Trendsetting American kitchens indicate what the future holds for the UK

Renowned for influencing global changes, the USA provides a good indicator of what’s to come for the UK. This rule also applies for the seemingly conspicuous matter of kitchen designs.

Envious glances from the UK are often cast across the Atlantic towards the United States of America as they seem to get all the good stuff first. Blockbuster movies get screened there before releasing in the UK, console games are usually started and finished before coming to our own households and other technological gizmos seem to find their way into American hands before passing into British ownership. In some ways, it’s almost as if the UK is always playing catch up with America, but this needn’t be seen in negative light. The USA can provide a glimpse into what fashion trends will be most popular and which fads are destined to fail. With kitchens appearing more prominent, there are some features that are set to change the aesthetics even more.

American fridge freezers with ice dispensers and chilled water on demand have already found a foothold in Britain’s kitchens, but the ones now appearing in the US are starting to evolve. The traditional American fridge freezer has 2 doors, side by side, one being the fridge and the other reserved for the refrigerator. A demand for more refrigeration space has given birth to a new 3 door version. The freezer compartment is now in the form of a pull out drawer positioned at the bottom of the unit. The refrigerator section now has 2 doors dedicated to it. The humble fridge is now beginning to look more and more like a fashion accessory or a wardrobe.

It’s much more important now that the kitchen looks as good as possible. The slow migration towards open plan living spaces has meant that fashionable kitchens have crept up on us. It’s no longer possible to hide the kitchen by closing the door, the living area and the kitchen have merged and the definitions between private and show rooms have become fuzzier. The meteoric rise of the popularity of TV programmes including a kitchen on set has also lent a hand to change perceptions of the cooking area. With a larger emphasis on healthier eating, everyone is encouraged to take more care with their cooking and now all seem to diligently wash and chop vegetables with the panache that Jamie Oliver would demonstrate. Quite naturally, all would be chefs will require the very best in equipment too, and it would need a suitable looking kitchen too.

The fashion conscious have been recently trying to get kitchen designs that speak volumes about and express themselves. One recurring method of doing so is by installing stone worktops and features. Even cooker hoods have been carved out of stone into magnificent designs, and worktops are polished to the point that they reflect beautifully. Various different types of stone are used, such as marble, limestone, granite and onyx. Sometimes the stones are mixed together for different effects and vibrant colours. These contemporary designs are looking like they’re going to be a continuing trend so it will be a matter of time before these make their way into more and more British kitchens.

Another trend appearing more often in the USA is of a much different ilk to the cosmetic themes already described. Often blamed for destroying the environment, American kitchens are now becoming equipped with waste disposal units in their sinks. Although they are unlikely to be able to save the world from the seemingly inevitable, they are one of the smaller steps that count towards the greater good. They’re able to grind down just about anything, from celery to rib bones and are able to automatically increase their torque when they meet something tougher than usual. By grinding stuff right down to the finest of powders, it means that the rubbish that usually ends up in the sink hole can be washed away with the water, cutting down on household waste. As some high pollution emitting habits are a little harder to break, the step to reducing household waste through this ingenious method could prove to be priceless, especially if pick up gathers considerably.

Fashionable kitchens are becoming increasingly normal, and there might be a time where we’ll stop being so impressed! For the time being, the Americans are setting the standards with some impressive ideas that ought to stay fashionable for a long time. For the UK, having America to try out their eccentric and outrageous designs is a decent advantage to have. It’s possible to see what works and what doesn’t. Although tastes might differ slightly, successful translations have occurred, and it’s likely that there will be more. At the moment, the UK residents can stare in wonder and marvel at their American counterparts’ kitchens, and can then pick and choose their next kitchen. With this in mind, it makes getting things second better knowing that you’ll get it right first time round.