Kitchen trends are all over the map. This is partially a result of a real split in kitchen styles that has developed. More than half of home buyers place a high level of importance on the kitchen's style. Minimalist kitchens, vintage kitchens, and modern kitchens are just a few of the styles that homeowners choose when designing or remodeling a kitchen.
However, one element that has not changed is the use of stone surfaces like quartz, marble, and granite. Regardless of the style, you can find a way to use quartz countertops, marble countertops, and granite countertops in your kitchen. Here are five examples of trends in kitchen design as they apply to stone surfaces:
If you have a lot of floor space in your kitchen, an island can expand the counter space and eating areas available. One recent trend is to incorporate stone material into both the countertop and the pedestal of the island. That is, a typical island is a countertop supported by a rectangular cabinet. The new trend this year is to place matching stone material along the exterior walls of the cabinet or to even have open shelving on the island made from the same stone material. The effect is that of a solid stone island with granite countertops supported by granite shelving and granite walls.
Island construction that repeats the same stone color and texture on the island countertop and the island pedestal unifies the two parts of the island. Moreover, this use of quartz, granite, or marble on the pedestal accents the island and distinguishes it from the kitchen cabinets.
For those without enough space for an island, a peninsula can provide some extra counter space in the kitchen. The peninsula would have a countertop that matches the rest of the kitchen and extends out from a wall into the kitchen. The benefit of a peninsula is that it can separate the kitchen from other living spaces without walls. This creates an open appearance.
A trendy way to handle peninsulas is to support the end of the peninsula with legs rather than cabinets that run the length of the countertop. This provides open space underneath the countertop, reinforcing the open appearance. Moreover, the legroom created under the countertop allows it to be used as a dining table, bar, or other seating area. When supported this way, granite countertops appear to float above the floor.
One trend for selecting colors is the two-tone color scheme. Although there is some flexibility in which colors are applied where, typically this includes one color for the countertops and backsplash and a different, contrasting color for the cabinets. For example, two-tone color schemes for a kitchen remodel could include black granite countertops and white cabinets or white marble countertops and dark red or blue cabinets.
Another way to carry out a two-tone color scheme is to have different color countertops for different elements. For example, black granite countertops around the perimeter of the kitchen and white granite countertops for an island would create a contrast that highlights the island.
Regardless of the exact style, a trend in kitchen design is the ceiling-high backsplash. Rather than running the backsplash from the countertops to the bottom of the cabinets, these modern backsplashes run all the way to the ceiling. These backsplashes create a very clean look, as they eliminate the wall above the backsplash.
The ceiling-high backsplash may use the same material as the countertops or a contrasting material. For example, the look of white marble countertops could be repeated with a white marble backsplash that extends to the ceiling.
One stylistic trend in kitchen design is the vintage or rustic look. This trend has been fueled by a focus among millennials on sustainability and re-use. Stone surfaces, such as granite countertops, can last forever and are viewed as infinitely reusable. Natural-looking granite countertops combined with vintage appliances and refinished wood antique cabinets provide style but also portray a commitment to the environment.
Stone surfaces never go out of style. However, they are being used in new and exciting ways, such as solid stone islands, "floating" stone peninsulas, ceiling-high backsplashes, contrasting two-tone countertops and cabinets, and sustainable and rustic stone countertops.
