Kitchen plans have certainly changed over the years. In fact, they’ve changed radically simply because they’ve become a primary room of the house. Previously the living room was the main room of the house, where most guests and residents of the home hung out. Now, we’ve found that the kitchen is the heart of the home, and house plans have become more open to accommodate. In fact, in an era where things change constantly and overnight, it seems like large, open kitchens are here to stay. With that in mind, here are some current custom kitchen trends we’ve been seeing. Keep these trends in mind when constructing and designing your custom kitchen.
- Hardwood Mouldings – Using hardwood mouldings on your kitchen cabinets ads a certain regal touch. They come in a variety of colors, and any number of detail can be added to your mouldings. Of course, they also provide your standard cabinets with a customized look.
- Solid Hardwood Flooring – Many people prefer solid hardwood flooring in their custom kitchen because of a combination of its functionality and beauty. Once again, it adds a certain customized elegance to your kitchen with its beauty. What about functionality, though? Spills are easy to clean up, it provides great insulation and soundproofing because it’s made of thicker material, it can be refinished multiple times, and you can even change the color of the flooring without having to put in new flooring.
- Free-Standing and Unfitted Cabinets – Many people choose this option because they don’t want to partake in the standard cookie cutter cabinetry look. Instead they opt for cabinets that look like pieces of furniture. Many custom kitchens make use of the unfitted cabinets to cover large appliances (like refrigerators) to make their kitchen seem seamless and less cluttered.
- Custom Countertops – This is probably what stands out the most for people looking at custom kitchens. A lot of emphasis is placed on the countertops, because their appearance takes up a lot of real estate in the kitchen, and their contrast with the flooring and cabinets can make them strikingly beautiful. Stone materials are the most coveted of the counterop materials (i.e. soapstone or marble); however, there are many other alternatives that are becoming popular (i.e. engineered quartz or stainless steel). Ceramic tile backsplashes are rising in popularity, as well as stainless steel sections of the kitchen meant for cutting meat or cleaning dishes.
- Sophisticated Equipment – With advances in technology, homeowner’s are becoming more apt to purchase high-end appliances for their kitchen. Many appliances have the option of being integrated into the kitchen with cabinet fronts, and some have new features that are extremely tempting and require less sacrifice on the part of the owner. For example, instead of having to choose between a gas stove and an electric stove, people now have the ability to choose a dual range stove that has both gas and electric capabilities.
