Betterliving March/April 2020

INSPIRATION | kitchen trends
in various ways to make it sleek and
modern, or distinctly rough around the
edges. From floors to worktops, fixtures
and fittings, you can use it everywhere
to achieve a minimalist look and feel. It’s
generally not as pricey as some other
high-end materials but if you plump for
an ambitious design, don’t be surprised if
your quote racks up.
How to make it happen: The locally
based Concrete Design ME (concreteme.
com) creates beautiful bespoke furniture
and décor, including countertops and
islands, in a variety of shades. RAK
Ceramics (rakceramics.com) offers
concrete style Maximus Mega Slabs that
can be used on walls, floors, countertops
and more. Alternatively, you can use the
Lava Concrete ceramic tile, which comes
in a range of shades and sizes, from
white to dark grey. Team it with black or
very dark grey hardware – we like the
Grohe Atrio kitchen faucet line in brushed
hard graphite. You can pick up matte
black cabinet handles at IKEA. If you
don’t want to go wall to wall concrete,
break it up with a splash of white, cream
or beige. The Caesarstone Frozen Terra
quartz surface used for the island and
countertop in the photo (previous page)
blends the look nicely. Lastly, when
choosing a contractor, it’s wise to check
they have prior experience of working
with concrete in the kitchen.
Open shelving
About the look: Open shelving in the
kitchen is a huge style hit, but it takes an
organised soul to do away with kitchen
cabinets completely. You can choose
the best material to suit your style – we
love the rustic glam combination of the
walnut shelves and marble countertop
shown right – but the options are
practically endless.
Why we rate it: It’s a really flexible feature
to introduce. Plus, it’s a great way to
make compact kitchens appear larger.
You can ease yourself in gently by simply
removing your upper cabinet doors, or
opt for a combination of closed cabinets
and open shelves so you have the best
of both worlds. It’s also a great solution
for awkward spaces, when bespoke
cabinetry is not an option budget-wise.
And of course, if you pride yourself on
your beautiful crockery collection, it is the
perfect showcase for it all.
How to make it happen: If you like the
raw wood look, The Driftwood Factory
A tile design that pops is a
sure-fire way to add some
character to your kitchen
(driftwoodfactory.com) is your go-to
for beautifully crafted, bespoke shelves.
You can pick up floating shelves on the
high-street – JYSK (@ jysk.uae) does
a mean Abild floating shelf made from
MDF in a variety of finishes – and there
are many more options besides. Be sure
to select a bracket style that blends well
with your theme.
Trailblazing tiles
About the look: Move over white subway
tiles. Currently, we’re all about designs
that catch the eye. Indeed, selecting a
tile design that pops is a sure-fire way
to add some character to your kitchen
– it can even spark an entire theme. So
if beautiful tiles are your passion, we
recommend you invest time in finding
ones you love, and design the rest of your
kitchen from there.
Why we rate it: While bold tiles can
seem trend-led, we argue that any
great design will stand the test of time
by packing your kitchen with plenty of
personality that makes the space your
own. Plus, focusing on the tile gives a
clear direction for the rest of the kitchen
– great if you are a home renovation
novice – by keeping the worktops and
cabinets pared down so the overall look
doesn’t become overbearing.
How to make it happen: You’ll be in your
element at Sanipex Gallery (sanipexgroup.
OPEN SHELVING IS A GREAT
WAY TO MAKE COMPACT
KITCHENS APPEAR LARGER
52 | bhomes.com