As COVID-19 leaves its mark on layouts, a new design style skyrockets, kitchen tech possibilities explode, multitasking comes up big, and lots more.
By Robert Isler
Long after COVID-19 has left the scene, its effects will likely remain. More than half the respondents from NKBA’s Design Trends 2021 study identified layouts that accommodate working from home and schoolwork areas as a popular kitchen trend. Larger kitchens for family gatherings — since going out to eat won’t be as popular — are also in the cards. These were just a few of the study’s findings, which covered a wide range of design elements. Over half the respondents for this online K&B survey were designers, with the remainder specifiers, including showrooms professionals, dealers, specialists, manufacturers and others.
Among the other major layout themes identified were L-shaped designs with large islands that function as dining tables, which are expected to dominate near-term. The most popular layout option overall, cited by 64% of respondents, was the removal of walls to open the kitchen into other areas.
Traditional, a perennial top-three kitchen style for years, has fallen out of favor to 10th-most-popular. Meanwhile, Organic/Natural, which placed 9th in last year’s study, has leapfrogged into the top three.
One of the most interesting shakeouts within the study dealt with style. Traditional, a perennial top-three kitchen style for years, has fallen out of favor to 10th-most-popular. Meanwhile, Organic/Natural, which placed 9th in last year’s study, has leapfrogged into the top three. Nearly 50% identified it as an up-and-coming style for the next few years. Only Contemporary, at 55%, and Transitional, at 53%, were higher. One respondent referred to “Clean, organic, natural kitchens with recycled materials” as most desirable, while others spoke of a minimalist environment with the need for “cleanable, adaptable, functional spaces.”
The clear majority of respondents, 70%, said that over the past year they were most likely to have worked on projects involving medium-sized kitchens, defined as between 150 and 350 square feet. The median spend for such remodels was between $40,000 and $55,000. While whites/off whites will be the most popular kitchen color scheme for the near future, cited by 47%, grays, beiges/bones and blues were each mentioned by at least 25% of respondents. For countertops and backsplashes, lighter colors won the day, preferred by 58%, while quartz remained the overwhelming material choice for the next three years, chosen by 78% of those surveyed, followed by quartzite, at 29%.
Use of technology in the kitchen continues to grow. Topping the list for near-term implementation are dedicated areas for mobile device/laptop charging and viewing (63%), technology with seamless video communication (49%), and emergency refrigerator power sources (49%). Various detectors — for floods, electric power failures and gas leaks — were also high on the list, as were voice-activated lighting controls.
Turning to kitchen cabinets and storage, 69% expect full painted wood to be the most popular door facing material, followed by full wood grain, at 52%. Flat panel/slab topped cabinet door styles, at 78%, with recessed panel at 65%. The preferred tone/color is light, at 70%, with the clear majority (68%), opting for a different color on the island. Storage options for the next few years were evenly split, with sections of floor-to-ceiling and walk-in pantries each at 45%, and deeper, lower cabinets and fewer upper cabinets just a few percentage points behind.
Kitchen flooring materials for the near future were led by hardwood/engineered wood (50%), with luxury vinyl wood plank (39%) and ceramic/porcelain tile (30%) rounding out the top three. For appliances, French-door refrigerators that are flush, fully integrated or built in are expected to be the most popular over the next three years. Although stainless was the #1 choice for finishes, matching cabinet face finishes are a close second.
Standard-door dishwashers will still rule, with 70% of respondents believing these will top all others. Two-door dishwashers (36%) and two dishwashers (33%) are far behind. For cooktop appliances, gas and induction are neck-and-neck, at 47% and 44%, respectively, with the latter expected to replace traditional electric. For cooking configuration, 6 in 10 expect separate oven and cooktop units to be most popular, while 40% lean toward a range. It’s no contest for size and finish, as standard 30-inch stainless units are expected to dominate. Regular stainless (74%), holds a comfortable edge over black stainless (39%).