The 23 Hottest Kitchen Trends Right Now
When it comes to kitchen design, trends come and go faster than you can unpack your groceries. How do you create a space you love without chasing all that’s new and next? “I work to push my clients just slightly outside their comfort zone, because that’s where great design happens,” says Gillian Segal, a designer in Vancouver. “Start by picking one thing—like a brass faucet or hardware—that can be swapped out later if you tire of it.” When it comes to the big-picture trends, white is still all the rage for cabinets and counters, but designers and homeowners are finding new ways to inject personality and colour in unexpected places.
We’ve asked designers across Canada for their advice on how to add some of the hottest trends to put the sizzle back in your kitchen.
Smart Storage
A wine rack needn’t be a luxury when it’s cleverly placed in the dead space above the fridge. Here, a graphic diagonal pattern turns storage into a feature—not just an afterthought—and ensures no square foot goes unused.
Two-tone Faucet
An industrial restaurant-style faucet looks luxe in a black and brass mix.
Bold Hardware
Extra-wide pulls make cabinets feel more like pieces of furniture.
Artisanal Hardware
Unique handles, pulls and knobs add patina to a new kitchen and instantly refresh a dated one. “You’ll be surprised by what a simple change of hardware can do to perk up a kitchen,” says Alykhan Velji, a Calgary designer, “especially if you’re changing the finish, like going from chrome to black.” For maximum impact, choose hardware with a hand-hammered look and materials such as leather.
(Above) Boho: 4-inch Cassidy Leather Brass Handle, $41, cassonhardware.com.
Industrial: Möllarp knobs, $3/2-pc, Ikea.ca.
Elegant: Kent Handles, US$44/2-pc, anthropologie.com.
Angular: 3-inch Nika Handle, $46, shaynefoxhardware.com.
Black Outline
A thick line of black paint completes the space between the cabinets and ceiling, taking the place of crown moulding and evoking the piping on a classic Chanel suit.
Subtle Range Hood
Forget strapped, tiled and studded—boxing off a range hood in drywall and cladding it in black or white metal or paint is an inexpensive way toget a seamless, minimal look.
Glass Fixtures
Trendy glass globe lights—a designer staple—have become a new classic because of their simple form.
Super Slim Counters
The hippest new counter profile— approximately two inches thick—feels delicate and clean.
Mini Tile Backsplash
Tiny mosaic tiles in a white, beige and grey palette add subtle texture.
(Top) Link Hexagon Mix tile, $21/sq-ft., ceragres.ca. (Bottom) Faber mosaic tile, $16/sq-ft., lowes.ca.
Whiteout
White appliances are back, and they’re no longer seen as builder-basic. “Unlike stainless steel, they don’t break up a white wall of cabinetry,” says Samantha Sacks, a designer in Toronto. “A white fridge is a great solution if a panel-ready fridge isn’t an option.” The newest crave-worthy versions come in a matte finish, which elevates the look and pairs beautifully with touches of pale wood and black.
(Above) Slide-in 30-inch front-control induction and convection double-oven range, $4,899, cafeappliances.ca. Wall-mount 30-inch glass-canopy chimney hood, $1,119, cafeappliances.ca. Counter-depth French-door refrigerator, $5,799, cafeappliances.ca.
Small De'Longhi Dedica DeLuxe Espresso Machine, $399, delonghi.com.
Smeg Stand Mixer, $600, tsc.ca.
Dark Counters
A dark island counter with a waterfall edge adds contrast to all-white cabinetry. Get the look with honed Nero Marquina marble, soapstone or man-made quartz. Try Silestone in Eternal Noir, consentino.com.
Stacked Subway
Installing two-by-six-inch subway tiles in vertical stacks, instead of an offset pattern, makes the classic shape feel more contemporary—especially when it’s in a fresh turquoise colour. “Rather than overhauling your whole kitchen, change out your backsplash tile," says designer Alykhan Velji.
Ivy Hill Tile in Moze Blue, $7/sq-ft., homedepot.com.
Black Faucet
A matte gooseneck spout and single handle add to this faucet’s striking silhouette—and just like an LBD, it goes with everything. Try Fullerton pull-down kitchen faucet in Black Matte, $280, rona.ca.
