Local Professionals Share the Latest Kitchen Trends
With the kitchen increasingly becoming the heart of the home, it’s important to marry style and taste with function and form. So, when it comes to designing the latest and greatest kitchen, you might be wondering what some of the top trends are. These local professionals are dishing out the details.
Custom cabinets are taking on more warm hues these days. We’re seeing warm gray and rich milk chocolate stains on really grainy woods, and distressed woods are being reinvented on more contemporary door styles. For an updated layout, I like to use fewer wall cabinets, which allows more space for a beautiful backsplash, larger windows, or creative elements. Quartz and quartzite countertops remain a favorite because of the durability, stain resistance, and color/pattern options. Clients are beginning to see appliances as a fashion piece. With a variety of color and texture options, you can really interject some fun personality into an otherwise neutral palette, and farmhouse sinks remain a great option since they can take on many looks. My favorite configuration is a double bowl with a low center divider. This allows you to separate dishes but still be able to fit an entire baking sheet under the spout.
Juliet Braly, Juliet Braly Interior Design
After many years of all-white kitchens, we are seeing a change in the finish of cabinetry. Natural grained, lightly stained wood tones are back. We are seeing more pops of color in the islands, and there is no doubt brass is back, but in a quieter brushed finish. Another popular hardware option is matte black. Clients are taking appliances more seriously. Large commercial 48-inch ranges provide a great way to have everything you need in one space. Steam ovens are perfect for families who want to prepare healthy meals, and less homeowners are caring about a microwave. We are seeing clients who want cabinet-matching appliance panels opposed to stainless-steel appliances. With the continued popularity of small appliances, appliance garages are an awesome option. Creating island “table” seating is great for family time, so even two islands are becoming popular: one for a workspace and one for casual meals or homework and games!
Jackie Howard, Scarlett’s Cabinetry
We continue to see the open floor plan as the most popular trend. We see lots of mixing of finishes with stain and paint colors in one kitchen area. Cabinets are going to the ceiling, making a very visual impact. Usually the top cabinets have glass and lights to accent this height. The island continues to be functional on one side, often with the sink or stovetop, and then a gathering spot for family on the other side. Wood decorative hoods are popular and are often painted or stained a different color than the wall cabinets. Shades of white continue to be very strong, but we are starting to see some lightly stained, natural-looking woods for accents. Floating shelves are replacing some of the wall cabinets, and the natural wood look breaks up all the white cabinets. The other popular color is a deep gray, almost black accent color. Flat black hardware is also gaining popularity.
Nancy Hetem, Cross Cabinets
While I love seeing some new color trends with blues, greens, and wood tones, I think my favorite trend is the resurgence of the larder cabinet. Lately we’ve seen an increased interest in the larder look, but totally repurposed for today’s needs. Larders designed with pocket doors and ample countertop space create efficient work zones, with everything within arm’s reach, that can be quickly closed up when guests arrive. Fun applications for modern-day larders not only include custom shelves and pullouts for storage of pantry items, dishes, and cookware, but also deeper shelves equipped with electrical outlets for storage of small appliances to be used in place. It has become a working pantry of sorts, where often-used small appliances or even office equipment can be opened up for easy access or beautifully closed away out of sight.
Kris Keith, Classic Cabinetry
The major design trend this year is the use of bold colors. Colors like Naval, Gale Force, and Steel Wool are making dramatic changes across all styles of kitchens. Many are contrasting some of the newer stain colors, like a worn maple, with bold paint colors to create a strong transition into other living spaces of the home. Choosing to place champagne hardware on the bolder paint colors provides for an excellent accent. Adding black stainless-steel appliances and a light-colored, marble-look quartz seems to be the final pieces of the puzzle for a beautiful kitchen this year.
Eric Johnson, Pig House Cabinets
When it comes to kitchens, everything is constantly evolving, and one of the top evolutions is centered around appliances. Stainless-steel is starting to give way to matte black, and a lot of homeowners are choosing to hide appliances altogether. Refrigerators, dishwashers, and even pantries and appliance bays are all being redesigned to flow with the existing cabinetry. We’re also seeing a flurry of new technology enter the appliance space. From ovens to freezers, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled devices are on the rise, and automation is becoming something more people are looking for. Appliances are at the heart of every kitchen, so it will be interesting to see how these changes influence the way we feed our families.
David Ferry, Ferguson
Top kitchen design trends this year would be simple lines such as shaker-style cabinetry painted in off-white or one of the many shades of gray. Decorative hoods and islands serve as accent pieces and are often a contrasting color to complement the primary color of the kitchen cabinets. Everyone loves the feel of an open design, and we are starting to use more floating shelves instead of enclosed cabinets to accomplish this. Pullout storage is also becoming very popular. It is amazing the options we have now such as pullout waste baskets, pullout spice racks, pullout pot and pan drawers, and so much more. Stone countertops have most of the market, whether it be granite or quartz. Pretty much all sinks are under mount, including the apron-front sinks, which provide a much cleaner look.
Jimmy Cross, Dakota Concepts Inc.
I am seeing sustainability rediscovered in the design world with both eco-friendly design and biophilic design. We all don’t live in warm climates that enable us to open our doors and connect with nature, but we can rely on elements that symbolize the outdoors. Past trends have somewhat moved away from natural finishes and stone, but they have made a comeback in 2020. Plants, wall gardens, and large glass windows are gaining in popularity and provide a way to connect to nature. I have seen more transitional kitchen design, which I think is the best of all worlds. The flat-style cabinet door often seen in contemporary design has made its way into the transitional kitchen style. I am designing more minimalist kitchens with clean lines but am incorporating warm finishes for the cabinets, countertops, flooring, and walls. I have always been a fan of designing a space for my customers to make them feel a sense of belonging.
Carol MacKinnon, CKD, Ana Woodworks
We are seeing a renewed interest in stained finishes with an emphasis on weathered stains and textures, such as knotty alder, wormy maple, and circle-sawn oak. Additionally, black and deep blue cabinetry is popular and is often used in base cabinets combined with white wall cabinets. Custom handcrafted hoods, glass doors with shaped mullions, and floating shelves are especially desirable. Customers are eager to use every inch of available space with drawer organizers, roll-out trays, and tray, spice, and trash can pullouts. Built-in appliances sport custom panels, which match the cabinet doors, and hardware is brighter than in past years, with brushed gold, satin brass, and copper finishes being among the most popular.
Catherine Crabtree, Hitson Cabinets, Inc.
