When we think of finishes for a residential or commercial property, the first thing that comes to mind is usually the walling, both exterior and interior. Exterior wall finishes in Kenya tend to be more conservative with white, grey, or neutral colors and tones preferred. With the sort of awakening happening in the local construction industry, architects and interior decorators are tending to experiment more with bolder color palettes and a variety of textures.
2022 was an exciting year for the Kenyan construction landscape as designers, builders and suppliers adopted more contemporary and braver designs. Kenya is now home to some of the most glamorous finishes on the continent, giving some of the poshest global real estate markets a run for their money. Wall finishes have had a huge part to play in this new renaissance.
2023 promises to be even more exciting concerning wall finishes. Here are 5 key trends that we are keenly looking out for in this regard.
Earthy Palettes, Stone and Natural Textures
By earthy palettes, we mean finishes whose central focus or theme isn’t the color or design, but rather the texture of the finish material in their raw form. In this case, natural and rustic finishes are preferred over polished textures. The rustic look used to be deemed expensive and thus suitable for smaller or isolated spaces and high-priced commercial and residential developments. However, local suppliers and vendors are now availing these products at a much lower price point, meaning that more home builders are adopting this look as well.
Exposed Concrete Finish
Concrete is a versatile and durable material, not only offering practical structural advantages but aesthetic as well. Exposed concrete finishes were once deemed bland or too risky, but builders are now starting to see the innate beauty of bare concrete, not to mention its flexibility in terms of finishing. It can be combined with polished aggregate, troweled to a fine finish, or left in its bare form.
Concrete finishes can also be used in a wide variety of spaces, from lounges to gangways and external walls, unlike materials such as tile and marble that may be limited in this regard.
Wood Paneling
Despite having a natural color tone, wood paneling deserves a category of its own, simply because of how popular the trend is becoming in Kenya. Granted, wood is amongst the most expensive wall finishes and thus naturally the least used. However, as suppliers import more of the wood and produce the paneling locally, wood paneling is increasingly becoming more available.
For developers who can’t afford traditional wood, gypsum walls have now quickly become the norm in urban, contemporary developments. Similarly, laminate walling that looks like wood can also be used to produce the same effect at a much lower price point.
Darker Matte Paint Finishes
Matte is a different kind of paint from what our local construction industry has long been used to. The style seems conservative, almost laid-back, with no shine or reflection compared to glossy paints; and yet there is a certain luxury and je ne sais quoi about matte if done correctly.
In their initial entry to the local market, lighter and bolder matte colors in blue, yellow, and brown were popular. The uptake of grey, darker hues of blue and lighter shades of black is increasing. To cap this off, matte is truly a versatile finish as it can be applied across any space; from kitchens and bathrooms to patios and full external wall finishes with some design integrations to keep it lively.
Another major advantage of matte finish is that it can be used to hide subtle imperfections on the wall surface.
Canvas and Fabric Wall Finishes
You might have seen fabric wall finishes in an IMAX movie theatre or a fancy hotel room somewhere. Yes, these aren’t the cheapest options for wall finishes. However, they offer some pretty amazing properties such as a warm, cozy feel, a wide variety of colors and designs, and reduced acoustic noise.
Since fabric finishes are relatively pricier, they can be adapted for specific rooms such as the master bedroom, the lounge, and the entertainment room due to their acoustic effects.
Wrapping Up
The wall finishes highlighted in this article have long been thought of as too expensive for regular domestic building projects. However, all these options are flexible, meaning they can be adapted to smaller or individual spaces, thus reducing their costs. Developers can also experiment with different combinations of traditional and these modern finishes to produce even better designs.
