Exclusive! Houzz 2019 Kitchen Trends

the Houzz Kitchen Trends Study in the US provides information on the hottest kitchen trends in home improvement. The report is unique in that it captures the views of homeowners, while most surveys focus on trends from the perspective of interior designers, architects, etc.

Additionally, all respondents had to meet one of three requirements: Either they completed a kitchen remodel or addition in the past 12 months, they were currently working on one, or they plan to start one in the next three months.

Get instant home decor deals!

Get connected with the home improvement coupons and promo codes you’ve been waiting for.

Here are some interesting facts from the report, along with comments from a Houzz representative.

Would you move during a kitchen renovation?

sturti / Getty Images

The owners stay put during the renovation

Most homeowners choose to stay in their homes during the kitchen renovation. So why are they standing still? “It’s less stressful,” he explains. Houzz Editor and writer Mitchell Parker. He tells Freshome that two-thirds of homeowners choose to sit still during kitchen renovations.

“They are three times less likely to experience extreme stress than those who move,” says Parker. If you’re wondering how these homeowners can prepare meals during a renovation, Parker explains that most of them set up alternative kitchen and dining stations. “However, one in five does not make any changes to their routines,” he says.

This kitchen offers spectacular views

Hoxton / Martin Barraud / Getty Images

The open concept thrives

Open concept kitchens continue to be popular with homeowners. According to the report, 53% of homeowners who want to make the kitchen more open are doing so to open up space to nearby rooms. On the other hand, 22% want the kitchen to be more open to the outside.

Cooking styles are changing.

Hero Images / Getty Images

Farm kitchens are (still) gaining steam

You know that farmhouse sinks are all the rage, but according to Parker, homeowners also like the farmhouse kitchen style in general. “The transitional style is still the most popular (21%), but the country house (14%) has been gaining momentum. Now, it’s almost neck to neck with contemporary for second place. ”Transition actually fell 5% from last year and contemporary fell 1%, while farm increased 2%.

Kitchen metals can match perfectly or you can mix them

Contrastaddict / Getty Images

Mixed metals abound

Homeowners are also more comfortable mixing metals. “Only 46% of homeowners combine metal finishes in the kitchen,” says Parker.

Whether to mix or match, nickel is the uncontrollable favorite at 44%, followed by chromium at 13%. “Most homeowners are mixing metallic finishes on hardware and accessories with matte nickel, oil rubbed bronze and matte black,” explains Parker.

Countertops and backsplashes are popular materials to replace.

Hero Images / Getty Images

What the owners are replacing

The main reason owners are doing renovations is to replace the countertops, backsplash, and sink (s). By the numbers, 93% are upgrading their countertops, 87% are upgrading or adding a backsplash, and 85% are upgrading a sink. “Renovated homeowners are obsessed with tidying up their countertops,” says Parker. “There may be a correlation in the fact that countertops are the most popular feature to upgrade because they are more noticeable without the clutter.”

Everyone wants a new refrigerator (or two).

sisoje / Getty Images

The most popular appliances to replace

The vast majority of homeowners (9 out of 10) replace some or all of their appliances during kitchen renovations. Refrigerators and dishwashers are the most common upgrades. Other popular appliances to upgrade include the microwave, range, range hood, garbage disposal, and range. Regular stainless steel is still popular, but black stainless steel is now the choice of 1 in 10 homeowners.

White is still the most popular countertop color.

phototropic / Getty images

Quartz countertops are trending

Among the 93% who upgrade countertops when deciding what to replace, Parker says this is the first year Houzz has seen engineered quartz outperform all natural stone materials combined in terms of popularity (48 vs. 43%, respectively). Meanwhile, granite continues a multi-year decline (40%, 34%, and 30% in the 2017, 2018, and 2019 studies, respectively).

“Homeowners are favoring engineered quartz because it is a hardworking material that also delivers sharp, continuous colors,” says Parker. Engineered quartz is also available in a variety of options. “You can get quartz that has the intricate veining of marble, but that doesn’t involve heavy maintenance on marble,” he explains.

Shades of gray in cabinets, backsplash, countertops, ceiling and floors.

sisoje / Getty Images

Neutral cabinet colors are still popular

In addition to white countertops, homeowners like white cabinets too, but they also lean towards gray. “While white cabinets remain prevalent (43%), one in ten homeowners chooses gray,” says Parker. “People who choose gray cabinets are more likely to also choose brushed or satin nickel door hardware.”

Real estate agents advise homeowners to use neutral colors when selling their home, and homeowners may be listening as they choose color schemes during the remodeling process.

Pantry cabinets and a built-in area for pets to eat.

hikesterson / Getty Images

Integrated updates

Among the top built-in improvements, pantry cabinets and islands take the lead (40% and 38%, respectively). Homeowners are looking for custom or semi custom cabinets with adjustable shelves. They want to have their canned and dry goods, spices, etc. close at hand, but out of sight.

Integrated pet feeding stations are also trending. Other popular built-in specialty storage types include storage for cookie sheets / trays, deep drawers, spice drawers, and cutlery drawers.

Synthetic wood can be used on floors and cabinets.

Hero Images / Getty Images

Engineered floors captivate

In addition to engineered quartz countertops, homeowners look to engineered materials elsewhere in the kitchen. Engineered flooring, such as engineered wood, vinyl, and laminate, have become nearly twice as popular (40%) as natural hardwood (24%). The use of hardwood floors in kitchens and bathrooms is still a hotly debated topic among designers, but it seems like homeowners have already decided.

Use your hand, wrist, or forearm to start or stop the flow of water.

Hero Images / Getty Images

The technological transformation

The use of high-tech appliances in kitchens is growing, almost as fast as the trends in bathroom technology. And true to the 2019 faucet trends, more than half of the improved kitchen faucets in Houzz’s report are high-tech (57%), with water efficiency, fingerprint-free coating, or contactless activation. “Some of the other popular high-tech features include wireless controls (16%) on upgraded appliances and home assistants (31%) on upgraded electronic devices,” says Parker.

Baby boomers are designing to stay in their homes for years to come.

sisoje / Getty Images

Baby boomers plan accordingly

“When deciding to remodel, aging on the spot is the most important thing to more than a third of baby boomers, according to Houzz research,” says Parker. “Those who address aging during renovations are more likely to make their kitchens larger and more open and outfit them with lighting in cabinets, stoves, wall ovens, touchless faucets and stone floors,” he says.

Another way that baby boomers make life easier for them is by choosing cordless appliances. Overloaded outlets can cause fires, but wireless devices reduce the need for additional outlets and eliminate the hazards caused by corded devices. For example, the All-Clad cordless immersion blender has a long-lasting lithium battery that powers the blender for 9 minutes. There is also a fully rechargeable base. Whether you’re mixing cake batter, smoothies, and everything in between, the blender, with 5 adjustable speeds, is convenient and easy to use.