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what’s trending | HOME room

Top Kitchen Trends

By Haiden Hibbert

The kitchen is the heart of any home. Whether you love cooking or it’s your favorite spot to read and sip on your coffee, it’s likely a place you spend a lot of time on. So investing in a space that not only looks beautiful, but functions how you want, as well, should be a top priority.

In fact, people are investing in their homes now more than ever as we spend more and more time indoors. Here’s a look at some of the top kitchen trends for your home.

Paint & Stain

When it comes to cabinets, gray is the new white.

“We came up with a gray stain that we’ve been putting on hickory and maple that people absolutely love,” said Rick Green from Country Mill Cabinet Co. “A lot of times when you think of a stained cabinet, it’s a medium or dark brown, but many people are liking the gray color. Whether it’s painted or stained, gray tile and gray wood-grained flooring is popular. Plus, a stained cabinet is more durable than a painted cabinet.”

If you don’t want to commit to a single color, it’s still on trend to go for a half-and-half look with the top cabinets one color and the base cabinets another. If you have an island, it’s always gorgeous to paint or stain it an accent color to contrast the rest of the cabinets. Aside from gray, off white is another hot color.

Countertops

Traditional materials like quartz and granite are still as popular as ever, but there’s a few new looks that people are trying that are both beautiful and functional.

“We’ve done some stainless-steel countertops,” Green said. “[They’re great for] cleaning and so easy to maintain. It’s because they’re not porous, so they don’t hold germs.”

Another unique countertop trend is butcher block, a stained and sealed wooden countertop that is extremely durable, waterproof and heat resistant. They can also be more affordable than most materials, and you won’t need to whip out your cutting boards anymore — butcher block allows you to cut and prepare your food directly on the counter.

Appliances

As for appliances, new and updated homes are typically featuring stainless steel and black stainless steel. From traditional styles to double ovens, and even French door styles, there are a ton of options to choose from, depending on your needs, style and budget.

When it comes to sinks, “the workstation and single bowl sinks are trending strongly right now,” said Marti Osterhout from Wayne Kitchen and Bath Works.

“Matte Black is still trending strongly as well as mixed media finishes,” she said. “A new finish we have been selling a lot of is polished gold.”

Resources:

Country Mill Cabinet Co., LaOtto, 260.693.9289, countrymillcabinets.com Wayne Kitchen and Bath Works, Fort Wayne, 260.423.9577, shopwkbw.waynepipe.com