Home Remodeling Projects – Hot New Kitchen Trends – Part 2
Update your kitchen with some of the hottest interior decorating trends.
Consolidated Activity
As houses get smaller, kitchens are carrying more responsibility. Today’s kitchen is still the hub of the home, and also a spot that’s big on multitasking.
But packing all the functionality into one area takes some coordination. Space-saving solutions often include banquette seating, hideaway laundry appliances (inside pantries or behind veneer panels), and small, built-in workspaces that allow parental supervision of homework time. Kitchen-side desks are also prime spots for sorting mail, paying bills, looking up recipes, and catching up on email while you have a pot on the stove.
Certain hard and fast rules of workspace design must not be broken, however, even in spaces that perform double or triple duty. Space allocated for storage, counter space, and appliances should be evenly balanced. The “path of food flow” (i.e., where cooks do their thing) should not intersect with flow-through traffic through the space, and every kitchen should have at least one 36” countertop for prep work.
Ergonomics for All
The graying of the baby boomer generation will no doubt raise important issues relating to functionality and user-friendliness.
Beyond that, the new mantra in kitchen design is multiplicity. Multiplicity acknowledges the variety of sizes, shapes, ages, and abilities of people who are in the kitchen. In other words, everyone.
In the future, houses with the best resale value may well include kitchen work surfaces and storage areas of varying heights, with appliances that are easy to reach. Drawer appliances (dishwashers, refrigerators, and even microwaves) are gaining popularity, as are side-by-side refrigerators and ovens, and storage options that fall between 15 and 48 inches off the floor.
One of today’s most popular configurations that is not universally-friendly is the microwave/hood combo. Whenever possible, it’s better to put the microwave in a more accessible position that’s easier for kids and others to reach so they are not reaching into the microwave over top of a hot stove. Putting a microwave almost at counter level or even lower in base cabinets makes it accessible to anybody.
Luxury for Less
Mortgages for starter castles are no longer attainable for home buyers of average means, meaning they must now pick and choose their luxuries strategically.
Every kitchen should have at least one special design feature, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. Think backsplashes that provide a unique point of interest with an interesting pattern or antique artifact. Plate racks, exposed stemware holders, and glass cabinet doors also provide stylish accents that don’t cost a fortune.
One simple way that you can conserve costs without sacrificing functionality or good looks is to combine certain appliances. If you have a cook top and a separate wall oven, you will spend 15 to 20% more than if you buy a range that includes both.
Small and Powerful
Although kitchen square footage is less vulnerable to pruning than other rooms in the floor plan, many kitchens are getting smaller as houses get proportionately smaller. That means they have to work smarter and harder.
Maximize every square inch of volume space with space-savers such as skinny, vertical pantries, pull-out cabinets and spice racks, and wine cubbies that fill odd cavities. Anything that pulls out is an absolute winner today. That includes pull-out wastebaskets and recycling centers, which are an absolute must.
Moreover, in these smaller kitchens, you can deploy various design tricks that help “grow the space,” such as horizontal lines, lighter finishes, mirrored backsplashes, and diagonal patterns on the floor or ceiling.
Planet Smart
Today’s buyers want green features. That means Energy Star appliances and Water Sense-rated plumbing fittings, combined with good ventilation and air filtration.
Reclaimed, recycled, and raw materials also remain popular, for reasons aesthetic as much as altruistic. Countertops [made of recycled aggregate materials] are number one recycled product in the kitchen. Other eco-favorites include salvaged beams, concrete floors, and concrete block walls, all of which become part of the design statement. Materials used in their raw state tend to cost less and do not produce off-gassing.
Style Conscious
Taste-wise, there are certain tried and true favorites that have yet to lose their mojo with buyers, including stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and hardwood floors.
But other substrates are making inroads, such as quartz and paper composites, glass and stainless steel work surfaces, large-scale (18” square) floor tile, chrome fixtures, and lightweight hulled concrete.
And one more thing: Wallpaper is making a comeback. Yes, it’s true. “We’re seeing designs that are very graphic and used as a large scale feature on accent walls in the living spaces opposite open kitchens.
Light Bright
Aging eyes need good lighting. The key is to specify layered lighting for practical usage and visual effect. That includes a combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting.
Decorative light fixtures certainly help carry forth a theme (be it art deco or rustic farmhouse) but they also supplement a room’s overall brightness and help to eliminate the “swiss cheese” effect of too many recessed can lights in the ceiling.
Task lighting is usually installed under cabinets or in the form of pendant lighting over the island that shines directly on a work surface, whereas ambient lighting provides an overall glow. Accent lighting highlights specific points of interest, such as art niches.
LED and fluorescent lights now provide energy-saving alternatives to conventional incandescent bulbs, but it’s important to ensure that the color of the light emanating from various sources is consistent.
Devilish Details
In a small space, the entire kitchen becomes a focal point, so it’s important to attend to every detail. For example, refrigerators and other appliances should run flush with cabinet faces to maintain clean lines.
Two additional areas, in particular, that can make or break a small space are outlets and endings. You can maximize the impact of your cabinet design and backsplash by integrating or camouflaging outlets with plug molding, decorative plates, or undercounter strips, and be sure to design the returns on moldings, especially when the design includes cabinets of varying heights or depths. Or when the cabinets return into ceiling molding.”
