German kitchens are so popular right now with Irish and UK homeowners, probably because Germany is seen as the trend setter when it comes to kitchen design.  We love German kitchens here at Kitchenindex.ie, so we wanted to be able to tell our readers what styles, layouts and colours are popular in Germany right now.  If it’s a hot trend in Germany, you’ll see it on the market for kitchens in Ireland and the UK too.

We wanted to get it straight from the horses mouth, so we decided to interview one of the biggest kitchen retailers in Germany, Küche&Co to find out what trends are currently popular in the German kitchen market.

Kitchenindex.ie: What kitchen styles are most popular with German homeowners right now?

Küche&Co: Modern and contemporary kitchens are most popular although we still design and fit classic and country styles for certain customers.  High gloss kitchens are our biggest seller with handleless door styles growing in demand.

(Examples of German handleless kitchens.  Notice the use of soft colours)

Kitchenindex.ie: What colours would you say are the biggest seller for Küche&Co?

Küche&Co: We tend to get asked a lot for soft colours such as white, ivory, stone, grey, sand and cashmere.  But white is definitely the most popular colour for kitchens in Germany.  What a lot of homeowners are opting for is two tone or colour blocking.  This might be in the form of choosing a different colour for your tall cabinet or for a niche shelving area.  It could also be a different colour on the wall cabinets than that of the floor cabinets.  Colour blocking can give the WOW factor to a simple kitchen design, so we design a lot of this in to our kitchens.

(Some examples of soft tones, two tone kitchens and colour blocking)

Kitchenindex.ie: In terms of kitchen layouts, is it large open plan living areas that are popular or smaller kitchen spaces that are closed off from the rest of the house?

Küche&Co: Most definitely it is open plan living spaces that incorporate the kitchen, dining area and living room.  I think this is the same all over the world.  People want space around them and want the kitchen to be very much a social hub within the home.

(Open Plan German Kitchen –  Kitchen is finished in Sand Gloss Lacquer with Virginia Oak)

Kitchenindex.ie: You mentioned that classic and country style kitchens are still being requested by your customers.  What colours are popular among these style of kitchens?

Küche&Co: Even though you might think that classic and country style kitchens are traditional looking, they really aren’t so much anymore.  Our designs are quite simple in terms of door styles and colours.  Our two most popular styles from our classic and country style kitchens are the Oak Terra and the Oak Platinum.  The Oak Terra is beautiful dark coloured kitchen and the Oak Platinum is a lighter more subtle colour.

About Küche&Co:  Küche&Co are one of Germany’s largest kitchen retailers with about 100 kitchen showrooms and over 300 design consultants in Germany.  You can see their full range at http://www.kueche-co.de/

Do you fancy new granite or quartz kitchen worktops fitted in time for Easter?  Maybe you’re having friends or family around for dinner and want to impress them with your new worktops.  Or maybe your looking to finish off your new kitchen with natural stone worktops.  Either way,  Stone Surfaces Ltd, serving the full 32 counties of Ireland, are offering deals which I think you will find hard to beat.

Both granite and quartz worktops are a fantastic way to finish off your kitchen and give that luxurious look and feel.  Both are extremely hard wearing and easy to keep clean in the modern home.  For years, granite and quartz were hard to afford for many homeowners but I think you’ll all agree that these offers by Stone Solutions Ltd change all that.

The first offer is a special rate on selected granite and quartz worktops when fitted before Easter 2013.  The second offer is for varying discounts on selected colours in the Silestone collection.

Stone Surfaces Ltd are located in Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford but serve the whole of Ireland.  To avail of these fantastic offers you can email them at info@stonesurfaces.ie or call them on 043-6671365.  These offers are available for worktops fitted before Easter 2013 so contact Stone Surfaces Ltd as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Check out the offers below and contact Stone Surfaces Ltd by phone or email as above.

