5 Kitchen Trends & Tips

Create a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind space that defines your home with these 5 simple kitchen design tips.

What’s trending for kitchens? Simplicity, elegance, and personality are still at the top of the list. But as we spend more time inside of our homes, functionality is increasingly important. No matter your budget, you can achieve a gorgeous new kitchen to match your style, and also create a practical environment for the whole family.

Here are 5 of our favorite kitchen design tips and trends:

1) Bring Back the Pantry

Kitchen Design Tips - Open Shelves

Do you want your kitchen to provide optimal food storage and free up wall space at the same time? You’re not alone! According to Homesandgardens.com, “Pantry cupboards have been kitchen staples for centuries and, in the last few years, have established themselves as one of the must-have items in modern homes.” They help organize food shopping and storage, and free up wall cabinets that are better used for storing dishware.

Design tip: storing food in a pantry frees up walls for open shelving, which is a great way to personalize your kitchen by displaying art pieces, antiques, or decorative dishware!

 

2) Quality Quartz

Kitchen Design Tips for 2021 - Quartz

Love the look of stone surfaces but afraid of the maintenance? Quartz is an excellent option! You can’t argue with its good looks: we love the consistency in patterns and color tones. But at the same time, Quartz’s non-porous surface means that it’s bacteria-resistant and low-maintenance! Not to mention durable for the realities of family life. This eye-catching surface, with all of its nuance and texture, is going to become the focal point of many new kitchens in the new year and beyond.

Design tip: pair boldly veined countertops with flat surfaced, neutral-toned cabinets to keep the quartz center stage.

 

3) Come to the Dark Side

Kitchen Design Tips for 2021 - Black Cabinetry

Already trending, black or dark-toned kitchen cabinetry is now a firmly entrenched design choice for a range of home styles.

Expect to also see darker kitchen walls, fixtures, and flooring that take this look to the next stage. Darker kitchens create a sense of elegance as well as coziness. They make larger kitchens feel inhabitable and warm. Plus, they are a perfect backdrop for light-toned countertops, or other features you want to command attention.

Design tip: dark or black kitchens help metal accents, faucets, and lighting fixtures really glow!

 

4) Built-In Office Space

Kitchen Design Tips for 2021 - Office Nooks

As the trend of working and studying at home becomes more of the norm, finding creative places to add a home office is key. A kitchen is a great place to add a multi-functional office space. Plus, it’s not always a major renovation project to add a home office or study zone. Start by finding a designated area just outside popular kitchen work zones, or in an adjacent hallway or entry area.

Thisoldhouse.com suggests placing a desk extension at the end of a long countertop. “To retrofit the desk, remove a seldom-used base cabinet. Then install a new drawer and end panels on either side of the knee hold to support the counter and give the desk a finished look.”

Design tip: When not in use, your kitchen office can double as a seated prep area for cooking and baking!

 

5) Make a Colorful Statement

Kitchen Design Tips for 2021

When it comes to kitchen designs trends in the coming year, color is king. Whether you paint a bold accent wall, choose colorful cabinetry, or add a bright and commanding backsplash—color is key to creating kitchen personality!

Design tip: Don’t overdo it! Choose your bright pops of color carefully, and then compliment these with a neutral or de-saturated palette. Adding too much and too many colors makes them all lose their impact.

Stop by GNH Lumber to speak with our design experts and get started on your remodel today!