Are you thinking about updating your kitchen? Wondering what is “hot” in today’s kitchen showrooms right now? Simple styling, hidden appliances and a splash of color are just a few things cooking in today’s kitchens.
Clean and simple
Fancy kitchens are becoming a thing of the past. Simple and traditional are the new “in”. Forget about decorating to look like a French country kitchen. Instead, look for clean lines and simple decor.
At least part of the move towards more traditional kitchens is that sellers are keeping an eye on how their updates will affect the resale value of their home, and the more buyers your updates appeal to, the better chance you have of getting a return on your investment. Simple, traditional decor appeals to the broadest number of buyers, and will generally not look outdated when it’s time to put your home on the market.
Built-in dining
Eat-in kitchens are still in demand, but people are looking more towards bar seating, with bars that extend into a small table. Sometimes the extension is counter height; sometime it’s higher or lower. What sets it apart from bar seating is that it’s designed so the diners sit around the edge and face one another, rather than sitting in a line.
While some homeowners may be nervous about trading in their kitchen table for an extension on their counter, the setup does have several advantages. It saves valuable floor space, the extension could be used as a buffet counter, and the deep base that supports the countertop could provide additional storage.
Safety, sustainability
Safety features are popular today. Features that prevent stove burners from accidentally igniting, or cabinet doors from being opened by little fingers are in demand.
People today are leaning towards more energy efficient features, such as LED lights as well as natural wood floors and stone counter tops, with granite still the top choice.
Lighting
Kitchen lighting has become an area where homeowners are choosing to express themselves.
Hand-blown glass shades on pendant lights, contemporary drum shades and elegant chandeliers are all ways homeowners can infuse their style into a kitchen without making a big commitment. After all, it’s easier and cheaper to change lighting fixtures than it is cabinets or countertops.
Layers of light continue to be common in kitchen design—for example, a ceiling fixture combined with under-counter task lighting and ambient lights behind a glass-front door. But gimmicky lighting schemes such as lighted toe kicks aren’t so popular, Dillick said.
LEDs are finding their way into the kitchen, mainly in under-counter lighting but also in recessed ceiling lights. They’re available in both cool and warm lights to fit different decors and preferences.
Refrigerator
The depth of the typical refrigerator poses a design challenge, particularly in smaller kitchens. Manufacturers have responded with shallower appliances and drawer models, which are often used in combination in the same room.
Counter-depth refrigerators are easier to fit into a kitchen because they don’t jut out into the room. But even though they’re often taller, they typically have less storage space. Some designers are dealing with space shortage by incorporating drawer refrigerators or freezers into the cabinets to hold additional food. This kind of arrangement makes sense only when the drawer holds foods that are used mostly in a particular part of the kitchen—for example, a drawer for vegetables next to the sink where they’re cleaned and prepared.
Bars
Bars are coming out of the great room and into the kitchen. Many homeowners are installing bar areas in the kitchen where they can store everything in one convenient spot. Often, they’re taking out kitchen desks to free the space.
Bar cabinets that look like pantries are popular as well. Often they’re outfitted with a wine or beverage refrigerator; storage space for glassware, knives and a cutting board; and sometimes a sink.
Color
Most homeowners still tend toward the safe and neutral in their kitchen’s more permanent items—cupboards, countertops and flooring. But that doesn’t mean kitchens can’t be colorful.
Walls are sporting bold hues such as persimmon or pomegranate. Accessories and appliances bring spots of color, such as a range with colored knobs and a cobalt oven interior that “people fall in love with,” she said. It’s also popular to work a colorful painted cabinet or two in among white or natural wood cabinets to add a bit of interest.
Individualism
All of the kitchen designers were hesitant to talk in terms of trends, because they believe a kitchen’s design should suit the individual. Kitchens are places where we spend a lot of time, so it’s more important to have what you like, not what’s popular, they said. “Really, it’s up to you,” Shababy said. “It’s whatever makes you happy being in your kitchen.”
A kitchen’s design should suit the individual homeowner. You will spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so it’s very important to have what YOU like, not what’s popular. Avoid trends or fads that will make your kitchen look outdated in a few years, but beyond that, it’s really up to you.
