What’s Staying and What’s Going for the Rest of 2019
By Ryan Horvath
Since we’re halfway through 2019, I thought it would be a good time for a mid-year review of kitchen trends. At the beginning of the year, I wrote a blog about emerging kitchen trends. You can read it by clicking here. In this week’s blog, I’m going to cover what’s trending up and trending down. I’ll share some insights from industry leaders from a recent KBTribeChat on Twitter.
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REVIEW OF KITCHEN TRENDS: WHAT’S STAYING
Keeping it Timeless
Homeowners are leaning towards a timeless kitchen design that has flair. Designers are mixing the modern and traditional design in a style called transitional. It incorporates an elegant traditional style with sleek modern lines. Our Choice Select® Fremont and Graphite door styles are examples of transitional design. Speaking of cabinets, expect to see a lot of painted white and gray Shaker-style cabinets. According to interior designer Carla Aston,
“White kitchen cabinets will remain strong while using other ways to add color in a kitchen.” @Carla_Aston on Twitter
I’ve noticed brown and espresso colored Shaker cabinets are starting to trend. White, gray, brown, and espresso colored kitchens are flooding Instagram. Two-tone kitchens are becoming a mainstay. For small kitchens, it’s a great way to create a bright, yet bold space. For open concept, it makes the kitchen inviting and not overbearing. Check out the examples below of our Fremont and Graphite as well as our Choice Essentials® Brentwood and Summit.
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Staying Organized and Sane
Storage and organization are something that homeowners have struggled with. You want all the bells-and-whistles appliances but have no place to put them. Luckily, the kitchen industry is listening. Many cabinetry companies are designing products to help with organization. For example, we designed our base pantry pull out cabinet to fit your lifestyle. Use it as a convenient spice rack or cooking sheet organizer. It’s also perfect as a utensil holder. For some helpful tips and ideas, be sure to read a past blog about storage and organization. You can read it by clicking here.
Smart Homes and Appliances
Technology is taking over our homes as smart homes become a staple. Kitchen appliances are a part of the smart home movement. Homeowners are starting to expect integrated smart home technology in their appliances. It’s getting so that appliances can “talk” to you about potential issues. According to Signature Kitchen Suite,
“… WiFi monitoring is one of the most important features so that you know the health of your appliances! Know when a filter needs to be changed soon or something isn’t working properly before it goes down avoids many inconveniences!” @SKSappliances on Twitter
The future of smart appliances is going to move from integration to being intuitive. Your smart refrigerator will soon be able to recognize your buying habits. In doing so, it can send grocery list reminders to your smartphone before you run out. Your smart fridge could link with your grocery delivery service and do your shopping for you. The future of smart appliances is closer than you think.
REVIEW OF KITCHEN TRENDS: WHAT’S GOING
For the last two years, blue kitchens have been popular. Whether it was a blue kitchen island or a decked out kitchen, homeowners loved it. Emphasis on the past tense. The last few months, I’ve noticed a pullback from the blues. I’ve seen the lighter blues become more popular. The navy trend, yet, is starting to fade. Green cabinets were starting to come on strong towards the end of 2018. Yet, like the navy cabinets, this trend is starting to nosedive.
Many kitchen experts expected brass to be the metal of the year. At the beginning of the year, it was. Designers were using it on hardware, fixtures, faucets…you name it. Now, there’s been a slight pullback from brass. It’s used more as a statement piece like lighting fixtures. I’ve noticed on Instagram that stainless steel, brushed or not, is dominating kitchens. Matte black, a trend I said to watch for, is still on the upswing. Homeowners are embracing it for lighting fixtures, cabinet hardware, and faucets. I expect the matte black trend to continue.
THE WRAP-UP
2019 has been a fun year for kitchen trends. The advancement of technology and kitchens is going to continue to grow. The painted white and gray Shaker-cabinets are becoming staples. It’s exciting to see brown and espresso colors replace blue and green. It’s also exciting to see innovations for storage and organization solutions. Use this review of kitchen trends as a guideline for your kitchen renovation.
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