Looking to put your home on the market? Pay attention to your kitchen – the most used area of your home. You can easily expect potential home buyers to give your kitchen’s look, feel and equipment a lot of weight when making their purchase decision. An updated and contemporary kitchen is always a welcome addition and can earn you brownie points from buyers. Here’s a look at five kitchen trends for 2016 that you can consider when you’re planning to spruce up this space.
-
Soft, understated colours
Where before bold kitchen colours were in vogue, there has been a recent shift to muted pallets that make rooms appear bigger and brighter. Apart from white motifs – which are a classic – interior designers expect to see several kitchen elements – from backsplashes to cabinets – done up in soft and neutral hues such as pale green gray, tinted whites and pale blue.Wood tones are also anticipated to get lighter, dominated by rift white oak, whitewashed woods, and walnut stains. The preference will be for drier colours, with pale yellow pastel and muted greens and blues as accent colours.
-
Kitchen-living room combo
Designers expect a move to merged kitchen and living room spaces, by possibly including integrated and hidden appliances. You can consider this option if you feel that your kitchen is too isolated from the rest of your home. A streamlined design where the kitchen merges with the home’s primary living space can enhance comfort, convenience, and open space.
-
Smart devices in the kitchen
The 21st-century kitchen is ready for the Internet of Things! Interior designers expect homeowners to increasingly add designated spots for smart devices. This can take the form of hidden charging stations to keep devices like smartphones and tablets so they’re always an arm’s length away.A shift to state-of-the-art appliances in the kitchen is also anticipated, with additions such as wine coolers, built-in coffee machines, and steam ovens. Check out this article on the ten smart gadgets for your kitchen.
-
Metal range hoods
Designers predict that metal will replace wood in the kitchen, with metal hoods or a combination of wood and metal range hoods becoming a popular fixture. They can add a nice contrast to neutral colours, making your kitchen look aesthetically balanced.