UK DIY News
Wickes Study Explores Kitchen Organisation
- The average kitchen has £185 worth of appliances that never get used, according to a new study
- Instagram interior gurus, the Style Sisters [pictured], team up with Wickes to reveal the art of organising the great British kitchen
A recent study has found that the average kitchen has £185 worth of appliances that never get used, and 6% of Brits even have more than £500 worth of kitchen appliances on display they never switch on. For example, 59 per cent of “zillenials” aged 25-34 have an air fryer - yet one in 10 never actually use it.
The research, by home improvement store Wickes, explored the ways in which we store items and are now organising our kitchens. It also found that a third of Brits (31%) get stressed when they feel their kitchen is disorganised.
The survey, combined with insight from Wickes Design Consultants, suggests that storage solutions are adapting to faster lifestyles and the demand for convenience. Due to larger dishwashers, sinks are shrinking, and with open shelving, hangers and rails now a popular design request, blindly scrambling for a condiment at the back of a kitchen cupboard is no longer the main storage solution for many.
Trends are emerging too, some even re-emerging from decades ago. The research found that 1970s-style spice racks are very much ‘in’, with 51 per cent saying they have one. Meanwhile, tea and coffee are so important in the UK that exactly three quarters (75%) have a separate tea and coffee 'station', and 62 per cent say they would choose this over a dry bar, for beer, wine and spirits.
Wickes has teamed up with interior stylists and Instagram hits The Style Sisters – Charlotte Reddington and Gemma Lilly – who have a roster of celebrity clients including Amanda Holden and Rita Ora.
Working with the Wickes Design Consultants, the Style Sisters have created a series of tips to help organise any kitchen, which can be found on the Wickes website here.
Style Sister Charlotte Reddington said: “An organised kitchen means a calmer space for everyone, according to our research with Wickes, and that’s something everyone would like more of.
“Thanks to new and improved kitchen designs, such as large pull-out drawers and hot taps, we’re no longer required to do half of the rummaging, sifting, and clearing that we once did, but there are simple hacks such as owning a spice rack and having an allocated snack drawer that will always remain a part of kitchen organisation 101”.
Mandy Minichiello, Head of Marketing Kitchens & Bathrooms at Wickes, added: “How we organise and design our kitchens is a constant evolution. Whilst new ideas such as tea and coffee stations will dominate our Pinterest boards throughout 2024, many fixtures stay the same – anyone growing up in the 70s and 80s might be surprised to learn the humble spice rack still has a role to play.
“Our Design Consultants at Wickes know how crucial it is that organisation is at the heart of your kitchen’s design. They’ll pair your ideas with their expertise to create the perfect kitchen match.”
Wickes Design Consultants can help to create a kitchen that works for all family members. Book a free appointment today.
Source : Wickes
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