Top Kitchen Remodeling Trends

So you are thinking about remodeling your kitchen. Whether you are looking to hire builders in Long Island, Los Angeles, or Louisville, you are following a big trend these days. More and more, people are looking to modernize their kitchens.

There are a variety of reasons for that – improving the resale value of your home, the increased popularity of cooking, and the use of the kitchen for entertainment purchases. Here are some of the top kitchen remodeling trends, according to Better Homes and Gardens

• Using the kitchen as more of a gathering place: The magazine says that “kitchens are the new family rooms ,” and says that the room is getting bigger, including a dining room and even a sitting room as part of the kitchen. That means that the cabinets are getting nicer, and banquettes are increasing in popularity.
• White cabinets: Speaking of cabinets, the color white is getting more and more popular, which means that there can be more design options in different colors for the rest of the room.
• Walk-in pantries: With the increasing popularity of shopping options like Costco, Sam’s Club, and Wal-mart, where people shop in bulk, there is a need to have more storage space in the kitchen. That is where walk-in pantries can help. People can store their bulk items there, and put the food items that they use every day in the kitchen cabinets, or they can keep all of their food items in the pantry, and use the cabinet space for cooking dishes, cookie sheets, silverware, dishes, and glasses.
• Saving on some items, but splurge on one or two things: These days, with the economy what it is, homeowners do not always have the money to get everything of premium quality in the kitchen. So they might get one spectacular thing that is very important to them, like a high-tech oven, but get a standard new refrigerator or even stick with the old one.
• Electronics in the kitchen: As the kitchen becomes more of a gathering place, things like stereos and HD TVs are finding a place in the kitchen. In addition, there is more technology in the room, with many houses having wi-fi in the kitchen.
• Stainless-steel appliances: Yes, the stainless-steel refrigerator is still popular, but that style is used for dishwashers, ovens, and even garbage cans. And newer models also are made fingerprint-resistant.
• Green items: Some people are making sure to buy products with ecologically friendly material. In addition, energy-efficient appliances are growing in popularity, saving homeowners money on their water, electric and gas bills.
• Work stations: For foodies, there are now nooks for specialty food and drink items, such as espresso bars and stations to make pizza.
• Hidden appliances: Some homes now have the refrigerator, microwave and the dishwasher blended discreetly in the kitchen via cabinet covers.
• A variety of kitchen lighting types: Instead of just one light fixture, there are multiple light fixtures, with different types of light, from ambient to accent to task lighting. In addition, there is more green lighting being used these days.

If you are interested in finding builders in Long Island, Lantana, or other cities, click here.

Lisa Swan writes for a variety of home improvement sites. She lives in New York City.