Granite Countertop Special Offer

Quartz Countertop Special Offer

Please contact Stone Surfaces Ltd direct on 043-6671636 to avail of these special offers on granite and quartz countertops.  Alternatively you can email Stone Surfaces Ltd at info@stonesurfaces.ie

This ingenious sound system is specially designed to fully integrate into a kitchen cabinet with no visible speakers, cables or subwoofers. Producing astonishing audio performance with superb, natural hi-fi stereo sound playback from CD, iPod/iPhone/iPad, USB or FM radio , the control panel sits behind a sophisticated glass panel with a full-color display that has capacitive touch control buttons and is décor-friendly and easily cleaned.

In home technology such as this is becoming increasingly popular as homeowners look for their favourite gadgets to be integrated in to their living spaces.  With this in mind, The Maestro Kitchen is sure to be a hugely popular addition.  Watch the video below to see more!

For more information and to find stockist in Ireland go to http://www.kitchenstori.com/maestro-kitchen.aspx

To find international stockists please go to http://www.harmankardon.com

This first S-Box™ range is a practical and stylish way to increase the storage space in your Kitchen and with a carefully selected range of products and contents to suit every taste, enables your kitchen to look clean, clutter-free and well presented.

Maximising otherwise wasted space towards the rear of the cabinet or within the voids in a kitchen island, each S-Box™ can be easily installed and adds value and innovation to any kitchen design. Described as the most innovative development in the kitchen market since the soft-close drawer, the S-Box™ is set to become the next “must-have” accessory in every household.

Take a look at the options available:

For more details on the S-Box you can visit the website at http://the-sbox.com/

Then you simply must check out these fantastic special offers from Stone Surfaces Ltd.  Stone Surfaces Ltd serve all 32 counties of Ireland and provide a full templating, manufacturing and installation service for granite and quartz worktops.  You can find contact details for Stone Surfaces Ltd. at the bottom of the page.

Quartz Worktop Special Offer:

Granite Worktop Special Offer:

Stone Surfaces Ltd.,

Edgeworthstown,

Longford.

Tel: 043-6671365

Fax: 043-6671636

Email: info@stonesurfaces.ie

Website: www.stonesurfaces.ie

• No matter how big or small the space is in which you are working with, lighting should always be considered during the planning stages of a kitchen, rather than being an afterthought. Think about how the kitchen is going to be used, whether it will be an entertaining space, as well as a functional area and choose lighting accordingly.

• Even in a compact kitchen you can save money and help the environment. The low wattage of LED products means that energy consumption is reduced by an average of 91% resulting in far less electricity costs, compared to halogen bulbs. Furthermore, the lifespan of an LED light is twenty times greater and UV or IR rays are not produced.

• Lighting can help to improve a kitchen’s functionality, especially when you only have a small amount of space available to you. Make your compact kitchen as practical as possible by including plenty of task lighting. This can be in the form of under-cabinet lighting, which will illuminate work-surfaces during food preparation.

• Often the best things come in small packages, so why not use lighting to further enhance the overall appearance of your compact kitchen design. Ambient lighting is key, especially for smaller kitchens that are often part of an open plan living space. Include subtle in-cabinet, shelf and over-cabinet lighting to create an atmosphere suited to dinner parties or romantic evenings in.

• Make sure that the kitchen lighting you use complements the cabinets in place. Select the correct lighting temperature in accordance to your kitchen design. If you have adopted a more traditional style, then a warm light will work perfectly, or if you have chosen a contemporary, high gloss finish, a cool white will be far better suited.

As Sensio state above, always plan your lighting during the kitchen planning stage. Even if you are retro fitting lighting into an existing kitchen, plan it out and choose the right lighting for the space and kitchen style. There is no reason to have to live with a gloomy dull kitchen.

For more information on Sensio and their lighting options, you can visit their website at www.sensio.co.uk. You can also ask your kitchen designer to recommend and plan your kitchen lighting for you. After all, it is a key part of the kitchen planning process.

Stone Surfaces Ltd, serving customers in all 32 counties of Ireland, are offering two fantastic deals on Granite Worktops this January.

