Five Trending Ideas For Designing Your Kitchen

Given that the kitchen is an important part of the house, it is extremely important to design and plan its layout according to the specific needs of the occupants of the house. Effective layouts and kitchen designing methods will help to optimize the space that is available and improve its functionality, as well as storage capacity. In this article, I will talk of the five kitchen designing trends that seem to be gaining popularity.

Say Goodbye To Cherry Cabinets

The use of cherry wood cabinets have been on a steady decline for the past few years. Paneled and dark color palettes are giving way to lighter and brighter shades that help to create a sense of space and give the kitchen a lighter tone. Designers are once again using oak and other lesser-used wood types such as birch and walnut. Given that "green-designs" have become the new industry standard, the use of ecologically friendly materials such as bamboo is also gaining predominance.

The latest color panels include shades of white, cream and beige. Lemon yellows and shades of green are also much in vogue. The intention of designers is to create a feeling of freshness and brightness in the kitchen. Often, potted plants are kept in the kitchen to create a natural glow. Mirrors are also placed in positions diagonally opposite to the window so that light is reflected and the kitchen looks bright. The recent designing trends harp on cabinetry details being simplified and streamlined, as materials are pared-down and the colors being used are brighter and lighter in tone.

Mixed Finishing

Designers claim that a collected, eclectic look is the raging designing trend. People want a variety of finishes in their kitchen which include marble, stainless steel, tinted glass and leather backs. Here is a simple example. Austere palettes of beige, or high-gloss white cabinets accompanied by stainless steel appliances, black counter-tops with a "leather-finish" and eating areas or kitchen islands made of natural wood create a look that is warm and welcoming rather than modern, sleek and impersonal.

While stainless steel continues to be in demand, polished chrome is also gaining popularity. Another trend that is much in vogue is the use of finished wood cabinet surfaces juxtaposed with painted kitchen islands. Using a variety of finishes allows home owners to renovate their kitchens slowly over a long period rather than making drastic overnight changes.

Unique Back-splashes

Decorating magazines are often filled with pictures of kitchens that use white subway tiles as the choicest back-splash. Other than white, house owners are also showing their interest in other exotic and colorful back-splash finishes. Designers state that glass and other unusual back-splashes are gaining predominance over ceramic and porcelain tiles. Homeowners have become bold and expressive about their choices and even chose brick and stainless steel as back-splashes. Apart from the fact that decorative back-splashes allow home owners to express their personalities and tastes, they are also easier to maintain compared to boldly painted kitchen cabinet doors.

New Neutrals

Off-whites and whites continue to dominate the kitchen palette. The use of other neutral shades like grays and greens have also increased rapidly. These neutral backgrounds create a sense of calm. Opting for such neutral shades also give users the space and freedom to choose vibrant contrasts, a choice that would have been severely curtailed by the use of dark shades for kitchen cabinets.

Patterns And Color Pops

Muted shades allow the incorporation of bright colors and pops of color as effective contrasts. Accessories like cushions and napkins, or vibrantly colored appliances bring in a welcome change.

Wallpapers are also much in demand. They can be placed in the eating area to brighten the entire look of a kitchen in muted shades. They can also be used to decorate the inner walls of cabinets and kitchen islands. However, it is best not to use them as back-splash, or in areas of high humidity, like those aligning the stove or chimney.

The dominating trend now is to keep things minimal. Therefore muted shades played out with colorful contrasting patterns create a sense of cleanliness, vibrancy and space, apart from giving home owners a chance to incorporate their own individual styles into it.