I am not one to push or tout trends. My belief is that your home should reflect you, your family, your lifestyle, and the way you live in your home. The reality is, as consumers we tend to want a lot of the same things.
What’s new in the kitchen for 2010? Not surprisingly, the trends lean toward products that are environmentally responsible and multi-functional, appliances that promote healthy, fresh food preparation, and kitchens that are designed to accommodate personal technology devices.
 The above kitchen has many green elements like Marmoleum flooring, Neil Kelly cabinets made from FSC certified cherry (formaldehyde free), low VOC finishes, glass tile from Oceanside Recycled Glass, and the Laminart Laminate countertop, made from 40% recycled content. Photo by Photo Design |
 Kohler’s Stages 33” stainless sink — inspired by professional chefs. Photo courtsey of Kohler |
 The above Neil Kelly kitchen has cork flooring using two different colors to create a border. Photo by Photo Design |
 Kohler’s Iron/Occasions island sink in Basalt, and Simplice pull-down kitchen faucet in Polished Chrome. Photo courtsey of Kohler |
Sustainability
The environment is not going to get better on its own. Mother Nature needs our help, so choosing materials that support the environment is naturally a good choice. Cabinets that are finished with low VOC products and constructed with non-urea added formaldehyde are a trend that is here to stay. In fact, with legislation currently in California and other states that will make construction materials made with added formaldehyde illegal, this “trend” will soon become the only way cabinets will be built. This trend makes a lot of sense, as it is not only good for the environment, it is good for our health.
Sustainable flooring choices like cork and linoleum are attractive and hard working. Cork absorbs sound, is warm to walk on, and is easy to maintain. Linoleum is easily a 40-year floor and you don’t have to wax it like Grandma did. While these are not new trends, they have moved to the main stream.
More and more materials are being constructed from recycled content, like glass countertops and tile (both glass and ceramic). Did you know that cast iron sinks are all made from recycled content? Cast iron is back, not only for the sink, but for countertops and shower pans too.
Multi-functional Products
Products that feature multi-function options are powerhouses for the kitchen. Sinks feature accessories such as cutting boards, colanders, and drain boards to free up counter space and even add working area in an otherwise small kitchen.
Food Storage and Preparation
With the price of food continuing to climb, refrigerators are the treasure box of the kitchen. These appliances allow you to have more control of the humidity and cooling settings, which help maintain food freshness for a longer time.
Water filters both at the sink and in the refrigerator are commonplace, but now, the filter in the refrigerator is easy to change. And professional cooking appliances are not leaving anytime soon.
One of the biggest trends in cooking is the induction cooking surface. While still at the high end price wise, this is an electric cooking option that gives you all of the performance of gas but with the affordability of electric.
Composting is quite common in today’s kitchen. There are many options for easy-to-clean built in compost bins.
Technology
Technology is an integrated part of our life and has moved with full force into the kitchen. Today’s kitchen is not complete without a “charging station.” Just be sure to design enough space for each family member’s personal electronic devices such as MP3 players and cell phones.
Flat screen televisions are more commonplace in the kitchen, as are docking stations for laptops.
Color
As for color — neutrals are still with us, but it is being accented with saturated colors of blues, oranges, and yellows. Reds are influenced by China, Southeast Asia and Mexico. Yellows are big and moving in three directions: elegant gold for a more formal antique influence, vibrant yellow orange, and soft optimistic yellow. Oranges are no longer brown, but clear and vibrant. Raspberry, deep corals, and terra cottas are finding their way back into the kitchen, as is navy.
Finishes on fixtures and hardware are available in a plethora of colors, like chrome, brushed nickel, brass, pewter, oiled rubbed brass, and burnished bronze. With all of these choices how does one choose? Well today you can go ahead and choose a few different finishes. Chrome faucets go just fine with oiled rubbed bronze cabinet hardware. Stainless steel appliances look perfect with gold faucets. There is a level of finesse you should consider to pull this off well — that’s where a designer comes in.
With a certified kitchen and bath designer, these “trends” can easily be integrated into your new kitchen while at the same time designing a space that is a clear representation of you and your family.
Robin Fisher is a Certified Master of Kitchen and Bath Design (CMKBD) with the Neil Kelly Company. Fisher has been designing award-winning kitchens for over 24 years. Fisher may be reached at: 503-335-9286 or robin.fisher@neilkelly.com.