So if you are in the market for new granite worktops for your new or existing kitchen, then make sure you call Stone Surfaces Ltd for a free estimate (contact details at end of page).  Stone Surfaces Ltd offer a full service including templating, manufacturing and installation.  So here are the two exceptional offers:

Offer One:

Offer Two:

To contact Stone Surfaces Ltd about these special offers on granite worktops, you can call them on 043-6671365.  Alternatively, you can fax your worktop or kitchen plan to 043-6671636 or email them at info@stonesurfaces.ie.

Pure Kitchens, Derry – Agents for Pronorm Kitchens

Pure Kitchens, the kitchen specialist based in Derry City, have announced they are now showcasing the German kitchen brand Pronorm Kitchens in their stunning showroom.  MD of Pure Kitchens, Keith McGrory, says the Pronorm brand fits perfectly within the Pure Kitchens portfolio and offers their customers a contemporary range alongside their very own bespoke kitchens.

“The Pronorm brand, along with its reputation for quality and trend setting designs, was the perfect choice for us.  We welcome enquiries from all 32 counties in Ireland, providing a unique showroom experience and in-home visits, says McGrory.”

Pronorm Kitchens have built a reputation as being one of the best German kitchen brands on the market.  Typical German design and quality ensures a kitchen that will stand the test of time.

To contact Pure Kitchens and speak to them about a Pronorm kitchen for your home, visit their profile page here: Pure Kitchens

Alternatively, you can call them at 028 71260124 from Northern Ireland or 048 71260124 from the Republic.  You can also email them at purekitchensireland@hotmail.com

Ease of cooking, energy efficiency and safety are all things that come to mind when choosing a hob for your kitchen.  That’s why more and more homeowners are choosing an induction hob over traditional gas and electric.

Gorenje, the Slovenian kitchen appliance manufacturer, see the importance of adding more choice to their portfolio of innovative induction hobs and so have introduced three new ranges to their collection, including a panoramic and a five zone model.

The latest additions to Gorenje’s induction hob range are a five zone model, a four zone panoramic hob and a four zone 60 cm wide model. They feature a chic black glass design, with easy to use touch control, residual heat indicators and safety hob locks for peace of mind. The new panoramic and five zone hobs also offer several innovative functions such as Boil Control to prevent pans boiling over, and StopGo to temporarily pause the cooking process.

Ruth Ferguson, Gorenje’s Marketing Manager, says: “Induction is rapidly becoming the most sought after hob type, and consumers are looking for a variety of sizes and configurations so they can pick the right one for their kitchen. Gorenje’s new induction hobs come in a selection of arrangements to ensure that the consumer can find the ideal one for their needs, whilst offering elegant, seamless design and thoughtful functionality.”

Key features and benefits of the IT1141AC Panoramic induction hob:

• Four zone induction hob with ergonomic panoramic design for easy access to pots and pans
• Stylish black glass finish with chamfered edge
• Two 21cm zones offer up to 3.7 kW each, and two 18cm zones offer up to 3kW each
• BoilControl helps prevent pans from boiling over
• PowerBoost function further enhances the performance of the hob, delivering additional time savings
• StopGo function allows the consumer to temporarily suspend the cooking process when unexpectedly interrupted. One touch of the StopGo key freezes all settings, temporarily switching off all active heating zones until reactivated by the StopGo key
• StayWarm function allows the consumer to keep their food warm at an optimum temperature
• Residual heat indicators illuminate to show which zones are still radiating heat, ensuring even greater safety
• Safety control lock for peace of mind, particularly around children
• Timer function for easy use
• Comes with Gorenje’s free five year parts and labour guarantee
• Dimensions: H x W x D: 43 x 1070 x 410 mm
• The IT1141AC retails for approximately £799

For more information about Gorenje’s new induction hobs call Gorenje on 020 8247 3980, or visit the website at www.gorenje.co.uk.

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