Top Kitchen Trends for 2010

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR Magazine

So what’s cooking in the kitchen this year? The National Kitchen & Bath Association surveyed designers to reveal the top design trends for 2010.

Among the trends gaining popularity this year: Hide your appliances in kitchen drawers, whether dishwashers-in-a-drawer or undercounter refrigeration (drawers being used as refrigerators). More home owners are opting to tuck their appliances away so they don’t interfere with the design.

Also part of the appeal to dishwashers-in-a-drawer is their convenience with the capability of washing small loads of dishes in each drawer, which saves water and electricity.
Here are some of the other top kitchen trends for 2010:

Color: Shades of white and off-whites are the most common kitchen colors, followed by brown, beige, and bone hues.

Cabinetry: The most popular wood for kitchen cabinetry remains cherry, followed by maple. In the decline: Painted cabinetry and light natural finishes and distressed finishes.

Design style: Traditional is the most popular kitchen design with contemporary following closely behind.

Flooring: Ceramic and porcelain tile and natural stone remain the most popular kitchen flooring. Hardwood, however, will dominate kitchens this year more than ever.

Countertops: Granite is the most popular option, but quartz is inching up to it in popularity.