Milan, Italy

One of the major trends at 2014 EuroCucina trade show has been wood veneers. The sylvan aesthetic has been evident across both kitchen and bathroom designs, as exhibitors look to add a familiar, earthy tone to home decorating. It’s something of a departure from the high tech, ‘internet of things’-inspired designs seen recently, such as at the 2013 IFA show in Berlin.

It’s also a step away from the white and black checkerboard style that has been prominent recently, and is itself also a trend in appliance designs. A leading Australian kitchen designer said today that white can look “bleak and cold”, which in turn leads to more browns, wooden-style and earthier appearances. These are considered more welcoming and friendlier, and are appealing to families wanting to create a space exuding warmth.

Kitchen furnishing
This kitchen from the cabinetry part of the expo is by La Cornue (apologies for the poor iPhone photo).
Bosch stone
Bosch isn’t exactly promoting the wooden aesthetic, but it is capturing the earthy zeitgeist with its faux-stone setting.
bathroom wood
This is a wooden bathroom concept (apologies for the poor iPhone photo).
Subzero wood
SubZero’s gas grill set in wood adds a natural element to a powerful cooking product.
Candy wood
A relative unknown in Australia, Candy set all its appliances in this wooden setting, including its oven which appears to float at the left of the image.