Kitchen Trends for 2023 How To's & Where to Buy

We are so excited to showcase our Marble Manor project while demonstrating several of the current kitchen trends of 2023.

Prior to getting in and remodeling the entire space, this 1988 kitchen was completely removed from the rest of the home. Tucked away in a far corner it squashed any opportunity to fully entertain guests, eat in as a family or even prep together for that matter.

Limited storage, cramped, formless, and outdated precisely defined this area. Our homeowners and their large family struggled to make this space work. They longed for a roomy area, loads of space to prep, family gatherings, holiday events, and a weekly homework station. Read below how we made their dreams come true.

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TREND: DARK CABINETS & LIGHT WOOD TO CONTRAST

Kitchen palettes are moving toward an earthy and muted tone, and much darker and richer than prior. The combination of strong dramatic colors mixed with light natural woods will warm up spaces and give them that desired organic vibe homeowners are wanting. For example, rich stained cabinets with a light-stained hardwood floor and trim will provide a neutral feel while adding that bold impact. And, indeed, hardwood flooring in the kitchen will continue to be the most popular choice for this very reason. Plus, hardwood floors are a sustainable product and very easy to maintain, with daily vacuuming and monthly cleaning.

WHAT THEY WANTED & WHAT WE DID

Our homeowners wanted a modern and neutral vibe with a hint of drama. When we presented the open concept idea to bring the spaces together as one, our clients were elated with the idea of a light and bright kitchen and dining room. Then, we suggested staining the cabinets with a rich, dark tone to add high contrast and a feeling of glam.  We kept their original white oak window trim and chose to recreate the colorway throughout the space by staining the new hardwood floors and beams to match, which paired beautifully and gave us a chic result.

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TREND: SLAB BACKSPLASH & WHITE SURFACES

Living with ease will be the future of kitchen design and when homeowners are considering surfaces they will gravitate towards products and finishes that are easy to care for. Quartz and Quartzite will continue to be favorite countertop selections due to their care and sanitary surface benefit. Homeowners will be thrilled with the plethora of choices in colorways and will prefer light-colored countertops on the perimeter counters and often select a different colored top on the Island.

The need for ease of use will continue as the kitchen backsplash options are specified. With the idea of reduced grout lines, slabs will be a very popular choice for kitchen backsplashes, and a porcelain slab backsplash is one of the most exciting options for a seamless design. Homeowners often replace backsplashes as a means to refresh an aesthetic and this product could be a worthy choice.

WHAT THEY WANTED & WHAT WE DID

The homeowners were definitely torn between easy-to-care-for quartz and the magic of marble. They have a love for Italy and Italian cooking and desperately wanted that to be incorporated into their kitchen theme. We presented a compromise and specified white quartz countertops for the perimeter counters and the pantry, and then hand-picked a gorgeous marble slab for the waterfall island, in a differing pattern. And to satisfy further ease of use, we selected a complementing porcelain slab for the backsplash to reduce grout lines, and provide a simple clean-up.

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TREND: STAINLESS HOODS & STAINLESS FAUCETS

The vent hood has always been a focal point in the kitchen and we are seeing the use of both wood and stainless steel as popular choices for materials. Homeowners will appreciate the opportunity for creativity with this application and may choose a custom-built design. Homeowners love that the neutral look of a stainless steel hood can complement any style and that they are germ, stain, and corrosion-resistant. Also, pairing with a stainless kitchen faucet repeats the use of metal in the design, and is also trending as the most popular faucet finish.

WHAT THEY WANTED & WHAT WE DID

‍Our homeowners loved the idea of mixing metals and were interested in exploring a way to complement several finishes. We choose the hood as our focal point and paired that with the gorgeous stainless faucets to repeat a design choice. Then, we were off to create some drama! Adding gorgeous brass hardware and gold-toned pendants was the perfect answer. It gave the modern kitchen space the WOW moment we were looking for!

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TREND: TASK LIGHTING & PENDANTS

Homeowners are looking for a variety of lighting options in their kitchens. Mood-dependent lighting can create so many layers in the space. Task lighting using under-cabinet lights will continue to be popular and recessed lights paired with pendants will be seen more than chandeliers. Countertop pendant lighting, whether it be two or three fixtures, has been the most popular. The rule of thumb is to place the pendants a minimum of 24” apart, approximately 12”- 24” from the counter edge, and roughly 30”- 40” from the top of the counter to the bottom of the lighting fixture. Homeowners will even add additional lamps to set the mood and achieve accent lighting in their space.

WHAT THEY WANTED & WHAT WE DID

The clients wanted several different types of lighting in their kitchen and hoped to create a special feel for various different occasions. Our homeowners were looking for bright lights when cooking, soft lighting while entertaining and dim lights in the evenings. We added task lighting with under-cabinet lights for their prep spaces plus recessed lights above, on dimmers. For depth, layering, and aesthetics we paired two stunning globe pendants on the island with a dynamic brass chandelier in the Dining Room. We also added small kitchen lamps to set the mood and achieve accent lighting at night.

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Pendant Installation Tips

Countertop pendant lighting, whether it be two or three fixtures, is probably our MOST POPULAR question of all! Our rule of thumb is placing the pendants a minimum of 24” apart, approximately 12”-24” from the counter edge and roughly 30”-40” from the top of the counter to bottom of the lighting fixture. With that said, ‘eye-balling’ is used A LOT when we are on-site. Measure and then stand back to double check, what feels best is always right! Here we have our pendant example, click below to read more.

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TREND: KITCHEN EXPANSION & A ROOMY PANTRY

Moving into 2023, we will see the continued desire by homeowners to gain more space in their kitchens by adding more room. The open floor plan will continue in its popularity with designated zones serving multiple purposes in the kitchen. The love for an oversized island with flexible functionality for food prep, dining, and working will continue, plus kitchen enthusiasts are also seeing double, many wanting two islands.

Additionally, they are wanting twice the storage leading to larger pantries and even duplicates, in sinks and dishwashers. With more families cooking at home and multiple members working in the kitchen at the same time, adding a second single-bowl sink will be in high demand. The walk-in, built-in, or butler’s pantry will also be a must for homeowners wanting more room for storage. The most popular will be a roomy walk-in space, full of organization.

WHAT THEY WANTED & WHAT WE DID

Our clients were wanting twice the storage in their kitchen and looking to better utilize their pantry. After being awarded this project, we immediately rendered an open floor plan concept and brought in our architect to complete the hard lines. When remodeling, we combined areas in the home to expand the footprint, by removing the wall between the kitchen and dining. The open floor plan gave new life to the space, providing numerous zones and serving multiple purposes for the family. 

We chose to use their existing pantry space, added cabinetry with shelving, and simply made it more functional. We created a working pantry off of the kitchen with counter space for minimal food prep and small appliances. Plus, added plenty of outlets and a necessary clean-up station to make it ideal.

EXECUTE

LET'S DESIGN

As part of our multi-step TBD TECHNIQUE process, we manage our larger, kitchen design projects with a TBD Specification Book.  And, who doesn’t like detailed step-by-step instructions? Well, we can tell you the clients we work for and the contractors we partner with certainly do!! From beginning to end, start to finish, soup to nuts, inception to completion, this comprehensive collection of selections and documentation is five stars.

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THE SPEC BOOK

The ‘SPEC BOOK,’ as we fondly refer to it, will walk through every aspect of the project that we have discussed with our clients, providing a Finish Schedule, including specification sheets, elevations, and more!

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