Sort it: Elevate your kitchen to super status

Superfood might have been the buzz word of 2015 but according to a recent survey carried out by Houzz, the online platform for home design and renovation, 2016 is the year of the “super kitchen”.

The survey said homeowners in Ireland are renovating their living spaces to create a "super kitchen" that not only serves multiple purposes but also incorporates features, functions and decoration traditionally associated with other rooms, dramatically blurring the lines between the kitchen and other living spaces.

Life is busy and finding time to spend together can be difficult so creating a space where the whole family can interact while they go about their everyday tasks is vital to ensure a happy home.

Up to 71 per cent of those surveyed said they spent more than three hours a day in their kitchens. The list of activities carried out in the space goes far beyond cooking and eating with 41 per cent using their spaces for work.

When it comes to the style of the kitchens, it’s no surprise that people are paying more attention to the details and making a real statement with their kitchens as they are now such a prominent feature in their homes.

Darker colours have been growing in popularity and this is a trend I think will continue. I would recommend you consider how bright your space is before committing to a very dark shade as otherwise you might find that the kitchen may feel a bit oppressive.

A nice way to bring a bit of this trend in is to go for a dark island and keep everything else bright.

A move from stainless steel and chrome in favour of other metallic finishes such as brass and copper is also growing in popularity with many of the ironmongery companies now offering handles in these finishes. Swapping existing handles for one of these metallic versions can be a really inexpensive way to bring your kitchen up to date.

Copper and rose-coloured metals work well with whites and greys and brass is gorgeous with the darker colours. Both metals are popping up in everything from lighting to cooker hoods.

I grew up with a copper cooker hood and shudder a little at the thought when I recall how much work was involved keeping it shining, but thankfully the 2016 versions are all prefinished so there is no fear of them turning green.

Timber as a kitchen finish is also coming back into vogue both in natural and laminate finishes. The laminate ranges have really come on in recent years making them a great option for those with smaller budgets.

Marble and marble-style quartz countertops are also becoming more and more popular. They provide a real statement, particularly where the rest of the kitchen is very plain. A lovely use of a more striking stone is to use it as a full splashback as well as on the counter top.

Open shelving is another increasingly popular kitchen feature. This follows the trend of kitchens spilling into living spaces so having more areas for display and decoration allow homeowners to make the kitchen feel more integrated.

Denise O’Connor is an architect and design consultant