16 Fresh Trends in Kitchen Layouts, Countertops, and Materials

Kitchens Are the New Family Rooms

More and more, kitchens are incorporating dining rooms and sitting rooms into a unified open floor plan. Consequently, kitchen cabinets are looking more like fine furniture, and counters and islands are becoming dining tables. Banquette seating can offer comfortable seating for people who congregate in the kitchen for more than food.

Open Floor Plan Tips

Watch and learn how to make an open floor plan work for you.

White Cabinetry (Still!)

We still love our white cabinetry. Beautiful and timeless, white cabinets are a versatile choice for any kitchen. One attraction of white cabinetry is that it works with multiple design styles -- including traditional, country chic, and contemporary. White cabinetry opens a room to a number of decor choices and color palettes that have no boundaries and turns the kitchen into a backdrop that can be embellished as much or as little as you'd like.

Top White Paint Colors

Ready to take the plunge into white cabinets? Here are some of our favorite white paint colors.

Blue Is Big

It's timeless and comes in a variety of shades such as sky, indigo, and aqua. Plus, like white, blue works in a variety of design styles. Consider it as a go-to color for backsplashes, islands, or even your perimeter cabinets.

• Browse Our Favorite Blue Kitchens

Lower Drawers

Meanwhile, in the world of lower cabinets, drawers are making a strong showing. They make it easy to stack items, keeping pots, pans, and baking dishes in better order.

Technology in the Kitchen

As people become increasingly tech-savvy, kitchens are following suit. Whether you're using Wi-Fi enabled appliances or features you can control with your smartphone, technologies are cropping up that make life easier.

• Tour Our Innovation Kitchen

Reclaimed Wood

Reclaimed wood is another "still holding steady" trend. The material nods to both the farmhouse and industrial style trends that are also making quite the showing in home decor. Some kitchens go all out, with every cabinet clad in reclaimed wood or a lookalike finish. But there are plenty of ways to go subtle, such as reclaimed wood beams, a sliding pantry door, pillars, or even island cladding.

Lighting

Statement pendants are still a thing and our latest obsession is clear fixtures with Edison bulbs. They have an industrial sense, but are light, airy, and stunning.

Colorful Appliances

If you're looking to put a unique twist on your kitchen design, check out the fresh crop of colorful appliances manufacturers have to offer. You'll find reds, blues, and other shades to match your color cravings.

Metallics

Due to the popularity of stainless-steel appliances (yup, they remain in favor), other metallic accents are making a splash in kitchens -- think accent backsplash tiles and statement hardware. While silver and chrome finishes remain big, yellow metals (golds and rose gold) are cropping up as a different alternative.

Open Shelves

OK, so this one is a little polarizing, we know. But the look of open shelving can be stunning. And you don't have to go full-on open shelves to incorporate the trend. Consider using open shelves in just one corner or around a sink. Afraid you don't have anything display-worthy? Simple white dishes, clear glasses, and colorful cookbooks are kitchens staples that look fabulous on display.

Streamlined, but Not Stark

This look is traditional without being fussy, and modern without being cold, which strikes a happy balance between classic and fresh. Simple cabinets, warm finishes, and minimal ornamentation are hallmarks. Consider Shaker-style cabinets, subway tile, warm gray finishes, and hardwood floors if this look strikes your fancy.

Marble

This luxurious material is prized for its timeless good looks and beautiful variations, whether it's on backsplashes or countertops. If it's not in your budget, or the upkeep is daunting, there are plenty of marble lookalikes infiltrating the market. You'll even find laminates that resemble marble.

Smart Storage

Integrated storage and streamlined options make keeping your kitchen clutter-free even easier. Pullouts mean bottles aren't lost in the back of a cabinet, toe-kick drawers add storage where there once wasn't any, built-in utensil trays keep spatulas and spoons in their places. Need we go on?

• More Smart Cabinet Storage Ideas

Concrete Countertops

Here's another nod to the broader industrial design trend. Concrete is durable and can be tinted to different colors. It's heat-resistant, but needs to be resealed and regularly maintained. It's a heavy material, so cabinets need to be fabricated to withstand the extra weight.