Kitchen Remodel Trends to Avoid
There are always new trends in the world of remodeling, some of which are more beneficial than others. They each have their advantages and deciding on the right remodel for your kitchen will obviously depend on your lifestyle and your plans for your home.
It’s not hard to spend a lot of money on a remodeling project for your kitchen, but it’s a project that can produce the most return on investment. An impressive kitchen remodel is often one of the main selling points of a home.
Staying updated on what is in demand will help you make the right choices when picking a new style for your kitchen, so you can get the greatest return on investment for your kitchen remodel. Here are some of our top kitchen remodel trends to avoid.
Over-the-range microwave
Installing an over-the-range microwave, that sits above your stove, has been a common practice in kitchen designs as a way to leave your kitchen with more counter space, but now there are more convenient alternatives to keeping your microwave over your stove. Contemporary and trendy kitchen designs keep the microwave in places that are easier to reach by the entire family such as small nooks or within an island, allowing for more accessibility while hopefully maintaining some counter space.
Granite Countertops
Another countertop material that used to be a focal point but isn’t being utilized as much as it used to be is granite. As beautiful as they can be, granite countertops can stain over time and might not be the most cost-effective option if you’re considering changing out your countertops. Although many homeowners still choose to add granite to their kitchen decor, quartz is another common, less expensive alternative. Quartz is a great option for someone that’s hoping for that classic look, but also need a durable surface that can handle the use of an entire family.
No More Brass
Color can be seen as a crucial aspect of your home, including you kitchen and trends in color choices occur just as they do in kitchen layouts and designs. One kitchen color that is losing its appeal is the bright brass coloring that was once a very sought-after look. There are so many choices when it comes to picking a color theme for your kitchen, avoiding what was once a desirable style still leaves plenty of attractive alternatives such as other metals that will give your kitchen a more modern feel. Changing up the color of your kitchen hardware from brass to a more fashionable color is a reasonably simple undertaking and you can usually complete this type of project without breaking the bank.
Open Shelving Vs. Closed Cabinets
Open shelving has long been a popular choice during a kitchen remodel and can provide great opportunities to put your cookbooks and colorful dinnerware on display, but choosing this might not be the most functional or convenient choice during your next kitchen renovation. Open shelving is still a favored look, but closed cabinets can help keep fragile and precious valuable safe while leaving more room for storage. You might not always want to put your kitchenware on display which leaves you with an obvious choice when it comes to kitchen cabinets. No matter whether you go for open or closed shelves, you probably won’t have to worry about whether your choice will maintain its appeal, as both of these cabinet layouts are still common in kitchen remodels.
Rustic Wood Look
While this once desirable and holistic look is alluring, this theme may not stand the test of time as you might hope, especially if your planning to put your house on the market sometime soon. The wooden finish may give you just the natural and calming effect you’ve been hoping for but, It seems that this color-theme can be very hit or miss when it comes to finding a buyer for your home. You may even decide that you’re tired or bored with your design which is why adding wooden items to your kitchen might be a smart alternative to installing wood all over your kitchen. A simple way to mock this look is by adding cork flooring into your kitchen plan. For more information about flooring, check out our blog about choosing the best kitchen flooring options.
Brightly Colored Appliances
One of the more unique trends in kitchen coloring and design is the use of brightly colored, appliances or those that contrast the general look of your kitchen. Adding some colorful appliances to your kitchen is an easy way to spice things up, but before you invest in those larger appliances, such as a magenta stove, think about how you’ll feel about it in a few years and whether magenta is really your favorite color–your prospective buyer or your in-laws might not agree.
Hanging Pot Racks
It used to give you the feeling that there was some real cooking going on in the kitchen and also saved you plenty of room, but now a hanging pot rack might be viewed by many as an eyesore. These days, most people are choosing to hide their pots and pans in drawers and cupboards to maintain a neat look. Unless you spend your night furiously cooking up dishes that require you to be able to pull pots and pans quickly out of the air, we suggest simply storing your cooking tools inside the island rather than above it. Check out our kitchen island design ideas for inspiration!
No More Kitchen Desks
Who knew that so many people were trying to eat and get work done at the same time in the same place. The kitchen desk became an interesting element to include in your kitchen, especially if you enjoyed reading the paper with your breakfast, but now people are ready to simply enjoy their meals and save work for another room in the house. Although a kitchen desk might seem like a good use of space, they can end up becoming the perfect spot to store whatever is in your hand at that moment leading to a desk buried in stuff and a significant loss of kitchen space. Not that many people are trying to work at their kitchen counters anymore, so foregoing the kitchen desk during your kitchen remodel is probably a solid choice.
