We learned so much about the way we live in our homes in 2020.  As a society, we rediscovered the importance of comfort, functionality, and connection from the safety of our own houses.

As design build remodelers, we see trends come and go in designing spaces.  But we think 2020 taught us something new that may change the way we view the very heart of our home.  Kitchens are the main gathering place, no matter if you’re hosting extended family, friends, or pulling up a stool for a zoom happy hour.

This year, we expect to see an emphasis on just that – a design that decreases entropy and sustains the way we actually live in our homes.

Trend #1: Mixed Metals

This stunning look has been increasing in popularity for the past couple of years.  It has become a more common aesthetic in modern, mid-century modern, farmhouse, and contemporary design.

Just as mixing colors, materials, and patterns is a more subtle way to add character to spaces, so now is mixing metals.

And you don’t have to be confined to standard fixtures!  Here are a few we’ve seen mixed well that will help inspire you to dream big in your own kitchen design this year:

• rose gold
• bronze
• gold
• brushed nickel
• brass

Trend #2: More Seating Options

Designing kitchen spaces around hosting is nothing new.  But the dominating trend here has been open concept layouts that encourage the ability to mingle with guests while hosting.

Kitchen design should incorporate more than just the ability to mingle while hosting!  It should offer multiple seating options within its space to accommodate meals, gathering, working, and everything in between.

Imagine a well-planned nook for shooting out a few early morning emails while you make coffee. Nearby you could enjoy a quick smoothie and piece of toast at your breakfast bar before heading to your home office.  Meanwhile, at the kitchen table, your husband could be seating the kids before sending them off to school.

Trend #3: Organization At All Costs

We’ve never eaten so many meals at home.  We’ve also, as a result, never had to clean as many dishes as we did in 2020.

While your dishwasher may be getting the workout of its lifetime this year, designing your kitchen around a need for storage and maximizing organization can help!  Nobody wants to wake up to a sink full of dirty dishes, but we also hate having to get off of the couch after a lengthy evening Netflix binge of The Crown to do our dishes.

Glass front cupboards and open shelving are stunning – but they may not be a sensible option for everyone.  And that’s okay!  The point of your kitchen design is to match your lifestyle.  That means designing for the way you live your life, not the way you hope to one day live your life.

The last thing your remodeled kitchen should do is make you feel like you’re not living up to the standards you set for yourself “when you have your dream kitchen.”  You deserve to live in and enjoy every moment of your renovated kitchen!

Trend #4: Easy To Clean

This seems like an obvious one, but it’s rarely in the list of top five design considerations we hear when meeting with clients during the design phase of their kitchen remodel.

Here are some questions to consider when planning what materials to use in your kitchen:

• Do you have young kids? (The smaller the human, the bigger the mess!)
• Do you and your partner both work?
• Are you cooking most meals from home?
• Would you rather host without the hassle of asking for help cleaning before sitting down to enjoy The Crown?
• Is your kitchen a magazine cover or the most trafficked room in your home?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, we suggest you consider designing a kitchen around materials that are quick and easy to keep clean!  Think along the lines of more tile and less maintenance.  Pick countertops that can handle a quick Lysol wipe down (not butcher block) and flooring that will sparkle after a Swiffer Wet Jet (not hardwood)!

We can easily work with you to identify what spaces will have the most wear and tear and should be designed to handle it!  We’re here to make sure that your most lived spaces can still be your most loved spaces.

Trend #5: Smart Technology

We’re not talking space age here.  Even the use of Alexa or a Google Home can streamline small kitchen tasks!  Imagine having built in timers, reminders, lighting commands, and calendar events just a spoken phrase away!

Another benefit of simple smart tech in your kitchen design is keeping spaces cleaner.  The less your dirty, cooking hands are touching gadgets, the better!

We all wish we had a second set of hands while cooking and cleaning.  Kitchen smart technology and gadgets aren’t quite there (yet), but they can help with multitasking like recipe inspiration, calorie counts, and other searches that you may think of while we’re cooking a homemade meal for your family.

If you’re ready to take your ideation phase to design, give us a call.  No obligation, no worries, just help pointing you in the right direction for your dream kitchen!