Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
The role of the kitchen in the home has changed considerably over the past few years and 2013 will not seeing any slowing down in that trend. People are expressing more interest in preparing food and entertaining at home. The result is the look and feel of the kitchen is changing.
Kitchen trends - courtesy © Iriana Shiyan - Fotolia.com
The Separation is Gone
Share a glass of wine and mingle with friends while preparing a fun meal in the new larger spaces that kitchens have become. This warm hub has made walls outdated as people use the kitchen as a place to gather and socialize over the food preparation. Kitchens now extend out into the living and dining rooms, with no more separation. In fact, in many kitchens the growing trend is for a large center island that doubles as a dining room table. The confine of the kitchen doesn't just stop at the walls of the house anymore as the kitchen extends outdoors.
Solid Rocks are Out
While you’ll still see plenty of solid granite and marble counter-tops going into kitchens, the trends are leaning more towards solid surface composites with embedded quartz, recycled glass and other materials. Concrete is also showing large growth as people realize the ability to shape counter-tops into any shape and the color options become endless. Concrete also has the ability of being able to be embedded with other materials to create one-of-a-kind custom looks. Metal wrapped and butcher-block tops are also gaining popularity once again, as well as anything recycled.
Hardwood is King
Hardwood floors are replacing tile and linoleum rapidly as the modern trend continues. Where once the look was to use darker woods, in 2013 the new trends use lighter colors, often in whitewashed forms and wide planking instead of narrow. Because hardwoods are harder to care for, there is an increase in engineered wood flooring with real hardwood veneer showing up to help with maintenance issues. For those who love the durability of tile but want the look of hardwood, you can find porcelain tiles with a wood finish.
Updates to Appliances
While you’ll still see the trends leaning to commercial stoves and large hoods hanging from the ceiling, the rest of the trends are to hide the appliances through built ins. Gone are the days of seeing the countertops filled with small appliances. Instead, manufacturers have designed ingenious ways to build them into the cabinets. For those who don’t have the cabinet space, the appliances are in bright colors to make a fashion statement in the kitchen. Most appliances are also now doing double duty by acting as more than one appliance, such as the microwave also working as another oven or a warming drawer and the fridge having drawers that can convert to a wine fridge or a freezer when needed. Many of the new appliances in 2013 also have Wi-Fi.
The Kitchen Sink
Once just a utilitarian piece of necessary equipment in the kitchen, the kitchen sink is now becoming a fashion statement and focal point. Deep, one bowl options are appearing to be the most popular, paired with tall professional faucets to make washing or using those large pots and pans much easier. Since the use of recycled materials is also in heavy use, the old farm or potting shed sinks create a wonderful look of their own when paired with the modern touches of stainless appliances and solid surface counter-tops.
Kitchens have taken on simplified, clean modern lines, as they become the focal point of the home. We can expect to see these trends continue as more homeowners look to show off their personality and sense of taste while entertaining at home.
About the author: Joe Fern is a real estate specialist in the area of Perth, Australia and writes on topics such as 2 Story Home Builders Perth and more.