Buttery Leather
Cognac-toned leather stools warm up this kitchen’s cool palette.For clear sightlines, look for low-backed chairs. Try Distinctly Home James Faux Leather Counter Stool in Ochre, $130, thebay.com.
Spot Colour
When it comes to using colour in the kitchen, look for small ways to make a big difference. Instead of painting entire walls or cabinets, try a tucked-away pantry, a built-in shelf or even the inside of a drawer. These bold touches will feel fun and intentional, especially when done in super saturated hues.
Three Paints To Try
Dazzling Cosmic Cobalt P500-7, behr.com.
Acid Yellow Hibiscus 357, benjaminmoore.com.
Grown-up Pink Rangwali 296, farrow-ball.com.
On-Demand Sparkle
Eliminate the need for additional countertop appliances with a multi- tasking faucet that delivers filtered water, both still and sparkling, with the turn of a tap.
Grohe Blue Professional Kitchen Faucet, $4,827, grohe.ca.
Large-Scale Parquet
Geometric wood flooring is back—in a big way. Available in a variety of pat- terns and colours, large-scale parquet brings an old-world charm that’s especially striking in open floor plans. To get the look at a lower price point, choose from the growing number of easy to clean porcelain tiles featuring distinctive wood patterns. Try Hexparket flooring, US$14/sq-ft., junckershardwood.com.
20 Twenty tiles, $8/sq-ft., ceragres.ca.
Potlights With Personality
Discreet recessed pot lights are retreating from view,as protruding versions are popping out of ceilings everywhere. The new style—think of them as stud earrings for the kitchen—is anywhere from five to seven inches long, drawing the eye up and adding air to task and ambient lighting. Here, a row of four warm metal lights replaces the need for pendants over a condo island.
Texture On The Walls
The coolest gallery wall for kitchens is an arrangement of woven baskets—perfect for hanging over open shelves or a break- fast nook. Hunt for individual woven baskets in classic shades of tan and black, or opt for an instant display with a full set. These seagrass baskets have soft accents of pink and blue, and come with woven hooks built right in.
Hang the biggest basket, then work outward to build a grouping that spreads horizontally or vertically—whatever pleases your eye.
Dalila Seagrass Basket Set, $398 for 7, tonicliving.ca.
Colour Crush: Olive
Mint and all other things pastel are having a moment on social media—one glance at Pinterest and you’ll know. But if you’re tempted to experiment with the pretty hues in the kitchen, consider hitting pause. Earthy takes on those colours feel fresh but will age better. “I’m currently designing a kitchen where the homeowner loves mint green,” says Sappho Griffin, a designer in Halifax. “To temper it, I convinced her to mix moodier green cabinets and tiles with wood accents. It’s a more sophisticated take on what could have been a saccharine colour.”
(Top) Beauti-Tone Atomic Sage V F 112-0 , homehardware.ca.
(Middle) Beauti-Tone Fiorito D16-5-0371-0, homehardware.ca.
(Bottom) Beauti-Tone Wainscot Green CC066-4, homehardware.ca.
Mismatched Cabinets
There’s no reason upper and lower cabinets have to be the same—in fact, it’s even better when they’re not. Add personality to your space by mixing traditional panel-front doors with at fronts or by experimenting with different colours for each—anything to visually break up the wall of storage. “I’m really loving using fluted glass for upper cabinets right now,” says designer Gillian Segal. “It provides a lightness and airiness to any space but obscures the view enough that our clients don’t have to worry about having perfectly organized interiors.”
The Trompe l’Oeil Floor
Dabble in the patterned encaustic tile trend without the long-term commitment or cost. High-performance vinyl mats from Hidraulik are waterproof and stain-resistant, but their good looks are what make them so covetable, adding instant pattern in small doses. As they’re easy to clean, these mats are great for pet owners. Available in a variety of sizes, ranging from 2 ft., 8 in. × 3 ft., 11 in., locusvie.ca.
Pictured, the charming Viladomat, from $175.
Kaleidoscopic Urquinaona, from $175.
Geometric Casanova, from $120.
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