By Madison Silvers, Divine Design Center

December 5th, 2017

As 2017 comes to an imminent close, we have time to reflect on the kitchen trends that will spearhead their way from the present and into the New Year. 2018 beckons a new wave of buyers and homeowners; thus, we learn the who, the what, the where, and the why of the evolving tastes and the desired amenities rooted in a successful development and its units’ sales. This new buyer feels the pulse of the city, and has the age of the internet at his/her fingertips. They are an educated buyer, and they require the gambit of comitys associated with the luxury kitchen-design market. This new buyer is savvy to the upper echelon of kitchen brands, and the au-currant of what’s trending now:

1. The Kitchen Island – The kitchen island continues to become of increasing importance in any new home. While the better part of the 20th century slated the kitchen as better to be hidden away, no longer does this still ring true. The adage, “food is life,” becomes more and more relevant within American culture, and the center of one’s home follows suit. The kitchen, where “life” comes to the foreground, culminates in the new-era of entertaining space within the home. Subsequently, present and future buyers are beholden to a large kitchen island. If the space allows for it, the larger the island the better. Similarly, seating around said island, or a space allotted for bar stools and etc. is paramount in the initial design stages of the island and surrounding kitchen.

Additionally, we see a call for integrated island sinks. The previous conception of one’s back to the party, or the kitchen hidden away from the evening’s festivities, is as antiquated as the nuclear family from the mid-20th century is presently. Now, the homeowner can and desires to entertain while still carrying out kitchen tasks presented throughout any hypothetical evening’s dinner party. Hence the island sink.

2. Pantry and Storage Space – While more pantry and storage space in the kitchen might not be a new discovery, the necessity for well-planned-out storage is at the forefront of buyer needs and demands in the luxury market. So often do we find beautiful kitchens with a serious lack-there-of storage space, and buyers are noticing this too. The solution lies in maximizing storage with pull-out drawers and shelving for the pantry and kitchen accessories.

3. Integrated Cabinet Lights – Integrated cabinet lights continue to surface in kitchen design as the call for contemporary, minimalist design paves the way for future developments. Integrated and under cabinet lighting alleviates the bulk of additional cords hanging in the kitchen while also lending itself to a clean, sleek look desired by the “new buyer” so inherent in 2018.

4. Open Floor Plans – Admittedly, we’re all tired of hearing the buzz phrase (i.e. open floor plans). However, the desire for mixed-use spaces is far from tiring out. 2018 will continue to necessitate the integration of kitchen to living room, or kitchen to dining room, and/or the kitchen’s ability to flow into and from the dining room and other living spaces.

5. Color Trends – 2018 furthers the development of the white and bright kitchen trend. This desire from the market’s consumer stems from the reactionary feeling of openness brought on white, off white and warm greys. Thus, a developer’s introduction of a white kitchen enunciates a larger space, than typically realized, were the kitchen appropriated in a darker color scheme. Thus, this color trend optimizes large-scale multi-unit buildings on the rise.

Furthermore, while we still have an appreciation for a solid, white-centric color scheme, the introduction of wood (solid or veneered) cabinetry dispersed within the space also works itself in the cemented trends of 2018.

Lastly, buyers find reprieve in texture within the kitchen. Subsequently, kitchen cabinets are showing a mix of matte and gloss finishes within the space.

6. Countertop Trends - Moving along, the question of countertops is a huge factor in not just a single family home, but also for the success in a multi-unit development. And, with this in mind, buyers are trending towards engineered stones, as opposed to all-natural surfaces (such as marble and quartzite), due to the fast-paced, urban lifestyle they keep. Engineered stones require far less upkeep, and are subsequently less-porous than that of a marble surface.

For more information on Divine Design Center and their work on developments in the Boston area, follow the link here.