Leave the Farmhouse Sinks to the Farmhouses
If you’ve ever wanted to live on a farm, but you weren’t sure if how you’d adjust, then installing a farmhouse sink might be a way for you to get a feel for the lifestyle, but when it comes to your kitchen remodel, you’ll probably want to steer clear of this kitchen trend. There are plenty of more contemporary looks that can give you a similar rustic feel, but provide your kitchen with more practicality and long-term value.
Tiled Countertops
Tiled countertops were once a very fashionable look for kitchens around the country. Now they seem to give the feeling of existing in a bygone era not to mention they are a pain to clean. Who likes scrubbing the grout in between tiles trying to bring back the original color? Not many people, which is why it’s a good idea to explore other countertop options, such as granite, quartz or stainless steel.
While we’re on the subject of tiling, another kitchen trend that has lost its demand is the small and minimal backsplashes that some people have been utilizing in their kitchen designs and using tile, in this case, might be your solution. There is an abundance of choices when it comes to choosing a tile for your backsplash and going with a tiled surface behind your sink will give you an opportunity to add some color to your kitchen.
Forget Faux Finishes
This once edgy and stylish look is not as common in contemporary kitchens for various reasons. This type of finish provides a very specific look that future buyers might find unattractive, not to mention, it is not an easy treatment to apply during a kitchen renovation. There’s a multitude of other colors and treatments that will help you maintain a modern look throughout your home and provide visitors and buyers with a more welcoming feel.
Windows Without Curtains
Another kitchen design trend that has come and gone many times is the inclusion of window curtains and shades in the kitchen. For some time now, a common practice has been to abandon curtains for a more simplistic look that provides plenty of natural light. The problem with this trend is that you have no choice in the amount of light coming into your kitchen or the amount of privacy you have when you’re in the room. It seems that people are remembering why they first installed curtains on their kitchen windows and this is becoming the new trend.
Distressed Cabinets
If you trying to decide on a color or finish for your cabinets, you should know that distressed cabinets are no longer a go-to in most contemporary kitchen designs. Although this style of finish was once very popular, most people don’t feel that this look is keeping up with modern kitchen themes. There are plenty of other options out there when choosing a finish for your cabinets and bold colors for cabinets are becoming more of a trend these days.
Trendy Alternatives
Now that we’ve covered some of the trends that should be avoided during kitchen renovations, here are some contemporary suggestions that will keep your kitchen looking stylish and inviting and help you steer clear of bad kitchen designs. An entire kitchen remodel can be costly and end up taking more time than planned, but there are certainly a few cost-effective things you can do to spruce up your kitchen’s design and maintain the value of your home.
Add Some Color
A fresh coat of paint in your kitchen is one of the simplest ways to update your kitchen and can really change up the entire feel of the area. While all white kitchens have been a popular theme in modern kitchens, many people are now choosing to stylize their kitchen with bold colors. Instead of spending money on big appliances you can add some color by simply purchasing a toaster or teapot that brings your favorite color into your kitchen.
Wooden Cabinets
Another one of the infamous kitchen design trends that has gone in and out of style, but always sticks around is wooden cabinetry. There are numerous options when it comes to the style and stain of your cabinets and they are easy to repaint if you grow tired of the original color. Many homeowners are choosing cabinetry with an unfinished look that differs from the traditional wooden cabinets we’ve seen in the past.
Lighting
Changing the lighting setup in your kitchen might seem like an overwhelming undertaking but can be worth the effort if you’re hoping to revamp the feel of your kitchen and your home. Today, most modern home designers are implementing asymmetrical lighting into their kitchen plans. It’s a way to add some action and edge to your kitchen and will allow you to emphasize different spaces in your kitchen.
Wrapping Up
Kitchen trends can change very quickly and the theme for your kitchen will ultimately depend on your own taste. If you’re ever in any doubt, minimalism and neutral colors are common themes throughout home designs today and will be safe bets if your thinking about redesigning your kitchen space.
Don’t forget to do your homework on surviving a kitchen remodel if you’re planning to remodel your kitchen for an eventual sale. The region that you live in, as well as your neighborhood, are things that will affect what is trendy and what is out. Some of the trends that are listed above are likely to come back into style so keep your eyes and ears open. While you’ll want to keep these kitchen remodeling trends in mind if you plan to put your home on the market, you may decide you still enjoy the look of a less popular trend. You might end up finding someone that appreciates a specific look and feel just as much as you.
