Must Have Kitchen Design Trends

The kitchen is more than just a room. It’s a memory factory. It’s a place where stories are shared, and memories are made. It’s a place where sorrows are bemoaned and then buried under platefuls of good food and glasses of fine wine. It’s a place where the whole family gathers for a delicious and nutritious meal to share their experiences and bring one another joy. Yet while this social hub of the household shares a special place in every heart, it also sees a lot of action. 

Must Have Kitchen Design Trends

Every time a hot cooking hot is left too long on a surface, every time a marble mortar is dropped on a tile, every time a knife misses the chopping block and gouges a streak in a wooden unit the kitchen bears a scar. There was once a time when the kitchen was pristine, loaded with the latest gadgets and positively gleaming with promise. Now, however, it’s starting to show its age. The built in mod cons which were all the rage are starting to look decidedly quaint, the surfaces have seen better days, the flooring is looking very sorry for itself and the whole ambiance of the kitchen has gone from glistening futurism to shabby chic.

With spring well and truly here, many people choose to embrace the time honored spirit of “out with the old, in with the new” and using the season of cheer and optimism as a good excuse for some much needed renovation in the kitchen. Since kitchen renovations are proven to add value to the home and increase its chances of resale, it’s a shrewd move to make, too! If you have a mind to inject some style and vigor into your culinary escapades this season, you’ll likely be on the lookout for the must have design trends and must have gadgets of 2018. Hopefully the following will point you in the right direction to help you assemble a kitchen that you’ll adore cooking, feasting and making memories in for many years to come.

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Silestone Stellar Snow Quartz Kitchen Countertop, Lowes.com

Quartz Is Still King

There’s something undeniably and universally appealing about natural stone surfaces. They are a common staple in the very best kitchen remodels. Their age lends a sense of history to your kitchen. Who knows what empires have risen and fallen in its lifetime? And who knows where the slab or rock that makes your kitchen surface will be in a few hundred years’ time? Their ageless beauty is equally at home in gleaming white ultra modern kitchens or the more traditional rustic kitchens. While granite will always have its place, however, quartz is the undeniable king of countertops with 43% of homeowners choosing the beautiful and elegant surface for their kitchens. 

If you want your kitchen to make a statement but have a limited budget, replacing your countertops can breathe new life into even the dowdiest of kitchens. For the thrifty, replacement countertops and a lick of paint here and there give all the wow factor and sense of renewal of a full renovation at a fraction of the price.

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It's All Right If It's Not All White

If the idea of a kitchen so white and surgically clean that it looks more like a dentist’s waiting room than a place where meals are prepared doesn’t float your boat doesn’t appeal I bring glad tidings… White is on the way out! Recent months have seen a shift away from pristine whites, sterile silvers and cold aquamarines and towards deeper palettes. It’s not uncommon to see a range of blacks, grays, plums, blues and greens in kitchen showrooms all over the world. 

Although white countertops are still very common, featuring in over 40% of new renovations, don’t be afraid to give your kitchen a sense of your own idiosyncratic personality. Deep, rich colors are slowly but surely making a big impression on the kitchen scene.

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I Am A Rock, I Am An Island

Interestingly, an overwhelming majority of customers seeking new kitchens express a wish for a kitchen island. It’s no surprise. They are an elegant storage solution, they provide multitasking cooks with a place to perch and they can look absolutely stunning. If you’re planning on joining the legions of people who consider an island a must for their new kitchen, be aware that they come with certain caveats. 

They can eat up a small room and get very messy very easily. Plus, any seating around the island is inevitably built with space saving in mind rather than comfort, so don’t be surprised if guests are loath to sit at it.

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Walkin' On Wood

Linoleum is a wonderful zero maintenance flooring but it can look cheap. Likewise tiles bring an enormous sense of class to a kitchen but are easily scratched, scuffed or marked. For this reason, hardwood flooring is the only choice for a kitchen that is elegant and classy yet functional and hard wearing. The beauty of hardwood (other than its charming good looks) is its versatility. By experimenting with colors and finishes it can be tailored to suit any contemporary or traditional kitchen. 

It can resist spills and stains and although it is hard wearing it can be changed as your tastes evolve by sanding it down and refinishing it.  ​

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Appliances Of The Future

Yet, what’s a stunning kitchen without the cooking technologies to back it up? The past few years have seen a surge in innovative technologies that make cooking easier, more fun and more energy efficient. Make sure your new kitchen has a steam oven and your dinner parties will be things of legend. Not only do steam ovens cook food faster, not only do they leave more of the nutrients intact, not only can they be operated from your phone via bluetooth, they are far more energy efficient than conventional ovens, saving you roughly $100 a year in energy costs.

If you rely heavily on your microwave for defrosting meats, yet consistently find that the edges brown while the inside remains frozen, you may wish to invest in the next generation of microwaves like the Panasonic NN-SN966S which use inverter technology to ensure a more even cook. They even self correct and adjust cooking temperatures and timing to prevent cold spots.

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A kitchen that is gorgeous, hard wearing and smarter than ever is now within your reach in 2018!