Jon Stanley, VP of marketing at Caesarstone, identifies the 3 surface trends you need to know about that are set to play an important role in kitchen design in the coming year.
1. Championing the 'buy once, buy well' philosophy
In a tough economic climate, consumers are returning to the notion of ‘buy once, buy well’. This is a theme that is starting to permeate throughout the stone industry. A race to the bottom in recent years saw price trump everything. Ironically, as budgets for some projects have shrunk, consumers are now less keen to take a gamble on something completely unknown. They want recognised brands, proper advice, long warranties and aftercare. With the stone industry in the news throughout the year, material provenance and certification, previously required mostly by architectural firms, specifiers and professional housebuilders, is now being requested by retailers and more closely scrutinised by consumers. Throughout the value chain, people want to know what it is that they are specifying, fitting and using.
Consumers’ value for money, as well as retailer margin, remain important factors but value always goes beyond the initial price tag. Ultimately, a kitchen or bathroom is not a fleeting investment.
Choosing a trusted, high-quality surface is an investment in longevity and reliability – qualities that ultimately save money and reduce hassle over time, while providing a luxurious look and feel that doesn’t compromise on safety or quality. A long-lasting and desirable kitchen starts with quality essentials – cabinetry, worktop and appliances – and Caesarstone delivers both durability and timeless design.
2. Textured surfaces come to the fore
Textures are in and they are everywhere. We’ve seen it in the last couple of years in the return of wooden doors and reeded glass. This trend is visible in consumer worktop choices too. White marble designs still dominate, however, Caesarstone’s matt and concrete textures feature throughout our top 10 consumer sample requests, and in September 2024, we saw our highest ever number of consumer sample requests. We can see this in our commercial projects too.
We are talking to consumers on a daily basis, as well as numerous architects and designers, so you see trends developing, particularly in tendencies towards particular colours, patterns or textures alter over the space of time. We have seen a clear uptick in requests for our more textured surfaces, and interest in these has continued to grow. At Caesarstone, our concrete range, as seen in the Inglis Hall showroom, remains a standout amongst our competitors. As consumers continue to crave a connection to their surroundings, the popularity of our more textured surfaces continues to rise.”
3. Strongly veined porcelain designs
The need for texture and matt finishes is part of a bigger move towards more bolder patterns, and CaesarstonePorcelain delivers just that. Warm hues, low reflective surfaces and strong vein patterns, often with a slightly raised vein running across the surface – people are looking for surfaces that invite you touch and that you can really feel beneath your fingers. Caesarstone 508 Isobellia – with its textured golden streaks – and 506 Mirabel – with its copper veining – have become some of our best-selling designs within a very short space of time.
The desire for pattern, texture and quality in a kitchen that is designed around the best core elements, means that the worktop is part of the very foundation of the design as one of the most visually prominent and hands on pieces.
