Trends in Kitchen Design for 2016

While Downton Abbey’s residents may barely know where the kitchen is located, in a modern home it’s much more than the room where food is prepared. Kitchen trends are moving more and more into putting the kitchen in the middle of the action. It’s a place where families spend time together eating and even guests gravitate there.

This is something to keep in mind when you are putting together a plan for kitchen remodeling. You not only want to update your appliances and create a modern look, but your design should also emphasize comfort and a space that easily accommodates the people in your home.

Open Space Is Even More Integrated

Open floor plans have been popular since the 1980s, and the kitchen is often only separated from the rest of the room by a long island. The latest trend is to design the island, and the rest of the kitchen, to blend seamlessly with the rest of the space. Designers are referring to this as the kitchen being like furniture.

Instead of traditional carved wooden cabinets, the new ones have flat fronts and often don’t even have handles to break up the visual impression that cabinets are just part of the walls. Likewise, the island will match the rest of the room, and should blend in as naturally as a piece of matching furniture.

Larger Kitchens with Islands Are Becoming More Popular

Kitchens have become central social centers in homes, so there is a trend towards larger kitchens. An island is a central feature of the more spacious kitchen trends, and it not only provides a workspace, but is a great place to put a second sink, bar with stools for quick meals and socializing, or even a wine bar with a cooler built into the island.

Create Work Zones with Two Islands

Having the space for two islands requires a large kitchen, so it won’t work in every home, but having separate places for different jobs can make complex prep or cooking up multiple dishes much easier. It also allows you to prepare food at one station, while guests sit at the other so they can visit with you while you prepare the meal, giving you the best of both worlds—an efficient kitchen and a social center at the same time.

It’s Your Pet’s Home Too

Integrating the necessities for nurturing pets can help tremendously with making the space look clean and orderly. Your general contractor can easily convert a lower cupboard into an open shelf for food and water bowls, where they won’t get kicked, spilled and tripped over.

We invite you to come in to TWD’s Design Showroom where you can see some of these upcoming design trends firsthand, and get your hands on the most popular material choices for your kitchen remodel. Visit our website for a full list of the services that we offer and while you are there, you can request your free consultation. TWD stays on top of design trends, hot color choices, and the best materials, to add value to your Scottsdale or Phoenix area home.