Trends in Kitchen Cabinetry from Rhode Island Experts!

Many say the kitchen is the heart of the home, and with that in mind, it is important to consider current trends when designing your new kitchen or kitchen remodeling project.  Trends are trends and what works for you may not be right for someone else.  But, that’s okay.  Personalized cabinetry and kitchens will never go away, so be sure when designing your new or remodeled kitchen that you feel comfortable in your kitchen and that it feels right to you.  No matter what the trends are, your kitchen should compliment the style of your home and the person that you are.  At DiStefano Brothers, we are committed to making your vision a reality. Our design team will look at current trends, your unique vision and use your existing space to create a timeless design that reflects your personal style.  That being said, let’s take a peek at the current trends in kitchen designs.

 

1. GRAY , THE NEW WHITE

Homeowners are opting for refined neutral colors and earthy tones that provide a sense of warmth and allows you more design freedom to add bold colors elsewhere.  Leading manufacturers of kitchen cabinets are betting on the color gray to take over white’s top spot!  Another trend—combining cabinet colors.  Picture a dove gray with a richly stained wood, accented with brushed nickel hardware……amazing!  A worthy thing to consider is painting your current kitchen cabinets rather than replacing them, especially if your cabinets are of good quality and cost is a factor in your project.  Either way, white, gray, or neutral colors are the trends for your new kitchen design.

Along this same vein…….a new trend for 2017 is…

TUXEDO CABINETS

Trending for 2017 is mixing up your kitchen color palette with Tuxedo cabinets.  Quite literally, black and white will always be trendy and classic, but also consider other complimentary colors such as navy blue and soft gray, for example.

2. NEW FUNCTIONALITY

Never sacrifice function for design or vice versa.  Today’s kitchen cabinet designers have created cabinets that look beautiful and provide storage, organization, and easy access.  Space and storage are always a top priority.  Manufacturers of kitchen cabinets have created drawers that double storage space by designing multi-tiered drawers.  Consider the spaces above, below, and between your cabinets, and in those little corners as areas to add storage.  A few ideas of how to use these spaces are:

*Install a toe-kick drawer under your cabinets

*Add containers or extra drawers above your cabinets

*Install pull out shelving

*Install a Lazy Susan in your corner cabinet

When speaking of hardware, manufacturers are changing the way cabinet doors and drawers function.  With the touch of a button easy close cabinet doors fold-up and out of the way, an especially pleasing feature if space is an issue.

3. SINKS OF COLOR

Sinks are trending away from basic white or stainless steel.  A colorful sink is a great way to add a pop of color to your kitchen design, or, make it your focal point by using some of the same hue in the backsplash or in some other area of the kitchen.  Apron front sinks are also very trendy now.

 

 

4. CLEAN LINES AND SUBTLE DESIGN

Two dominant trends for kitchen cabinets are clean lines and subtle designs.  Cabinet door styles have become simpler, using clean lines as the modern style continues to gain steam.  However, if you have a more classic or rustic taste, a shaker style cabinet also fits into the clean line design and is very popular right now.  (see #5 below)  Clean lines goes perfectly with black and white kitchens which gives the kitchen a clean, sleek, visually appealing yet classic look.  The black and white kitchen also works to offset the tension between rustic, modern, and transitional kitchens.  It is timeless.

 

5. SHAKER STYLE

Shaker style cabinets have been in vogue for years and have come a long way since the 1800’s.  The shaker style has remained simple and therefore, let’s the wood do the talking.  It allows the homeowner  almost a blank canvas to design the rest of the kitchen to their liking without worries about a cohesive design……..shaker cabinets work with nearly every style.

6. GO HORIZONTAL

Squares and vertical rectangles are still the preferred design for kitchen cabinets but there is a rise in popularity of horizontal cabinetry.  As cabinets get wider, there is less need to stack them which allows for open space above the countertops.  (see #7 below)  Wider drawers easily accommodate all sizes of pots and pans and makes accessibility easy.

 

7. OPEN SHELVING

One of the most popular design trends of the past year and showing no sign of slowing down for 2017 is open shelving above the countertop.  What’s most appealing about this design is the ability to showcase beautiful dishes, drinkware, and serving pieces or special collections.  However, always consider the drawbacks to this design……dust, enough storage that is enclosed, keeping what is stored/ displayed on the  exposed shelves neat and orderly at all times, or lack of beautiful dishes to display.

 

8. HARDWARE

Your kitchen cabinet’s hardware should be it’s jewelry.  Nickel, or stainless steel would be considered ordinary.  Instead, think about some of the newest trends in hardware such as hammered finishes, leather trim, or pulls made from slices of agate.  You can also think about mixing and matching your hardware or try finishes such as satin brass or gold tones.

9. ENGINEERED COUNTERTOPS

Granite and marble have been the gold standard for some time now.  But those who own these know that they require maintenance because these stones are porous and require regular sealing.  Growing in popularity is engineered countertops, such as quartz,  which are nonporous, heat resistant, yet offer the look and feel of natural stone.  Watch for these products to take over the market.

10. AUTHENTICITY

Be real………..about your style, your home’s style, your lifestyle.  There are, and always will be, trends that come and go.  But once you’ve set your budget, have a good long talk with yourself about your needs and wishes, then set out to create a design that works for you and only you.  If your new space feels right to you and suits the style of your home well, it will be a beautiful design.

 

A QUICK RE-CAP TO END THE YEAR:

“OUT” FOR 2016

*Speckled granite countertops…quartz, butcher block, and engineered stone is in.

*Short cabinets….tall cabinets make a kitchen look grander and brighter and offer additional storage space.

*Dark brown wood and dark paint colors….bigger and brighter for 2017.

“IN” FOR 2017

*Tuxedo cabinets….a 2 tone color palette of complimentary colors is in.

*Wood paneling……as in shiplap painted white or ivory.

*Mixed hardware finishes….think gold, copper, and pewter…eclectic.

Get in touch today and the team at DiStefano Brothers will make your vision a reality!