Greetings from a wintery Cologne and the LivingKitchen 2017 trade fair! Two years have passed since the previous German fair and now it was time again for the people in the kitchen industry to come together and explore the coming trends displayed from around the world. The massive halls offered plenty to see and experience so we put together a compact overview from the international show combined with our prediction about the trends that will reach Scandinavia.
The first observation from the fair was that it shared a lot of similarities with the fair in Milan a year ago. The kitchens were still mostly in dark shades, seen especially in countertop materials and kitchen cabinet front panels. The different tones of brown and grey were accompanied with lighter elements of white, green and wood patterns. Even some quite psychedelic color combinations were displayed, which I believe and hope will only stay in Germany. I predict that the rough but natural together with soft wood tones and patterns will find their way into the hearts of Nordic consumers this year.
The kitchens at the fair showed quite a lot of open shelving, most of which seemed like quite functional solutions. Open shelves with carefully chosen objects and lighting did bring an atmosphere and usability into the kitchen. Small details are even more emphasized and kitchens are even more finished and polished, which surely adds to the impression of quality in the eyes of consumers. 
Different types of islands and peninsulas are still holding their ground and were often seen in exhibition kitchens. Somehow this made me think if it was time to renew in this field and to come up with something new? However the solutions seen in islands were quite practical and in difference to the Italian fair, here functionality overruled appearance. 
Kitchen appliances still display novelty solutions without handles, such as machines opening by push buttons. Kitchen cookers with integrated hoods were actually a megatrend with all brands showcasing them. Perhaps the time for separate hoods mounted onto ceilings is starting to pass? This is a refreshing modification which will definitely also affect the overall appearance of Nordic kitchens in the years to come. For example old apartments will be more suitable for islands and the kitchen layout and planning will have more freedom and possibilities.
Kitchen worktops displayed steel on both countertops and sinks considerably more than two years ago. Large bowls were seen in numerous kitchens, even though at trade fairs mostly everything is big and grand. In addition to stainless steel, composite sinks were also exhibited quite a lot. Common to all sinks seen at the show were the modern and slightly rounder shapes as fully rectangular bowls had given way to the softer edges. 
Kitchen worktops were striking due to the thinness or thickness of their profile. The trade fair displayed numerous extremely thin worktops of 10-12 mm in thickness, while in Scandinavia we are accustomed to worktops over 20 mm in thickness. Other countertop materials showed development in textures and colors, some patterns to such an extent they looked very much like fabric. Numerous worktops had under mounted sinks, especially on ceramic or stone worktop materials.
As a conclusion we can state that a significant kitchen trend is quite a natural color scheme, although a bit darker than what Scandinavians are used to. The share of open shelving in the kitchen is increasing and integrated appliances are even more popular than before. Thin worktops together with stainless steel or composite sinks are challenging the traditional thick laminate countertops. Carefully considered details and finishes add the “cherry on top” of your new kitchen.
With trade fair greetings,
Jari Peltonen
Category Manager