespoke

Bespoke Joinery is proving more popular than ever. Many believe it’s due to the younger generations’ desire to achieve great results for a good price. A lot of people use sites like Pinterest and Houzz to find inspiration when designing their homes. They find images of what they like and then work out how they can go about achieving the look for the best possible price.

From a generation who grew up buying and building IKEA flat-packed furniture it’s refreshing to see that people are embracing the idea that kitchens and furniture are worth investing a little extra money in. After all, quality is always worth the investment. It’s frustrating when furniture we have invested in starts to fall apart. This is unlikely to occur with bespoke made furniture.

There are some very successful kitchen companies out there who are producing attractively designed mass-manufactured kitchens and storage concepts and selling them as ‘bespoke’. But beware! Whilst the showrooms look glossy, a kitchen that’s made in China or in a huge factory many miles away not only creates an unnecessary negative environmental footprint but it is typically ‘one-size made to look bespoke’. Often they can even be chipboard boxes covered in melamine with factory-made doors in frames bolted on the front.

Meaning the cupboards, etc. are standard but they use methods to make them ‘appear’ bespoke. Again, generally there is nothing wrong with these units and they can be a well-made, good quality product. But don’t spend too much on them, because they are not bespoke, and these companies can force you to make design compromises. For example, your island should be the exact measurement you want it to be and not dictated to by the width or depth of available cabinetry. Ditto for your wall units and larder design, etc.

The showrooms look great because they have spent many extra hours using their best fitters in order to ensure this is the case. This is not always the situation when it comes to fitting in clients’ homes. If in doubt about a companies’ credentials always seek references of previous clients and search for online reviews. Kitchens sell houses and we spend most of our time in them. Why not spend extra to ensure you get exactly what you want without compromise?

Obviously the choices available when getting your kitchen custom-made are endless. Barn wood is a popular choice at the moment and another big kitchen trend on the rise is the amount of people opting for drawer units instead of cupboards. Drawer units can be more expensive but are so much more useful for finding things. No more kneeling down to remove everything else out of the way in order to find / get to the thing you need hidden at the back.

Built-in media units that house the TV and keep all the electrical leads, etc. hidden away are also becoming more popular. They are great for storage and keeping clutter at bay.

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©DTQ Designs

And lastly, with people buying bigger beds, storage is becoming more important than ever in our bedrooms and fitted furniture is an increasingly popular choice, over stand-alone pieces, that are a fixed shape or size.

Creating over 50% more storage, it’s no wonder this is happening. Investing in fitted wardrobes, etc. provides you with an ability to be both creative in design and interior layout. His and hers options of closet fitments, including trouser racks; hanging space for long dresses; shoes shelves; specialist pull-out jewellery shelving, etc. When it's truly bespoke you can use all possible space, leaving no unsightly, awkward to clean, gaps. It’s easy to see why this is appearing on more and more people’s ‘wish lists’.

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