Fri 10 Oct 2008
Cooking up sales
The almost daily news of site workers downing tools on developments across the nation and the housing market slowing to a crawl has had a knock-on effect on the kitchen industry - but not necessarily the effect you might expect. Instead of squeezing kitchen budgets, it is widely reported that many canny developers are upping spec in order to increase a property's appeal."The most progressive developers are not cutting specification or costs to help sales but are actually looking to add value to their product in order to offer the consumer more for their money," reports Richard Fitzmaurice, marketing manager at Moores. Currently standing relatively strong in the face of adversity - according to the latest data from AMA Research market value has risen by £23 million to £1,146 million in 2008 - kitchen sales are holding for the moment but there are concerns that today's economic uncertainty might soon begin to take its toll. The thinking behind these fears for the future lies in the realisation that getting to the first stage of a major development takes years of planning. Thus, once started, a site will only be mothballed if funds have hit rock bottom. So, while the existence of long-term sites continues to secure kitchen sales, the resistance to begin new projects will have a knock-on effect in the next six months.
"In light of the climate over the past months I am pleased with our success level; we expect to finish the year on £10 to £12 million, which is a great achievement as last year we secured £7 million. However, I think the last quarter of 2008 and first quarter of next year will be the telling time," explains Keith Barker, director, Nobilia G.B.
Value for money
With the pressure on, many developers are quite justified in looking to maximise value to create really show-stopping kitchens that will turn the heads of potential purchasers. Fortunately the kitchen industry is responding with innovative ideas that will create wow-factor without blowing the budget. One of the most prominent trends is the rise of the soft-close hinge, which is now available from many manufacturers as standard. Great for generating a luxury feel without major investment, the appeal of soft-close kitchen units is incredibly high right now and is known to make a great impression in the show house.
Developers prepared to invest in order to stand out from the crowds might look to the next generation of soft-close doors and drawers, which feature electrically-assisted opening systems, for inspiration. Requiring the lightest touch to door front to see contents glide effortlessly into view, these systems are perfect for opening doors with your hands full, as the door can be touched anywhere to open with foot, knee or thigh. There's also a manual override in event of a power cut.
There were three main systems wowing the crowds at this year's Eurocucina exhibition in Milan - Blum's Servo-Drive; Hettich's Easys and Grass' Sensotronic - all designed to boost the appeal of handle-free cabinetry.
In a harsh economic climate, it's no surprise that consumers are looking for more for their money, which is where the inclusion of fully integrated appliances can also really help a property's prospects. For example Accent Kitchens, a supplier of quality kitchens exclusively by Arnold Laver Group, has included Smeg appliances within its specification for Garbe Group's Little Germany development in Bradford. While there are few developments that don't include some built-in appliances, the specification has increased in recent years and it is now popular to install the entire kitchen kit - including built-in laundry - which of course is great news to buyers, especially those on the first rungs of the property ladder.
"The built-in market has also been quick to respond to changes in lifestyles, and manufacturers have been quick to recognise the needs of modern cooks. Items that were previously considered luxury add-ons, such as coffeemakers, warming drawers and microwaves are now being incorporated into kitchen design. This allows developers to present a sleek, complete kitchen that is literally ready to move in to," adds Jeanette Jones, Glen Dimplex Home Appliance's National Account Manager for the Builder Sector.
Access all areas
In terms of kitchen planning, few will deny that the open-plan kitchen has revolutionised new-build specification and is one of the fastest growing kitchen trends in the UK. "The kitchen is seen as the hub of the home and there is a greater need for eating/entertaining areas. The open-plan design is considered a much more flexible way to live and is becoming more popular as families entertain more at home," explains Steve Flynn, national contracts manager at Theobalds. As we face further economic certainty, it is likely that people will be spending even more time cooking and entertaining in their own homes, rather than spending out at restaurants, which will certainly see the open-plan kitchen remain a firm favourite on the architect's drawing board.
Specifying an open-plan kitchen isn't without its problems - the extraction requirements are often higher and the reduction of walls can also see a parallel reduction in cabinetry as there is less space to install units - but on the whole it is good news for the developer, which can save time and money on construction.
The space enhancing benefits of going open-plan is also boosting the appeal of one-room living and many developers are looking to pod style solutions, which are designed to create an all-in-one kitchen within a space starved apartment or city crash pad. For example, Moores has just launched its Smart Kitchen concept, which presents everything the modern homeowner needs - including sink, oven, storage, hob and refrigeration - within just 1,800mm width of cabinetry. With worktops supplied pre-drilled and all the pipework and electrics in place, installation is a breeze and the design stage is incredibly simple.
