Real EstateIf You Can’t Stand the Heat – 2017 Kitchen Trends You’ll LOVE!

As an interior designer and Realtor, I tend to keep a pulse on the always changing trends in home decor and design. With the start of the new year and the busy spring real estate selling season upon us, it’s a good time to consider whether now is the right time to add some of the latest kitchen trends to freshen up your home – particularly if you’re thinking of making a change. A great kitchen can sell a house to the right buyer, so if you plan to sell, or renovate your Charleston home this year, here are the “2017 Kitchen Trends in Design ” to consider that will deliver big bang for the buck.

“Gray is the New White “

While white cabinets continue to remain popular – gray is the new “on trend ” color. When it comes to cabinets, this is a fairly easy one to keep up with the changing trend – an update you can make in a weekend’s worth of painting. Try out the “Charleston Gray, ” found in the Historic Charleston Foundation’s paint palette. In fact, you’ll see this trendy color update in a number of the newly renovated investment properties on the rise on Charleston’s East Side. If you’re not up for committing to painting, try adding a touch of gray accents here and there, such as kitchen towels, wall decor, or area rugs. 

Quartz Countertops

With their durability – which includes nonporous, heat resistant, and toughness against scratches and stains – quartz is looking to become the popular choice in countertops.  Not to mention its range of colors and styles mean that it can easily be incorporated into any Charleston home style. White, or a combination of white and gray quartz, is one of the most popular looks to complement the cabinets mentioned above.  If you page through recent editions of Charleston Magazine, Charleston Style & Design or Charleston Home + Design, you’ll find this light and bright style is a Charleston favorite. 

Tuxedo Kitchen Cabinets

Continuing this trend from 2016 tuxedo cabinets will continue to be popular.  If you are not familiar with the term – it’s the design trend where you choose one color for your upper cabinets and a different color for your bottom cabinets. No additional explanation needed! This offers an “elegant-casual ” feel to a kitchen.

Mixed Hardware Finishes

Gold, copper and pewter hardware will continue to be popular choices for 2017.  Mixing finishing selections for your faucet, lighting and cabinet hardware is also on trend. This is an inexpensive and DIY way of updating your kitchen, and particularly easy on the budget plus an “earth friendly ” appeal, as you don’t have to replace everything anymore because of the “it all should match ” mandate. Just be sure to measure your existing hardware before your purchase to minimize mistakes on the install of the new hardware. 

Matte Finish Appliances

Just when we thought we had ALL settled on the centerpiece of the updated kitchen being high-end stainless steel appliances, an entirely NEW look emerges – the new matte finish.  It brings a new fresh look to kitchens where stainless steel was the “go to ” before.  Even stainless has been bumped in preference for the new matte gray or “slate finish ” look.  You will see this in the model homes of new communities springing up all around Charleston SC.  

Note: For the new year, think “light, bright and airy ” … these fresh and clean kitchen interiors reflect the vernacular of our lowcountry coastal architecture.  In Charleston, your interiors should invite a cool, refreshing start to the day, and a comfortable place to land at the end, with everything in between focused on the outdoor lifestyle that beckons beyond and the unmatched beauty of the lowcountry landscape.  If you are ready to make Charleston your home, or are a Charlestonian looking to experience a new lifestyle for yourself … our team of Realtors are experts at matching lifestyle with “life style.