If a home remodel is in the forecast for 2017, there’s a good chance it’s the kitchen, which is among the most common home improvement projects as well as one of the most lucrative when it comes to resale value.
Designers and remodelers who specialize in kitchens say there are a few trends growing in popularity or sticking around for another year.
Some trends aren’t going anywhere in 2017, including the shaker-style cabinet, which refers to a basic cabinet door design with a recessed panel.
Durango interior designer Amy Favour predicts the shaker style will remain popular through 2017 and is already working on an installation in a Crimson Cliffs condominium.
“They can go modern or traditional,” Favour said. “We still do some rustic wood, just because it’s Colorado and a lot of people with second homes want the rustic mountain feel, but we’re doing a lot more painted cabinets.”
While the all-white kitchen fad is still lingering with some designers, others say taupes, blues and especially grays are growing in popularity.
“Black is in. Charcoal is really in,” said Erin White Sinberg, a designer with Aspen Design Studio. “We’re seeing more dark stains over paint, so you can still see the wood grain.”
Michael Stith, owner of Splendid Kitchens, said some of his clients are also mixing colors in the kitchen, using different hues for top and bottom cabinetry.
Stith said alder has been “overused” for years in cabinetry, but recently Splendid Kitchens has sold more cherry wood.
“It’s pretty, harder and takes a stain well,” he said.
Favour anticipates stainless steel and brush nickel will be out of style in the new year over more satin brass, matte finishes and hardware with gold undertones. National design professionals are reporting mixing and matching fixture styles.
More exotic patterning also is springing up in granite and quartz countertops with customers opting for honed (non-reflective, matte) and leather finishes.
Kitchens of 2017 will be seeing more unusual tile designs and uses. Graphic tiles are appearing on kitchen floors as well as bathrooms, and hexagonal shapes are trending over standard squares.
Backsplashes are still one of the easiest and most dynamic changes you can make on a budget.
“I encourage fun backsplashes,” Favour said. “It’s an inexpensive, easy thing to change, but it brings a big change to your kitchen. And there are a lot of cool tiles out there with different metallic shades and sheens.”
Built-in bench seating is becoming more ubiquitous with a mixture of benches and chairs surrounding the dining table, and Sinberg said clients are moving away from the “office in the kitchen” setup.
“We used to have people who wanted a desk in the kitchen, but we’re kind of getting away from that,” she said. “People are also looking for ‘landing stations’ behind doors to plug in all their mobile devices.”
Sinberg said, overall, remodel requests are going to remain consistent with “mountain contemporary” style with local homeowners, while second home buyers from out of town typically opt for traditional mountain rustic.
jpace@durangoherald.com
Want to reuse an entire kitchen?
Designing a kitchen piece by piece, particularly a luxury kitchen, can be difficult to visualize and costly. So Ben Johnson of Evergreen, Colorado, bought a recycled one from
Green Demolitions
.
Johnson got three refrigerators, a standalone freezer, two dishwashers, three ovens, a grill, microwave, 12-by-5-foot island, three sinks, eight display cabinets, a wine cooler and a bar setup, all of which came from a mansion in New Jersey.
Green Demolitions owner Steve Feldman founded the company 11 years ago, networking with real estate agents, designers and estate managers to remove entire kitchens at the company’s expense, including appliances, and retrofit them for other homes.
Since the company launched, Green Demolitions has sold 4,700 pre-owned and showroom display kitchens, primarily on the East Coast, California and in the Midwest. Its Colorado clientele has been small with few others except Johnson, who spent $53,000 on his kitchen, which is valued at $250,000 new.
“The designs are specific based on wall and window layout,” Johnson said. “And what’s interesting is the granite comes with it, pre-cut to the layout.”
The company uses a computer program that shows the buyer how the kitchen would look and if the walls, ceiling and windows are compatible with the design.
Kitchens run a wide range of prices from six figures to four, based on demand, designer, style, age and condition.
“Kitchens are fashion, and people have diverse tastes in fashion and in real estate, and there’s always a buyer for every kitchen,” Feldman said. “The less the customer has to do and buy, the more expensive the kitchen.”
jpace@durangoherald.com
