Kitchen Trends You’ll Want In 2017

2017 is prime to be a big year for kitchen remodeling and some early trends and new traditions are emerging. These trends are excellent not only for improving the look of your home, but for increasing its value as well.

One of these new traditions in kitchens in 2017 is the use of tuxedo cabinets. Essentially, tuxedo cabinets is the term you would use for a cabinet combination that has one cabinet (upper wall or

floor) that is a light color and the other that is a dark color. Tuxedo cabinets are becoming increasingly popular because they can more easily blend into the wall and look like a nice piece of furniture rather than just a cabinet. Tuxedo cabinets can also enhance the overall color scheme and appearance of a kitchen while making the kitchen look taller than it really is, much the same way a woman can enhance her height by wearing heels.

Another of these new traditions for kitchen design is having appliances that are hidden and blend into the overall design scheme of the kitchen. Oftentimes, appliances stick out like a sore thumb in the kitchen because they can change the overall look of a room, especially stainless steel, which can give a room a cold feel.

Covering major appliances with panels can make them look more like cabinets that meld with the overall look of the room while giving the kitchen a more organized feel. It also gives the kitchen a more open ambiance so that there appears to be more space for family meals and entertaining guests.

Granite and marble have long been the conventional choices for kitchen countertops, but like other new traditions that have taken hold, this is changing rapidly. According to the Kitchen and Bath Association, the popularity of granite and marble countertops is being overtaken by a desire for quartz countertops. This is happening for three reasons: durability, style, and affordability.

Quartz is naturally stain repellent, resistant to damages from chips and scratches, and does not need yearly sealing, which makes it a winner in the durability category.

As far as style, quartz can be altered to look like natural stone and ugly patterns can be removed. In addition, quartz is generally cheaper than marble, which means that in addition to the style and durability advantages it offers, using quartz for your countertops can provide a budgetary benefit as well.

Along with stylistic changes to kitchens, new traditions are coming to the forefront in the category of technology. Devices are being installed in kitchens that use WiFi and voice commands to control devices like ovens, much in the same way technologically-savvy television watchers can use these devices to set DVR recordings and search for on-demand programming.

In addition, with reliance on devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops becoming more prevalent, kitchens having docking stations where these devices can be charged is the wave of the future. Drawers that are stylish but also have built-in USB and electrical charging capabilities – sometimes even pop-up units that can accomplish these tasks – are becoming more and more common.

While pet areas may not represent new strides in kitchen design, they are increasing in popularity to the point that they are now virtually essential for all pet owners. Our pets are our friends and our family, so they must be accommodated, and recent research indicates that is what it largely happening. A survey by the National Kitchen and Bath Association showed that more than 35% of designers are now building pet areas into the kitchens of their clients. This could entail anything from a drawer for pet toys to built-in features like pet feeding stations.

With stainless steel now thought to give kitchens a cold look, the kitchen has begun to involve the integration of copper in various ways. Copper is perfect for decorative plumbing fixtures, which in the case of a kitchen, would largely mean something like a gooseneck faucet for the kitchen sink. It can also be a great way to showcase an old school, throwback style, as classic copper chandeliers, pendant lights, and range hoods can give your kitchen a vintage look.

The idea of a kitchen as an integrated living space is becoming one of the new traditions involved in kitchen design, as this feature offers many benefits. If you are somebody who likes to cook but also likes to entertain or socialize with family members at the same time, this setup is ideal for your needs.

You can also use this setup to create a small office in the corner of the kitchen rather than spend countless hours and dollars creating an extra room. Or, make use of the open-space to keep a closer eye on your children and their friends.

As far as the actual cooking in the kitchen, a popular trend over the past few years has been the emergence of range cookers. A recent survey showed that range cookers are the number one appliance people want in their dream kitchen that they may not already have, and with the numerous benefits they offer, it is easy to see why. Range cookers are convenient to a kitchen setup since because they generally come with two compartments, meaning you can cook two meals at once. They also have extra storage drawers and built-in dedicated grills as well.

From an aesthetics standpoint, the extra storage space is an excellent feature as it allows you to keep a lot of unsightly trays and dishes hidden, which makes the appliance blend in with the rest of the kitchen to a greater degree.

Many new traditions are beginning and emerging trends are continuing to expand in kitchens in 2017. From hiding appliances to changing the appearance of cabinets, to altering the surface structure of countertops. Ultimately, it is clear that there are endless ways in which kitchens are being revolutionized before our very eyes in a very positive way.