Decades ago, the kitchen was hidden in the back of the house. It was a place where meals were prepared and dirty dishes were washed. Fast forward to 2017 and the kitchen has a much different role. Today, the kitchen is the focal point of the home, the place that brings everyone together after a long day or at the start of one. Now instead, the kitchen is paraded in all its beauty and warmth at the very center of the house. Kitchens have changed a lot over the decades and planning for your kitchen remodel is very important. Technology advances and changing social dynamics have contributed greatly to the rise of the modern kitchen. There is a far bigger focus on open concept homes that revolve around the kitchen so everyone can be together. As with any modern design trend, clean and simple styles have become favorites for homeowners with natural light becoming an essential aspect of the overall look and function of the kitchen space.
1 SMART KITCHENS
Technology has entered the kitchen in full force and not just in the form of fancy gadgets and appliances. Today, you can have a kitchen with technology integrated into every function and appliance–from the faucets to the fridge to the lighting. This is what we call a smart kitchen. Smart kitchens are a very modern aspect of design. In fact, a lot of kitchens today are built smart from the ground up. For older kitchens, sensors, smart gadgets and other devices can be added to make them smarter.
You can have sensor-equipped kitchen faucets that can sense the presence of hands underneath and will come on automatically. You could have a fridge that alerts you when your groceries items are running low or a coffee maker that has your coffee ready when you wake up. There is also a device that monitors your eggs, telling you which ones are almost going bad. Do not forget to smarten up your lighting system–allowing you to control different lights from your smartphone or tablet. Technology integrated kitchens are becoming more popular as homeowners experiment with novel technologies. This is one of the biggest trends going into 2018 too
2 CABINET COLORS: WHITE STAYS, GRAY GETS ELEGANT AND BLACK IS THE NEW THING
White is still a big favorite for kitchen cabinets. Homeowners love it for its clean look, which is especially beneficial in a space that tends to get cluttered. White cabinets are simply beautiful and timeless and can be used in almost any kind of kitchen style. We expect white to remain a popular cabinet color in 2018 and probably for years to come. The only change we are seeing is a mixing in of wood finishes for accent pieces and additions of pops-of-color for the brave of heart As popular as white cabinets are, grey is starting to pick up as the color of choice. Grey cabinets project a certain chic elegance. If you want your kitchen to feel a bit more luxurious, grey is the color to choose. Grey cabinets work great when paired with plenty of natural light.
The modern clean look of both white and grey will keep them as favorites for years. But there is another color slowly making its way into the kitchen–black. It will surprise you at how well black kitchen cabinets can work in and/or enhance every kitchen. Black kitchen cabinets portray full-on elegance and a deep rich luxurious atmosphere that the other options just don’t. They cast the kitchen in a subtle dramatic essence. However, using black in the kitchen is a tricky thing. You have to be careful that it does not overpower the room, making it feel perpetually dark. But more and more homeowners are getting bolder and opting for a kitchen with black cabinets. While black will not be the new white anytime soon, black cabinets will get more popular.
3 CONTEMPORARY DESIGNS, MATERIALS AND TEXTURES While styles like vintage and mid-century modern are still popular, homeowners are getting more contemporary with edgier designs and alternative materials for kitchens. Instead of the usual ceramic, we are seeing an increased use of concrete and stone. Folding and sliding doors are being set up to be operated with a button or from your smartphone or tablet. These innovative new door designs are even being transferred to the cabinetry. You can actually have folding or sliding cabinet doors too. Countertops and kitchen islands are also experiencing their own contemporary reinvention. Some homeowners are going for curved kitchen islands for a unique focal point. This lends itself to softening the lines within the space. In some homes, the kitchen island also serves as the bar and includes wine storage for the adults. Even as most people get nostalgic for past styles (Art Deco, Vintage and so on), there is still a lot of love for the beautiful, stylish and functional contemporary kitchen.
4 QUARTZ IS STILL KING For high end kitchen countertops, quartz still reigns supreme. The material is extremely hardy, can last virtually forever, is a breeze to maintain and is anti-microbial. Granite, the main competitor in the high-end bracket, requires slightly more maintenance. When quartz countertops first came into the market, the main worry was lack of variety in terms of colors and finishes. But with time, thanks to technology, manufacturers have provided a wide range of colors to choose from as well as realistic stone patterns. You can even get quartz finished with elaborate swirls and large veining to imitate other materials like natural stone. These unique styles have become immensely popular.
But there is a notable trend toward softer and more neutral colors. More and more homeowners are opting for colors like: grey, taupe, creamy or white finishes. The pattern preferences have changed to veining from particulates that we’ve seen for past years. This definitely follows the trend towards cleaner styles seen in most home spaces. While we are still on the topic of countertops, it is important to mention the rising popularity of composite sinks. These are sinks made from the same material as the countertop. This creates a cleaner uniform look and makes cleaning and maintenance much easier. However, it is going to be a tough battle against the still very popular stainless steel and farmhouse sinks.
