The kitchen is the heart of the home and so it is the room that most people want designed for function, convenience, style, and entertaining. Trends are trendy- and some trends date kitchens. I’m sure you’ve heard people say, “That’s a seventies kitchen.” They can identify the time the kitchen was designed because of the colors and materials. Following trends can date kitchens, which can, eventually, devalue your most important asset.
Some trends escape time. These trends never look dated and always add value to your home. Here are the 2018 hottest kitchen trends that I believe will be timeless and always in style:
Note: you can add elements that give a kitchen a trendy look that can be changed easily and inexpensively when the trend becomes passé. Examples are paint, tile backsplashes, window treatments, and accessories (rugs, towels, artwork, etc.).
Cabinets
This year, gray is the new white. Gray cabinets are soft, understated and sophisticated. Because gray is neutral and will coordinate with any color, I believe it will be timeless. A trend is to combine gray cabinets with white cabinets, which may become a dated trend. The shaker door style will continue to be popular in 2018 and because of its simplicity, will not be dated.
Counter Tops
Granite is out and quartz is in. If you are not familiar with quartz, it is a man-made product that is produced from crushed quartz and polymer resin. The finished product is stronger than granite and non-porous, so it is easier to clean and less likely to promote bacterial growth. Quartz manufacturers have been able to copy granite and marble looks giving consumers many more choices than in the past.
Flooring
Recently, LTV (luxury vinyl tile) has made huge inroads as a desirable and stylish floor for the most discriminating tastes. The LVT manufacturers have done such an incredible job of copying the look of tile, stone, and wood that you have to touch it several times to tell if it’s the real thing and then you still might not know. The LVT wood look is a compliment to any kitchen and will hold up to the wear and tear and water that all kitchens suffer.
Appliances
While stainless steel is still king, some appliance manufacturers have introduced color. Companies like Big Chill are bringing back the retro look. They offer fridges, ranges, microwaves, and dishwashers in eight standard colors (Beach Blue, Pink Lemonade, Cherry Red, Buttercup Yellow, Jadite Green, Black, White, and Orange). While these colors are eye-catchers and statement makers, they could end up being dated trends. But, on the other hand, if you’re planning on staying in your home for a long time, add personality with color.
Color
Paint manufacturers each have their own color pick for the year. So, there is no universally agreed upon color that will be embraced by interior designers, clothing designers, and furniture manufacturers. Here’s what the color gurus are proclaiming.
Sherwin Williams color of the year is aptly named Oceanside—a rich blue with jewel-toned green.
Glidden’s color of the year is Deep Onyx also know as classic black.
Behr’s color of the year is dubbed In the Moment, which is a compilation of blue gray and green.
Pantone, a company that developed a color matching system, touts Ultra Violet as the color of the year.
So you can see, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There is no universally accepted color of the year. What can we learn from this? Throw caution to the wind, ignore the color of the year, and choose the color that speaks to you and inspires you.
Technology
Technology is creeping into the kitchen enhancing cooking, entertaining, and adding convenience.
Touch faucets make using a faucet, which we use more times a day than we realize, much easier.
Refrigerators can make you a grocery list simply by swiping the bar code.
Cooking thermometers connect via Bluetooth to your smart phone and let you know when the item you are cooking gets to the perfect temperature.
Appliance manufacturer Miele is collaborating with IBM to develop a recipe database that will suggest a recipe based on the ingredients you have. It also offers suggested cooking times, temperatures, and calorie counts.
Soon, your refrigerator will talk to a recipe database showing what you have in your refrigerator and your laptop or tablet will show you exactly what recipes you can prepare using what you have.
Technology is changing our kitchens in a big way. It will make preparing food for your family and entertaining a stress less joy.
2018 is the perfect time to design a kitchen with awesome possibilities.
Have fun designing your new kitchen!
