Build.com for Pros: Kitchen Trends

The kitchen often acts as the hub for the family. It is often the first place the family gathers at the end of the day, whether to cook a delicious meal, entertain friends, or sit down and complete homework assignments. Designing a space that will serve all these purposes and more, in a way that will flow with the rest of the home decor requires staying current on kitchen trends.

Layers of Contemporary Lighting

In the kitchen, it's imperative that there is proper lighting. Kitchen trends tend to combine many different kitchen lighting solutions in one space, making it easy to adjust how bright the room is. Recessed or track lighting built into the ceilings offers an overall brightness for the room. From there, add in pendant lights over the island or under cabinet lights that shine down on the countertops below. Although incredibly functional, this lighting is also a great way to reinforce a design theme with a bold style choice.

Oversized Islands

Today's kitchen trends are reflective of the fact that more and more families are starting to cook at home more and eat out less. Because of this, we've seen a trend toward oversized islands crafted of marble, quartz, and other fun and durable material options. These large islands are usually designed with plenty of overhang to create a seating area as well, with room for four bar stools or more.

Kitchen Cabinet Trends

The cabinets are the largest fixture or furnishing in the kitchen design. As such, they tend to set the tone for the look of the space.

• New Neutrals: When it comes to kitchen cabinet color trends, new neutrals are growing in popularity. These include light gray, dark gray, charcoal, black, and navy cabinet finishes.

• Rich Jewel Tones: When it comes to color, jewel tones have made a comeback. Deep jade hues, rich teal accents, vibrant ruby tones, and vivid sapphire elements can be seen throughout modern kitchen designs.

• Two-Toned Cabinets: Choosing a different cabinet finish for the lower cabinets and upper cabinets or for the island cabinets and main cabinets is a great way to compromise when you can't pick a favorite. It's also a great way to prevent things from being too dark or too bright.

• Organized Interiors: With so many different kitchen tools and dishware options available, it's important to have drawers and cabinets that maximize organization. Today's cabinet options include a variety of organized interior designs. Tall and slender spice cabinets that pull out from either side of the stove and large drawers beneath the cooktop for pots and pans are just a few of the fresh ways to add storage to a kitchen design.

Kitchen Color Trends

The kitchen should look as clean and crisp as possible. For this reason, kitchen color trends tend to veer towards pale hues for the ceiling and walls. A pale beige, light gray, and soft white are all options that stand the test of time. The cabinets aren't that warm honey maple of years past anymore. Today's cabinets are sleek, minimal, and bold in hue. From deep black that contrasts with the wall decor to stark white that offers a monochromatic look, today's kitchen trends lean toward a modern aesthetic.

Adding Appliances

A tendency to dine out less means today's families are bringing more groceries into the home. Because of this, it is more imperative than ever to select a spacious refrigerator as the anchor for your kitchen appliances. With the refrigerator selected, it's time to outfit the rest of the kitchen with top-quality appliances that fit in the space, while maximizing style and efficiency. Choosing energy-efficient appliances will help to lower utility costs as well as the carbon footprint of the home.

Choosing Kitchen Fixtures

When you're looking to bring an eye-catching accent to a kitchen design, the fixtures are a great way to do just that. First of all, they come in a wide range of finish options from which to choose, including classics like polished chrome and antique brass as well as contemporary alternatives such as matte black and copper. Secondly, unlike the cabinets, kitchen faucets and cabinet hardware are easy to change out at a later date, making them a great opportunity to play with something more trendy.

These small kitchen accessories act as the jewelry of the space. Use them as a way to introduce a metallic finish to the overall color scheme of the design. Once you've selected a finish for the faucet, keep the look consistent by making sure the drains, soap dispensers, cabinet pulls, and even the lighting solutions reflect that same finish.

These small kitchen accessories act as the jewelry of the space. Use them as a way to introduce a metallic finish to the overall color scheme of the design. Once you've selected a finish for the faucet, keep the look consistent by making sure the drains, soap dispensers, cabinet pulls, and even the lighting solutions reflect that same finish.

Finishing the Design with Kitchen Decor

Perhaps more so than with any other room in the home, the kitchen decor needs to be both functional and fashionable. As you start to style the countertops and walls, select pieces that will come in handy while continuing the style selected. Raw-edge wood cutting boards, large fruit bowls, and decorative storage canisters are just a few examples of decorative kitchen accents that enhance productivity.

Because the kitchen is one of the most expensive rooms in the house to remodel, it's important to select kitchen trends that are classically-inspired and will hold up to fifteen or twenty years of use. For the best effect, try mixing some of the latest kitchen trends in with an evergreen design.

Whether you choose to design a space with rich jewel tones and sleek metallic finishes or a casual farmhouse kitchen showcasing the natural beauty of wood, current kitchen trends are sure to provide the inspiration you need to update a kitchen of any size. As you lay out the space, make sure that you have a good working triangle between the sink, stove, and refrigerator. Make sure to consider which way doors open and drawers pull out when arranging all the items you've selected for the kitchen design.