No matter how large the kitchen area available, space-saving internal features continue to impress buyers and the latest systems revolve around the need to compartmentalise cabinetry in order to maximise the full potential of every inch of available space. William Ball has seen phenomenal growth of its internal storage dividers and dedicated space-saving systems, especially within wide pan drawers.
"Pan drawers offer amazing capacity but nobody wants their crockery and food bashing around as the drawer opens. Soft-close systems help but storage dividers will keep everything in place and new purchasers are really in-tune with the benefits of well organised storage," says Terry Ball, MD of William Ball.
Fashion in focus The need to appeal to the masses will always temper the adventurousness of kitchen furniture in the new-build arena but there's strong evidence that colour is back at the heart of the home and it's widely a case of 'the glossier the better'. Crosby Lend Lease has recently used a vibrant Habiscus red from SieMatic within its developments, with great results, while Amanda Cawood, product and marketing manager at Caple, highlights the popularity of adding colour via splashbacks and upstands.
"These bright surfaces give a burst of colour and pattern to the kitchen but without overpowering the entire space. Selecting colour in this way is a safe way of adding colour, as the buyer could replace these if they were not to their taste. Choosing an entire kitchen in a bright colour could provoke problems as it may only appeal to certain buyers," she explains.
Coffee and cream gloss finishes are also holding its own in the new-build kitchen market, but developers are adding accent doors in exotic veneers such as zebrano or olive ash to prevent paler colour schemes from slipping into anonymity. "Mixing textures also creates a luxurious sophisticated look. A classy monochrome palette can be brought right up to date with the addition of a textural contrast, for example the new textured black Dakota door works well with metallic accents and can be teamed with Symphony's popular high gloss Boston collection for an interesting design-led look," adds Alison Andrews, Marketing Manager for Symphony.
On the wood front, a sense of drama is also unfolding in the kitchen with dark oak, rich walnut and wenge furniture taking the lead over paler species such as beech or maple. Pronorm's UK & Ireland business manager Jason Grinton is delighted with the success of its Wallis Plum high gloss fruitwood finish. "Wallis Plum is a luxuriously glossy fruitwood that pays homage to the trend for exotic timbers, yet offers a point of differentiation from the ubiquitous walnut. It's selling extremely well as a feature door with white," he says.
Looking at the shape and style of cabinetry, although Shaker doors are still working their magic when seeking the ultimate classic, timeless look, the overall trend is moving ever-more towards the minimal. Boosted by the developments in soft-close and push-touch mechanisms, handlefree cabinetry is proving an especially popular look in 2008 and beyond. "The sleek lines of handleless furniture are exceptionally easy on the eye and really make a statement. For added design flexibility, we have added finger rail accents in a choice of materials and colours to match work surfaces, appliances or living space furniture," comments Tim Hutchinson, Marketing Director of Waterline, which supplies Rot Punkt rigid kitchens from Germany.
Work it, baby, work it
After years of super-chunky worktops defining luxury in the kitchen, 2008 has seen a volte-face with trend-setting surfaces slimming down to super-skinny depths. There are two ways of achieving a thin worktop without compromising on durability. Firstly, impregnating or laminating the surface with metal reinforcements, as demonstrated by Bulthaup, Poggenpohl and Snaidero at Eurocucina, which achieves depths as slender as 10mm-thick that won't bow or break under pressure. Alternatively, there's a new trend for worktops edges that are cut at a 45-degree angle so that they slope away behind the door with only the tip on show.
"Materials such as solid surfacing and premium textured laminates can offer stylish alternatives to high end natural materials, creating on-trend design at a fraction of the cost. Mixing materials such as a solid surface worktop with a metallic laminate splashback can reduce costs and provide a unique designer look," adds Simon Wild, UK and Ireland Marketing Manager for Formica.
Future perfect Looking at the future of design in the kitchen, it's believed that more and more adventurous use of colour and material will help developers keep the market moving and tempt buyers to be brave in the face of economic uncertainty. "We have already experienced a few projects where the developer has been prepared to make a really bold statement. For example, we have recently installed a quartz grey and maple kitchen mixed with vibrant pink glass, and in another we used ALNOTEC in bright red, with a mix of woods and plain laminates to set the kitchens apart from the norm. Although still rare examples, it could be a sign of more colourful times ahead in the new-build kitchen," says Andy Bradbury, director of Bradbury's Contract Sales Division.
Posted by Linda Grabham
in Accent, Alison Andrews, Amanda Cawood, Andy Bradbury, Bradbury, Dimplex, Formica, Inside Out, Jason Grinton, Jeanette Jones, Keith Barker, Moores, Nobilia, Pronorm, Richard Fitzmaurice, Simon Wild, Steve Flynn, Symphony, Terry Ball, Tim Hutchinson, Waterline Group, William Ball on Fri 10 Oct 2008
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