Modern families are turning their back on the sleek lines of modern kitchens for a more traditional look, according to new research from kitchen retailer Magnet.
Over half of homeowners (51%) would choose a country farmhouse or traditional style kitchen rather than a more modern and sleek design, highlighting that heritage trends that make us feel comforted and cosy are making a comeback.
Once considered old-fashioned, we're now seeing the return of retro staples like walk-in larders, according to the study. Nigella Lawson's walk in larder featured prominently on her recent BBC show, Cook Eat Repeat, suggesting she agrees with the three-quarters of Brits who said they would like to see a walk-in larder in their kitchen.
However, as in-demand as walk-in larders now are, service windows were voted the most iconic heritage trend with almost a third (27%) of Brits selecting the service hatch as the kitchen feature they remember most, in the survey of 2,000 people.
These vintage kitchen additions have not only become your average homeowner's first choice, they have also become increasingly popular in celebrity's homes too, as cleaning influencer Mrs Hinch has included a service window in her recent kitchen renovation.
Beth Boulton, Head of Marketing at Magnet, said: "As the last twelve months have been difficult with the country spending more time at home than ever before, renovations and house projects have been at the forefront of peoples' minds. It's also during these unpredictable times that many homeowners look on the past with nostalgia and will be wanting to create home environments that feel calming, safe and secure and the softer lines of traditional kitchens can help with this, as well as the more retro features that are remembered from parents' and grandparents' homes from years before."
Magnet has created an online quizall about retro kitchens, key trends from the last 100 years and also a way to help you decide what kitchen would be perfect for your home.
Magnet also discovered that Brits aren't fans of every single retro kitchen feature as 36% of the nation voted traditional tiled worktops as the worst look of the last 100 years, alongside dark wood kitchen units (27%) and veneer-trimmed cabinets (14%).
With almost three quarters of the nation moving into a house that they considered outdated, the unpopular retro trends such as dark wooden units and tiled worktops aren't a deal-breaker, as nearly a fifth of Brits redecorate their entire homes within two to five years.
Beth continued: "It's fascinating to see that traditional style kitchens are the nation's choice over contemporary, modern designs. With the majority of people moving into a new home that they think needs renovating, it's an interesting contrast to see that people would still go for a classic look. As smart designs and appliances are becoming increasingly available in kitchens across the country, it's intriguing to see former trends such as walk-in larders are still desired in homeowner's kitchen design plans today."
Like fashion, kitchen trends can make a comeback, resulting in one in five Brits saying they would keep their kitchen longer than 10 years with the hope that it'll come back in style, but over a quarter of people get a new kitchen every 5 to 10 years.
For more info and retro trends from the last 100 years, please have a look at Magnet's website.
