The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s the warm, sweet- or savory-smelling place where we naturally congregate as a family. Breakfast and coffee at the counter. Standing room only during parties. Having a great kitchen matters. No home is complete without one.
Over time, some trends change, and some have lasting power. If you’re considering remodeling your kitchen in the next year, we’ve assembled some of our favorite current and future trends. Take a look. See what fits you! And if you have any questions or are ready to start, contact us at Carlson Projects Inc.
Our Favorite Kitchen Remodeling Trends – Today into 2023
Family
The kitchen absolutely must be community friendly! Family and friends need to be comfortable in this space so that you can gather together to cook, drink, eat, and chat. This means there should be ample, inviting seating and space with a pleasant atmosphere. Have easy-to-clean surfaces for the mess that little ones just love to make. Create a one-stop shop for visiting! A bar, a sound system, maybe even a tv for game day or to watch a cooking tutorial, or a comfortable chair for grandma or grandpa to lounge in. Make your kitchen conducive to creating the best times and the warmest memories.
Light & Calm
This trend has been noticed more and more and we don’t think anyone will be surprised. Lot’s of light is terrific to make a space feel expansive and appealing. That’s a no-brainer when it comes to the kitchen! We need light to chop by, light to wake us up in the morning and keep us going through that after lunch lull. However, you can do more than knock down walls and add windows to let the light in from outside. You can also choose light and bright colors in everything from countertops to flooring to paint colors.
In your planning for a light kitchen, don’t forget that a recent poll posted in Newsweek found that Americans spend an average of more than 400 hours per year in the kitchen—so it needs to be soothing as well as bright. Calming tones are extremely popular for kitchens today. Think soft, neutral tones with cool blues, violets, or greens. Nothing that will cause your brain to feel frenetic or your eyes to shout, Whoa!
Eco-Friendly Materials
It’s great to see that eco-friendly materials are making the trends lists. The more demand there is for products that leave less of an imprint on the earth, the easier it is to get them and be able to afford them. In fact, according to a recent article in Floor Covering News:
“Among these clear truths, climate-positive floors are often at similar or sometimes even lower price points than their counterparts without third-party, eco-credentials.”
And that doesn’t just pertain to flooring, but to all remodeling materials.
To keep your kitchen remodel environmentally friendly consider using bamboo, cork, engineered hardwood, or even linoleum for your flooring. You can use reclaimed wood for your floors, cupboards, countertops, and more. Recycled tile can be used for your backsplash or your floor covering. And utilize natural and sustainable materials wherever you can like terrazzo, recycled stainless steel or aluminum, and mineral-based Quartz. The wonderful thing about all of these materials is that they are beautiful and add character to your aesthetic as well as reduce your footprint.
Don’t forget to change out your lighting for LEDs and to install energy-efficient windows. Saving the planet can save you money too!
Statement Hoods
If you’re an avid cook, you know the importance of a quality exhaust hood. Whether you’re sizzling bacon in the pan or baking pies in the oven, the exhaust helps to keep your air-quality safe and temperature comfortable. However, just because it’s practical doesn’t mean it can’t be fun!
We never thought we’d say this, but statement hoods are a thing. So, go for it! Let your exhaust hood contribute personality and style to your kitchen. Pick your hood to pair well with your other design elements. If done right, this flourish will be a luxury detail in your kitchen, instantly giving it an upscale look and feel. Plus, the many benefits of a quality hood (improved air quality, reducing smells, excess heat, and grease, protecting cabinetry, etc.) added to the gorgeous artistry will contribute to the ROI on your home.
Natural & Mixed Materials
Natural materials don’t just have a classic beauty, they are also strong and durable. Not to mention, installing them feels like you’re creating a timeless work of art! But don’t stick with just stone or hardwood—combine them!
Mixing complementary materials gives your kitchen a comfortable complexity. In the case of stone and wood, it implies age and distinction as every groove and bump is unique and created over time. And don’t stop there. Mix concrete and glass or marble and copper, or any of the above. Your kitchen will have depth and character…and don’t forget about the ROI on these resilient materials!
Bonus: Open Shelving
We find ourselves at odds about this trend, so we thought we’d mention it and let you decide. Open shelving becomes more and more popular and we feel that this trend can be simple, gorgeous, and rather helpful, IF done well. You must be the type of homeowner that can keep things neat and tidy if you want to pull this trend off. Otherwise, those shelves just look cluttered, giving your kitchen a careless vibe. So, if you’re a minimalist in the kitchen, perhaps open shelving is the way to go. But if you find that one junk drawer has now become several…resist the urge! What do you think?
Your Heart, Your Home
No matter what the trend, we encourage you to infuse your home with the character and personality that soothes you. After all, this is your refuge, your heart, the meeting place with your family and friends to enjoy for years to come.
If you need help with your kitchen remodel and design, we’d be happy to assist! Take a look at what we did to bring joy to Jake and Haley by making their kitchen the place to be in their home!
And read about our suggestions on how to get ready for your project!
Be A Part Of The Carlson Projects Inc. Team
Carlson Projects Inc. is proud of our work, our core values, and the relationships we’ve formed with our clients. Have you worked with us before? If you haven’t, we’d love it if you’d consider us for your next Lincoln, NE home remodeling project! If you’re ready to transform your kitchen into your dream space, check out our lincoln ne kitchen remodeling page for inspiration and expert advice.
Contact us for a free quote, and end up with a positive experience and a new team of friends!
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