Kitchen Design Trends: Chic Kitchen Renovation Ideas for 2014
The 21st century home undeniably revolves around the kitchen. As the heart of today's home, you want your kitchen to look its best even if you aren't in the market for a total re-do. Here is our complete guide to the kitchen design trends that have taken over 2014 and how you can incorporate these ideas into your home too.
The ‘Open’ Concept Continues To Grow
The open kitchen concept is one of the most fundamental shifts in home design over the past 25 years. In the past, kitchens were alluded to one, disconnected closed room of the home. Now, it isn’t uncommon to see kitchens opening up into the living space. And this isn’t a trend that’s going anywhere anytime soon, according to the 2014 the National Kitchen and Bath Association. Walls are coming down and more homeowners are looking for spaces that maximize their ability to gather and relax with friends and family with a focus on entertaining.As more homeowners embrace the open concept, kitchen designers are taking the next step by creating custom cabinets utilizing different finishes and concepts that hide appliances seamlessly and blend in the kitchen and into the family room.
Say Goodbye To Granite, And Say Hello To Quartz
Although it may be hard to imagine good old granite going out of style, the fact is the stone is simply expensive and unpredictable. Working with natural materials is often difficult to control which makes Granite easy to chip and damage. As far as kitchen countertops go, factory-engineered quartz is the new granite. While granite has held strong as the most popular countertop material for more than a decade now, quartz is starting to overtake it. Quartz has the same look and feel as granite, but it’s more practical, while being cheaper. But, don’t let that make you think that Quartz can’t take down Granite in a showdown. Quartz is actually more durable than Granite, so it better resists cracking and chipping, and it’s also non-porous so it’s easier to clean and resists staining.Solid-surface like CaesarStone is another sought after choice. CaesarStone comes in more than 20 colors and varying thicknesses. The best part is that you are not paying for waste, and there’s no chipping. The sustainability and grain quality are hard to beat. Nowadays, homeowners are attracted toward synthetic materials that are both beautifully executed and durable.
Kitchen Flooring Trends
In the late ’90s, dark espresso floors were all the rage. People fell in love with dark wood furniture and really dark floors. But over the years, the disadvantages of having dark flooring, like scratches and dust, made dark floor a big no-no in homes with kids or pets. Paler wood or blond flooring actually lightens up the kitchen and is disguises scratches and dust much more. White oak, not to be confused with red oak, is popular because it is a blank canvas that can take any color like a pale, untreated color or a light tan hue.
Energy Efficient & Water-Saving Appliances
Image Source: www.prweb.com
Homeowners are still interested in new appliances that are energy efficient and save them money. Touch-less faucets and efficiency dishwashers have increased in popularity. They are easier when you’ve got your hands full and significantly cut down on water usage — a savings homeowners will notice in their water bills.
The Dying Trends
Now that we’ve reviewed what’s in for this years’ kitchen design and standard amenities, we thought it would be a good idea to go over some trends that have seen brighter days. For instance, kitchen cabinetry with a lacquer finish is so 2008. Wood-stained cabinetry is easier to care for than lacquer, it is also much more forgiving and it’s protected by a topcoat of polyurethane.Upper cabinets have also become popular over the last few years because in some cases, they stop your line of sight. People now want the sightline and above to be more decorative and homelike than typical kitchens with upper boxes around the room. Homeowners are implementing glass-front cabinets and open shelves. Instead of upper cabinets. try a creative backsplash that reaches the ceiling and add really unique shelving.--In general, homeowners are educating themselves about emerging design trends and making style decisions that suit their lifestyles. Homeowners want depth and richness in their kitchen, while being able to entertain, spend time with friends and family and take care of the home all in one place.