5 A FOCUS ON STORAGE-EFFECTIVE CABINETRY One of the biggest annoyances with kitchen cabinetry is the unnecessarily waste of space. The way the shelves and drawers are structured leaves a lot of wasted space. Worst of all, available space is often too small for some of your larger things or the opposite: it’s too wide and does not give you a way to properly and efficiently organize the space. One of the foundations to a functional kitchen is kitchen storage. If it is inadequate or ineffective, you will be faced with endless frustrations and challenges. To counter these storage > TRENDS 15 > challenges, homeowners are starting to look for better storage solutions within the cabinetry. These can include: drawer dividers for cutlery & utensils, pull-outs for spices, tray dividers, roll-out trays and caddies for pot & pans; as well as wastebasket cabinets and/ or decorative wicker baskets for show. These will make it easier to store foods, drinks and small appliances. 2017 has come with a range of new kitchen storage options throughout the whole kitchen–focused on making daily lives more effortless and making cooking fun.
6 APPLIANCES: NEW STYLES AND PREFERENCES If the kitchen is going to face a revolution, the appliances will not be left behind. One of the hottest trends we saw for 2017 were black stainless steel appliances. Stainless Steel appliances have dominated the market for quite some time, so seeing a different finish come into play is not surprising. Traditionally appliances are sold in suites, but occasionally you will find a refrigerator in red or the vintage style range in a blue and so on. This is definitely a departure from the once traditional all-white appliances. However, homeowners seem willing to experiment with a wider range of tones around the kitchen these days. Even the interest in must-have commercial ranges seems to be fading a little. More and more kitchens want to include cooktops with separate double wall ovens. This trend can be more expensive than commercial ranges and often take up more space. But as in many of these trends, aesthetics is a major issue. More homeowners are wanting a changeover from the more common commercial range look. Changes are also happening to the range hood. Traditionally, we see large chimney style range hoods over the range. Though it plays a major role in sucking up fumes, grease and odors, it does not earn many points for style. To change this, homeowners are opting for new ceiling mounted range hoods. They take up less space and are more sleek-looking. Don’t forget to consider advanced range hoods that can be flush mounted for a discreet and very chic look.
7 JUXTAPOSITION OF SPACES Kitchen design trends today are aimed at creating a unique style. A style that instantly captures attention and makes a statement. One of the trends accomplishing this is the juxtaposition of spaces. Basically, it involves turning things around and creating unexpected match-ups. You might find an all-white light and airy kitchen with a bold patterned tile backsplash, or bright colored appliances. These pops of unexpected color feel like bursts of energy helping bring the kitchen to life. Or you might find a juxtaposition between the cabinetry and the flooring. The cabinetry is more sleek and polished while the floor is designed in a textured style that is much more rustic. One popular fun juxtaposition that was bound to be picked up in 2017 was: “bringing the outdoors in”. Whether it is a vertical garden of spices, an indoor vegetable patch or your own kitchen flower garden–more homeowners are experimenting with bringing the great outdoors in.
8 HARDWOOD FLOORING IS STILL THE SHINNING STAR BUT CERAMIC TILE IS ON IT’S HEELS Hardwood flooring is still very popular when it comes to kitchen flooring. But the second most popular option, ceramic flooring, is about to get more attention. Thanks to technology, ceramic flooring now comes in a wide variety of designs and styles and sizes. For example, you can get ceramic tiles that look exactly like hardwood flooring. So if you want to retain the hardwood look but with a material that is easier to maintain, you can use ceramic. In addition to wood, ceramic tiles can be designed to resemble a range of other materials including natural stone. Even the surface texture is changed to mimic these materials. In terms of size, you do not have to go for traditional sizing any longer. You can get wide plank tiles that resemble actual planks of hardwood once laid down on the floor. Or you can get custom cut tiles to create a uniquely themed kitchen.
- LARGE MULTIPURPOSE KITCHEN ISLANDS Kitchen islands are no longer those narrow surfaces just for food preparation or to serve as an occasional breakfast bar. They have become focal points of the kitchen. One of the changes emerging is the larger sizing and more ornate design pieces included in the design. The kitchen island is meant to create an impact, and its design must make a statement. The larger kitchen islands have become jack of all trades. They have storage cabinets and can be fitted with various cooking appliances while also serving as a dining and/or drinking bar. To accommodate the increased size, the kitchen island can be extended into living room territory in homes with open plan designs. This ensures the kitchen island can be multi-functional without cluttering up space in the kitchen.
10 PET-FRIENDLY SPACES IN THE KITCHEN The kitchen can be a hazardous place for babies and pets if you are not careful. While we try really hard to baby-proof the cooking area; we do not think much about pet-friendly spaces in the kitchen. One great idea is a feeder station. This is usually a corner where you can set up your pet food storage cabinet, feeding station, toys and anything else dogrelated. You can even design a kitchen island with a built-in doggy bed underneath. If you have cats and a little extra money to spend, consider a slide at one corner of the room where they can play until they are exhausted.
CONCLUSION
Let these trends serve as design ideas for your kitchen renovation or new home construction. These ideas combine the best in functionality and aesthetics to create the ultimate kitchen. sebringservices.com
