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Laminate Like You've Never Seen it Before
Do you believe laminate is just for benchtops? Think again. Curves, feature walls and soft tonal hues are just the start
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It’s no secret that laminate is a practical and cost-effective way to spruce up your kitchen and bathroom. But if you haven’t looked at laminate in a while, you’re in for a surprise. The latest offerings include fashionable, muted pastels, matt and gloss finishes, and authentic woodgrains – all in a hardwearing, flexible material that allows you to create luxurious, on-trend looks in every room of the home. Best of all? You can you do it all without breaking the budget.
We spoke with the team at Laminex to learn how to create your forever kitchen using laminate.
We spoke with the team at Laminex to learn how to create your forever kitchen using laminate.
Architects: Kennedy Nolan; Images: Derek Swalwell; Stylist: Natalie James
1. Tonal chic
Step aside flashy metallics and gadgetry – colour is the hero of a space in 2020. A soft, tonal look is coming through, with matt finishes and muted pastels drawn from nature – think gentle greens, shades of nougat and soft grey.
With its vast range of colours and timber tones, laminate is perfect for expressing the colour-blocking trend. Use it to create subtle shifts in hue between your kitchen cabinetry, benchtop and splashback. Complete the look with tonal tiles, flooring, timbers and paint.
If you have an open-plan room, extend the tonal look to your adjoining living and dining spaces with wall colour, fabrics and soft flooring for a cohesive feel.
1. Tonal chic
Step aside flashy metallics and gadgetry – colour is the hero of a space in 2020. A soft, tonal look is coming through, with matt finishes and muted pastels drawn from nature – think gentle greens, shades of nougat and soft grey.
With its vast range of colours and timber tones, laminate is perfect for expressing the colour-blocking trend. Use it to create subtle shifts in hue between your kitchen cabinetry, benchtop and splashback. Complete the look with tonal tiles, flooring, timbers and paint.
If you have an open-plan room, extend the tonal look to your adjoining living and dining spaces with wall colour, fabrics and soft flooring for a cohesive feel.
2. Curves
Soft curves are one of this year’s hottest design trends – and they’re an unbeatable way to add personality and flair to your interior.
The flexibility of laminate makes it easy to embrace the curved look. Use laminate to add curves to the base of your kitchen island, opt for a rounded-edge benchtop or scalloped cupboard doors.
Soft curves are one of this year’s hottest design trends – and they’re an unbeatable way to add personality and flair to your interior.
The flexibility of laminate makes it easy to embrace the curved look. Use laminate to add curves to the base of your kitchen island, opt for a rounded-edge benchtop or scalloped cupboard doors.
Curves aren’t just suited to your kitchen and living spaces – their smooth lines are perfect for setting a calm, relaxing tone in your bathroom too. Apply laminate to a curvy vanity and countertop and echo the shape in a rounded bath tub, tapware and lighting.
Wherever you choose to add them, the secret to making curves work is keeping the surrounding detailing simple – think handleless, push-touch cabinetry, flat cabinetry profiles and buff finishes.
Wherever you choose to add them, the secret to making curves work is keeping the surrounding detailing simple – think handleless, push-touch cabinetry, flat cabinetry profiles and buff finishes.
3. Standout features
Laminate isn’t just a functional material – there are endless creative ways you can use it in and around your home.
Use laminate to create a striking focal point in your kitchen, such as a unique, two-tone kitchen island or cabinetry doors that overlay pastel over woodgrain laminate (you’ll need to enlist the services of a professional cabinet maker to do these) or by lining cabinetry internals with a woodgrain laminate.
Or make a statement with a feature wall in textured woodgrain laminate in the living room, a custom bedhead wall in an on-trend pastel laminate in your bedroom, or a stunning joinery wall in the family room to house your television and display items using the versatile material.
Laminate isn’t just a functional material – there are endless creative ways you can use it in and around your home.
Use laminate to create a striking focal point in your kitchen, such as a unique, two-tone kitchen island or cabinetry doors that overlay pastel over woodgrain laminate (you’ll need to enlist the services of a professional cabinet maker to do these) or by lining cabinetry internals with a woodgrain laminate.
Or make a statement with a feature wall in textured woodgrain laminate in the living room, a custom bedhead wall in an on-trend pastel laminate in your bedroom, or a stunning joinery wall in the family room to house your television and display items using the versatile material.
4. Luxe details
There’s no denying it – details matter. It’s those thoughtfully-considered, little touches that elevate a room to something truly special. And they can be particularly effective in the ‘working’ parts of your home, such as the kitchen, home office or a study nook, as they shift the mood from functional to elegant.
There’s no denying it – details matter. It’s those thoughtfully-considered, little touches that elevate a room to something truly special. And they can be particularly effective in the ‘working’ parts of your home, such as the kitchen, home office or a study nook, as they shift the mood from functional to elegant.
Add an element of a surprise – and a touch of luxury – to a study nook, wardrobe or kitchen by lining the internal joinery with a textured woodgrain laminate that harmonises with the surrounding colours.
Soften the look of a laundry by specifying a soft-pastel or pale-timber laminate for cabinetry doors or a feature wall, or use it to elevate dull hallway storage. The only limit is your imagination!
Featured in this kitchen
Island: Laminex French Cream and Laminex Paper Bark
Tower scallop cabinetry: Laminex Paper Bark and Laminex Whitewashed Oak
Rear benchtop and curved splashback: Laminex French Cream
Rear cabinetry: Laminex Paper Bark
Rangehood: Laminex French Cream
Splashback: Artedomus Inax Renga Border REB4
Flooring: Fibonacci Stone Pavlova
Cooktop and oven: Miele
Tap: Sussex Taps
Sink: Abey
Stools: In Good Company Muuto Nerd Bar Stool
More: As seen here, get inspiration from the designs of award-winning architectural practice Kennedy Nolan using decors from the Laminex Colour Collection here
Tell us: Which of these smart ways with laminate are you tempted to try in your reno?
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Soften the look of a laundry by specifying a soft-pastel or pale-timber laminate for cabinetry doors or a feature wall, or use it to elevate dull hallway storage. The only limit is your imagination!
Featured in this kitchen
Island: Laminex French Cream and Laminex Paper Bark
Tower scallop cabinetry: Laminex Paper Bark and Laminex Whitewashed Oak
Rear benchtop and curved splashback: Laminex French Cream
Rear cabinetry: Laminex Paper Bark
Rangehood: Laminex French Cream
Splashback: Artedomus Inax Renga Border REB4
Flooring: Fibonacci Stone Pavlova
Cooktop and oven: Miele
Tap: Sussex Taps
Sink: Abey
Stools: In Good Company Muuto Nerd Bar Stool
More: As seen here, get inspiration from the designs of award-winning architectural practice Kennedy Nolan using decors from the Laminex Colour Collection here
Tell us: Which of these smart ways with laminate are you tempted to try in your reno?
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Design for life. Laminex has been part of Australian life for more than 80 years. Our commitment to design,... Read More
Design for life. Laminex has been part of Australian life for more than 80 years. Our commitment to design,... Read More
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This is truly a stunning kitchen
Laminate is usually promoted as a budget choice, but this kitchen looks anything but....
one to bookmark for future inspiration for sure