Kitchen Couture

One product that is overlooked is laminate, perhaps because of its past reputation as a cheap, flimsy material. However, advances in the product have created a harder surface that simulates the look of granite, Sinykin believes. Plus, it’s a favorable alternative to those on a budget.

Whatever you choose, don’t be afraid to mix and match styles, colors, and materials. “There’s nothing to say that your island countertop needs to be the same color as the rest of your kitchen,” McDonald says. “Let’s change it up a bit and provide more interest.”

Beneath Your Feet
Thanks to their beauty and timelessness, hardwood floors continue to be the most popular choice for kitchens. The sky’s the limit on species: santos mahogany, hickory, red birch, maple, walnut, and Brazilian or Australian cherry, to name a handful. Avoid softer woods such as pine or American cherry, which are more prone to nicks and scratches. Danberry also recommends that homeowners stay away from wide-plank floors because they can gap and cup as the seasons change.

One of the most popular flooring products today is bamboo, likely because of its exotic nature and sustainability. Bamboo, which is actually a grass, is harvested every four to five years. Certain hardwood species, on the other hand, can take a century or more to replenish. Another trendy flooring material is cork. “Cork is durable, soft, and long lasting,” Polifka says. “That’s the best product to put in your kitchen. It’s easier on you physically.”

To create a rustic look, consider slate, travertine, or another stone for your kitchen floor. The disadvantages to stone are maintenance and discomfort. However, those can be rectified by installing precisely cut stones with tight grouting and using rugs to cushion your feet.

Lighting the Way
Often a place where homeowners cut the budget, lighting deserves just as much attention as the other elements in your kitchen. “You can have all the luxurious items you want, but if you can’t function in that space with the proper lighting, it won’t matter,” Polifka says.

Although the idea of under-cabinet lighting is not new, the technology behind it is. Brighter, whiter Xenon lights are used in favor of fluorescent. Xenon bulbs are also a good source for lighting your glassware displays in glass-front cabinets as they don’t generate a lot of heat. Rope lights above the cabinets provide soft, indirect lighting. Pendant lights remain the best choice to light the kitchen island, although, many homeowners are mixing up the heights and styles of these. Recessed lighting can create a combination of task and accent lighting for the entire kitchen.

As long as your lighting choices work for the space, don’t be afraid to experiment. “Lighting is the area of the kitchen where you can express yourself and add some whimsy,” McDonald says.

Washing Up
Sinks now come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, depths, and materials. Don’t feel like you need to find a sink with two perfectly square compartments either. Many sinks feature one large and one small basin or even three separate wells to help you better separate your dishes. These days, you can find sinks that come with a metal rack that pulls over one of the basins and acts as a strainer. Stainless steel sinks are often chosen for their clean look and strength, but materials such as ceramic, granite, copper, and even wood are increasingly used in sinks for a unique design element.

High-end kitchen remodels usually feature a separate prep sink, most likely in the island. Pot fillers, which are faucets installed on the wall behind a cooktop for the sole purpose of filling pots and pans, also add a convenient and luxurious element to any kitchen remodel.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink
Accent pieces can give your kitchen a wow factor. One prevalent trend is elegant backsplashes usually behind a cooktop or range. Some homeowners will use Cambria or granite as a backsplash, but a more popular option is a tiled mosaic. “With glass, metal, and handmade tiles, you can get all these great custom-design looks and colors,” Johnson says.

Custom cooktop hoods are another way to introduce high design into your kitchen. “The options are endless,” McDonald says. “You can have fun with stainless steel, wood, stone, concrete, or copper. You can have a rounded hood.”

Homeowners who entertain frequently are building butler’s pantries into the kitchen remodel. This small room off the kitchen has been traditionally used for storing fine china and linens, but it is being used more frequently as secondary spaces for food preparation complete with sink, cooktop, and dishwasher.

If you spend the time planning, each of these kitchen components will create a design that is not only appropriate to your lifestyle but to the rest of the home as well. McDonald’s litmus test for a kitchen is whether it can stand up to the ages. “Think of grandma’s hutch from sixty years ago. It still looks good today,” he says. “We’re turning our kitchens into that type of classic design.”