Top 7 Kitchen Renovation Trends

 

Kitchens are the heart of a home, and for this reason there are many homeowners who want to renovate or remodel their tired-looking kitchen into something more functional and modern. Sometimes these projects are part of a larger first-floor transformation,  where we open up the living space – but that doesn’t always need to be the case. In short, more and more families get most enjoyment out of their home when they have a kitchen that is well designed and fits their needs.

 

From the city kitchen renovations in Toronto to rural Caledon kitchen renovations, we have seen a few kitchen features consistently requested by our customers, and we’ve compiled them into a list.

 

Here are the top 7 Kitchen Renovation features requested by Inspire Homes customers:

 

1. Shaker Cabinets.

These cabinets were first produced by the Shakers, a religious group, in the 1790. These people found ornamentation unnecessary and placed high value on simplicity. Homeowners who want a contemporary or “minimal” look often select Shaker cabinets because of their plain fronts and limited trim.

This Etobicoke kitchen renovation has stained maple wood Shaker kitchen cabinet doors.

2. Kitchen Islands.

While everyone wants a kitchen island, an island works best in a large kitchen or an open concept kitchen.  In a small kitchen with more than two walls it can be difficult to make it function properly. However in the right situation, a kitchen island can provide additional seating, storage and countertop space. However, in a small kitchen with more than two walls, we do not recommend including an island because the room will become less efficient and confined.

The kitchen island, in our award winning Toronto kitchen renovation featuring contemporary kitchen cabinets and quartz countertops.

3. Hardwood Flooring.

In at least 75 percent of the kitchen renovations we do, we install hardwood flooring instead of ceramic tiles. In most cases, these homes are being transformed into an open concept space and the homeowner desires a sleek, uniform look. A change in flooring in the kitchen would otherwise “interrupt” the flow of the layout. Hardwood also has more bounce than tile, so if you drop a glass or plate on hardwood, it may not break, whereas it will break if dropped on ceramic.

4. Drawers.

For lower cabinets, drawers are the way to go! Instead of having to open a door and bend down to reach inside the cabinet to try to find something in the back, drawers allow you to roll the contents out toward you – so you can see everything.

5. Quartz Countertops. 

While granite has been a popular choice for a number of years, we are seeing more people looking at quartz. Most people who choose quartz are doing so because it has a uniform look. Granite gives a natural look (and is inconsistent from slab to slab), whereas quartz provides a sleek and flowing look, as in the photo of the Toronto Kitchen below. When homeowners are designing a contemporary kitchen, quartz fits the bill.

This Toronto kitchen renovation features quartz countertops, and elements of other kitchen renovation trends – white kitchen cabinets, shaker style cabinet doors, and three levels of lighting (pot lights, pendant lights, and under cabinet lighting).

6. Built-In Microwaves.

Rather than being built into an upper cabinet, microwaves are being built in below the countertop. Part of the reason is because today’s microwaves are deeper and need more space, so underneath the countertop is the ideal place, and it can be built flush with the cabinets. The other advantage is that it is easier to get hot things in and out – without having to reach overhead.

7. Kitchen Lighting.

A combination of pot lights, under cabinet lighting, and pendants over the island are being selected. This combination provides a nice variety of lighting options and yet is ample lighting for safely cooking.