A Kitchen to Live in
A Kitchen to Live in – the hottest, comfiest, most beautiful Kitchen trends
For years, the kitchen was neglected in New York City, and regarded as that room that nobody goes into. More and more people, however, have finally realized that the kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the house – not just to cook, but to feel at home in. Families converge in kitchens, and there’s nothing that smells like home more than something great cooking in the oven or on a state-of-the-art stovetop.
Here are some of the hottest kitchen trends in interior design and renovation that suit city life, and bring home and hearth for those who eat, as well as for those who cook.
Go with the Flow:
And make your kitchen an integral part of your living area with open spaces. An open kitchen allows everyone to hang out while the pasta sauce is simmering on your stove, while you pay your bills, or while the kids have their after school snack in the kitchen table. When you look out from your kitchen, isn’t it nice to see your living area, a glimpse of the dining room, and maybe even a view from your living room window? Continue your flooring from the kitchen to the living room to create a feeling of space.
An Island Adventure:
Islands have been a prominent feature of kitchens for several years, but are becoming more and more functional. There are eating islands with bar stools, there are cooking islands with a stove top, and very often an oven, and there are preparation islands, equipped with a second sink, a garbage disposal, and lots and lots of drawers for easy access. Make a kitchen island part of your kitchen design, and you gain extra space, convenience, and beauty in one package.
Clean it Up!
One of the hippest trends in kitchen design is imported from Europe. Long, clean lines, kitchen cabinets all at the same height, lots of stainless steel, clean cabinet doors with simple handles, and long stretches of open counter space. The resulting look is clean, crisp, and modern. You can twist the modern look by curving your angles – make your island half-moon shaped rather than rectangular, or one part of your counter and cabinets flow with a sweeping curve. Stainless steel appliances complete the look.
Culture Shock:
More and more people are going for an ethnic in their kitchen, and choosing a country or specific style to design their kitchen in: Santa Fe, Tuscan, French modern, Old English, Mexican, Spanish, and so on. The important thing when doing your kitchen cultural, is to pick one theme and stick to it. Don’t mix and match too much – Santa Fe styles have more than enough color on their own without mixing in Provencal. These kitchens are usually more “country,” than modern, but certainly are homey, and when well designed, a masterpiece to eat in!
Steel Sharp:
Stainless steel is back, as the lit torch for modern, sleek, new kitchens. In appliances, cabinet fixtures, and accessories, kitchens are back to shiny steel, matte steel, and any other type of stainless steel there. Stainless steel gives your kitchen an extremely clean feeling. It appears sanitary, and it gives a kitchen that “this is a real cooking place” feeling. Restaurants often use stainless steel for their countertops as well as for their appliances.
Colorful Appliances:
Some of the bolder home decorators are brining color to their kitchen appliances. It started with the rainbow hues of the KitchenAid mixer, and has more recently been seen on refrigerators, ovens, blenders, and even Aga stoves. This unique touch of color on appliances that used to be white, beige, or steel at best, is bringing even more life to the new center of the house. A red refrigerator, a purple Aga, or even a cheerfully yellow KitchenAid can give your kitchen that extra spicy punch!