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Kitchen Sinks
Large apron-front farmhouse sinks are still popular, and they are now showing up in multiple colors. The Elkay sink in the featured image above is an example of a sink with more than just a “splash” of color, as is the black Silgranite sink in the second image here. Under-mount, single basin rectangular sinks with drains in the rear corner are also very nice improvements to any kitchen. Elkay’s Crosstown is a perfect example, pictured left. It is so much easier to clean large pots and pans, refrigerator shelves, and even trash cans in these big sinks. Manufacturers are now making sinks that have removable accessory cutting boards and drying racks too. Granite and/or stone and cast iron sinks are on the rise. These sinks are extremely durable, have a classic look and feel, and they do not vibrate as much when hooked up to a disposer. Another trend that is continuing is the installation of a second or auxiliary sink, as well as having a filler spout over the range to fill up larger pots and pans. Pull-down sink faucets are the norm now, especially with big basin sinks. We are also seeing more and more intelligent faucets, where they turn on and off by waving your hand over them.
Color and finish trends
Incorporating different textures is very hot trend these days. So is hardwood flooring or hardwood lookalike flooring in the kitchen. Luxury vinyl plank flooring is waterproof and strikingly similar in appearance to real wood. White remains the most popular overall choice for kitchens, but the color grey is becoming a real contender in kitchens and living spaces. Designers are using splashes of color, for example, a green farmhouse sink can match the barstool seat fabric and the pendant lights, while the rest of the kitchen remains somewhat neutral. Stainless steel appliances still remain popular, but other options are also trending due to the difficulty in maintaining the clean look of SS, and the ease of denting it. These alternatives include cabinet-faced appliances, colored stainless, as pictured by Kitchenaid below, and gloss painted smooth finishes. The shiplap and reclaimed wood look is red hot now too.
Cabinet trends
Taller cabinets offer more space, look more substantial, and make a smaller kitchen look larger. Run the cabinets all of the way to the ceilings, and it looks even more custom. Shaker style cabinet doors/faces are still very popular because of their minimal amount of detail and clean lines. People are incorporating more concealed storage solutions, such as in-cabinet lazy Susan’s, complex mechanical pull-outs for corner cabinets, hidden cutting boards above drawers, pull-out spice racks, and other handy solutions. Another trend is the use of double hinged doors for corner cabinets, instead of 45 degree doors. These doors allow better access to the shelves inside. Soft close hinges are a must in today’s functional kitchen, especially if you have children. Hydraulic soft-close door hinges now allow you to open an upper cabinet door upwards instead of side to side. Many homeowners are incorporating alternative finishes for certain cabinets. For example, they use frosted custom glass doors on the bar area, stained wood cabinets in the kitchen island, and then white shaker style on the main upper and lower cabinets. Lastly, another trend is to use more open shelving, which allows for more creativity with backsplashes and wall coverings, especially the shiplap look.
Appliance trends
Expect to see kitchens with more cooktops, and fewer ranges, and instead there will be dual wall ovens. People like to have the storage underneath the cooktop for big pots and pans, and since they don’t use the oven as much as the cooktop, it is ok to put the ovens slightly further away. Side by side refrigerators are no longer the gold standard. Instead, more and more custom homes have French door style units with bottom freezer drawers, external drawers for quick access to frequently used foods, and second ice makers in addition to the ice maker in the refrigerator door. It is also increasingly common to see multiple appliances used in the same kitchen. For example, some kitchens have a separate refrigerator and freezer, two dishwashers, separate wine cooler, convection microwaves and other auxiliary small ovens, warming drawers, and even dual coffee makers. Range hoods are becoming major focal points in kitchens, even in more affordable homes. The presence of a standalone range hood allows home owners to incorporate more backsplash or wall coverings behind it for a modern contrast. Futhermore, these newer range hoods are usually more powerful, with higher cfm ratings. Also be on the lookout for all appliances to be able to connect with your smartphones.
Countertops
Speckled granite and stone is out of favor now that new options are available. Solid surface counters are still a growing segment, but we are seeing an uptick in Quartz and other synthetic solid surface counter tops options. Quartz, for example, now has a wide range of colors available, and many of them are very intriguing. It requires less maintenance than granite, and is hard than granite. Another trend is the use of waterfall islands, where the countertop runs down to the floor on the side of the kitchen island. This trend adds a huge wow factor to any kitchen. For those still on the cost conscious side, laminate counter tops are now much more realistic than they used to be. They also make laminate tops with nice beveled edges to look for like real stone.
Lighting
LED lighting is going to explode into the marketplace even more this year! LED lights are now available in retrofit ceiling cans, pendant lights, under cabinet lights, inside of refrigerators, and even faucet lights! Under cabinet lighting has become a “must” in kitchen design these days, and there are many options. For example, some people are even using LED RGB strip lighting under their base cabinets and under their upper cabinets to allow for full-color-changing glow, complete with the ability to program it to go with the music. We are also seeing the use of lighting inside of cabinets with frosted glass doors. LED can lights are getting retro-fitted into the ceiling cans, and they are way brighter, which makes it so much easier to see the work space in any kitchen. Another continuing trend is the use of bold accent lighting, especially over kitchen islands, peninsulas, and other focal areas. Designers are making custom lights out of reclaimed materials, using larger than life housings in lieu of using more lights, and adding colors.
Backsplashes
One of the latest trends in custom kitchens is to use reclaimed wood for the wall covering and backsplashes. Now there are companies that make interlocking reclaimed wood panels out of real wood. Another more recent trend is to run the backsplashes all the way to the ceiling where there are not cabinets, such as behind freestanding range hoods, around windows, and behind open shelving. And we must not forget about all of the incredible options available in the tile industry. Tile comes in all shapes and sizes and finishes, but recently, we are seeing a whole lot of tile that looks just like wood planks. Installing this on a backsplash in a kitchen with white cabinets can look absolutely stunning!
Smart kitchens
As we continue to be hooked on our smart phones and other devices, the kitchen design industry is following suit. Now, you can control your refrigerator’s temperature settings, its ice maker, and its efficiency settings all from your phone or mobile device. Thanks to WIFI, you don’t even have to be at home any more to change these settings. Imagine being at the grocery store, and you can’t remember if you need more milk or not…no problem, just grab your phone and access the camera inside of your fridge. These days, your dishwasher can notify you when it is finished, your oven can alert your phone when your turkey is cooked, and you can start preheating your oven before your leave the grocery store. Other trends we are seeing are concealed flat panel TVs, hidden smart phone charging stations in cabinetry, and integrated lighting whereby the kitchen lights come on when you walk into the room. Now, you don’t even have to touch the sink faucet handle, thanks to innovations like Moen’s MotionSense technology.