When it comes to outmoded kitchen fads, there are always hot takes on all-white kitchens, subway tile backsplashes, recessed lighting, and other popular themes. But the layout of your kitchen significantly affects how it looks. For example, it’s much more challenging to move significant appliances, change the way you eat, or tear down walls than change the hardware on your cabinets.
Many kitchen layouts need to be updated. Many are embraced for this reason, such as the early 1900s galley kitchen. Fans of the narrow room with cabinets on both sides love its compact beauty and the fact that you can hide your stack of dishes while you eat dinner. Then there are the tried-and-true L-shaped kitchens, which look as good with black-and-white checkerboard tiles and mint green cabinets as they do with today’s wide-open interiors, complete with marble backsplashes, gold faucets, and massive islands adorned with vases of pink peonies.
But what about the more modern kitchen designs that had a good run but needed to be fresher? After that, real estate agents discuss the two agreements on their way out (and why).
The Bilevel Breakfast Bar
Consider the breakfast bar to be a scaled-down counterpart of the kitchen island. It’s slim and adds a little extra counter space, and it’s frequently joined to an existing counter, but it’s taller.
“Both the counter and the seating area are too small to offer functional places for either cooking or sitting,” Dukes adds.
However, kitchen islands are currently famous. As home partying makes a comeback, designers see consumers double up on them.
“Large, flat counter top islands have taken over and continue to be popular since they provide a terrific location for presenting meals when entertaining as well as seating during the day,” Dukes says. “And, because of their lower height, they look considerably better in an open-concept home.”
Floor Plans That Put Dishes and Appliances on Display
At first look, features like open shelves may appear to be more of a design choice than a layout choice. Brandy Aguirre, a real estate agent in the Phoenix area, says that the most famous kitchens of today hide many of their parts to make the room look clean and seamless. Consider floor-to-ceiling cabinets or deviating from the widespread practice of placing the microwave above the stove and storing it in a built-in cabinet — but that’s just the beginning, according to Aguirre.
“Hide amenities such as built-in refrigerators and dishwashers that blend in with the cabinets are one of the major kitchen plan trends I see over and over again on new build homes, luxury homes, and refurbished homes,” Aguirre adds.
She mentions trash can cabinets and electrical outlets installed beneath and within drawers as hidden features.
And while the open shelving has enjoyed a good run, it’s tough to manage IRL.
Open shelves found their way back into kitchen design a few years ago. “Open shelves can look lovely when shown in a model home or one that hasn’t been lived in,” she says. “However, unless you’re Marie Kondo and maintain your home’s ready’ all the time, these open shelves can be stressful. There is no way to conceal the fading Ninja Turtle cups your child won’t let you toss with exposed shelving.”
