Top Kitchen Trends

 

by C. Rosenberg

Most homemakers find that their thoughts are never far away from their kitchens – and what they can do to enhance it. Here are our top picks in kitchen trends to inspire your dreams.

Raw on the Rise

Nature-inspired is indeed…well, inspirational. That’s probably why the trend in countertops is now driven by natural quartz and stone. The polished, glossy look is moving out, and the raw, rough look is taking its place. It’s not just the ‘look’, though; it’s the texture that is unfinished as well.

With outdoor kitchens on the rise, homeowners are turning toward hardy textures for both indoor and outdoor countertops. This trend is visually appealing and has extra-strength durability – a sure win for the practical kitchen lover.

Color choices continue to be a lot of mix and match, with the marble look – often with heavy veining – trending. Warm whites bring in a hint of freshness without being too cool, and gold, metallic accents add a touch of elegance.

Storage Space Solutions

One of the most valuable commodities in the kitchen is storage space, and at the core of that is easy access. If you need to remove every last pan, tray and dish from your cabinet each time you’re looking for a specific piece, something isn’t right.

Pull outs are just the solution: They bring contents out of the cabinet and into the room. This tray divider does just that, and stores trays in a super neat way.  This means that your trays don’t float around the dark depths of your kitchen cabinets, allow you to see what you have, and are super simple to retrieve.

Open Shelving

If you’re like many of us mediocre housewives, chaos hides behind your closed doors. But that shouldn’t be reason enough to stop you from trying open shelving.  All the rage, this sophisticated alternative to the classic cabinets bring modern, sleek, and spacious to your kitchen. A row of shelves atop your sink or gas range in favor of a wall of upper cabinets leaves you space to just…breathe. Simply line up your dishes and utensils on the shelves, and all excuses for chaos are gone. With utensils easily in sight, functionality definitely rates high.

Glass is a great choice here. You get a glossy, elegant and expansive look regardless of how small your kitchen space may be.

If you’re on a tight budget and still want chic, try this: Remove your cabinet doors and paint over the screw and hinge holes. If you’d like to dare, paint the interior of your cabinets a different color than the exterior. This gives you the wow of open shelving without the cost and hassle of remodeling.

Color Popping Appliances

Thinking of color in the kitchen? You’re probably thinking about cabinets, counters, and backsplashes. But in 2019, we’re daring to take it to appliances. Reds, bright yellow, sky blue, and similar bold colors sure make a statement on appliances – and you can choose to go as busy or as tame as you like within a color frame of reference.

Many manufacturers cater to the retro look and offer appliances in hundreds of choices on the color wheel. Ovens, refrigerators, hoods, microwaves, dishwashers, and other large appliances in all types of cool and zany colors are yours for the taking. To ease into this very drastic switch of colors, you may decide to start with just one appliance to splash color onto your kitchen palette, but once you see those eyeballs pop you’ll want to go for more.

Mix n’ Match Hardware

Nostalgic hardware has made its comeback – with a twist. Chrome, steel, brass and wood combinations are once again seeing the inside of classy kitchens. Hooks, latches, and knobs are all the rage here, with functionality and chic coming together for an “I love it” effect.

A latch is a neat accent on under-sink cabinets or large pantry cabinets which aren’t pulled open that often. Handles and knobs can be used on drawers and central cabinets where ease of access is more important.   

Hardware finish is another area you can have fun mixing and matching.  The ever-expanding variety of available finishes in hardware gives you plenty to think about. Match matte, shiny, or other finish types in different colors for a cool, modern effect.

 

Cheers to a facelift that’s fun, simple and inexpensive.

 

 

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