Global kitchen design trends are being dominated by compact high-quality design and an increasingly wide spectrum of materials, it has been claimed. Picking out the most powerful trends coming through among nominees, the bi-annual Kitchen Design Contest from kitchen product manufacturers Sub-Zero and Wolf Appliance found that high-quality appliances were the order of the day.The judges claimed that kitchens were now geared toward quality, with people expecting to stay in their home for longer and looking at compact solutions with high-quality finishes.Kitchen sinks can often be emblematic of compact design schemes, with models such as the Franke Compact Nova CNX660 keeping their breadth down to a minimum while offering a quality stainless steel silk finish.Commenting on the parallel rise of alternative materials, contest judge Patti Weaver of Creative Design Solutions, said We are seeing soapstone, concrete, wood, limestone and glass. This year we saw an increase of appliances in carbon stainless finishes, which is refreshing given it blends style and design and can be used in traditional or contemporary kitchens.