Kitchens are thought of as the heart of the home, so upgrades here can lift a home owner's quality of life while increasing the home's value.
With the housing market still not where people might like it to be, homeowners are staying put and renovating their kitchens and baths, not purely for resale value, but for their own comfort and pleasure. There is a deep desire to have our homes be a sanctuary- a refuge and reflection of our tastes and values.
A National Kitchen and Bath Association survey of more than 100 who had designed kitchens and baths from October to December 2010 identified several trends. Traditional kitchens remain the most popular, with Shaker kitchens second and contemporary kitchens third. Dark natural finishes are the top choice, followed by medium natural, glazed and white painted.
Installation of wine refrigerators has declined, while un-chilled wine storage is increasing. French door refrigerators are the dominant preference. Almost every design included both trash and recycling pullouts and garbage disposals. Incandescent lights have been largely replaced by energy efficient LED lighting.
People like the idea of cleaner lines and visual simplification but also want to maintain an air of warmth and friendliness to the space. Most still want the room to feel inviting and this goal is aided by placing warmer finishes on these more modern/contemporary designs.
Renewable resources are important in the kitchen, especially if a homeowner or business is trying to qualify for LEED or other green building system points. The trend is to move towards green, minimalist and contemporary, especially if it makes sense to the budget. You'll find more options in flooring in materials such as bamboo, mamoleum and cork and in cabinets where you’ll find many recycled wood species or recycled glass tiles on the back splash. Energy and water conservation are secondary messages because consumers are more concerned about performance and affordability.
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