1- Mid-Century Modern Kitchen
The kitchen of Stephanie Rose and Bill Hardt, remodeled by Kim Bragg, is one of those featured on the 2016 Kitchens of the Bluegrass Tour. Photo by Theresa Stanley.
Local Designers from this year’s Kitchens of the Bluegrass Tour look at what's new in kitchen design trends
Kitchens have increasingly become the heart of the home in recent years, with contemporary house layouts leaning more and more toward open floor plans, and the onslaught of television cooking shows and food blogs providing more inspiration to prepare gourmet meals at home.
“Absolutely, the kitchen is the prime entertaining spot,” said Debra Hupman of Creative Kitchens and Bath, who designed a kitchen in the Ashford Oaks neighborhood that is featured in this month’s Kitchens of the Bluegrass Tour (May 21-22). “Food and drinks are the main part of entertaining today.”
“I feel like people are cooking more – and more thoughtfully – on a daily basis,” added Kim Bragg, another designer with a kitchen featured in this year’s tour.
“If you are redoing your kitchen, you should personalize your design decisions to reflect the way you live and the things you love. Whether it is the perfect spot for housing your Vitamix close to all your smoothie ingredients, or removable tea boxes for your morning or evening cup of bliss – the enjoyment and investment you put in your kitchen should be enjoyed through the littlest details to the big ones.”
Local designer Anna Marie Lewis Cutlip,
Small Batch Kitchens
3 - Farmhouse Sink & Hidden Dishwasher
Modern farmhouse sinks and built-in spice cabinets and wine/liquor cabinets are among the current trends in kitchen design, according to designers participating in this year’s Kitchens of the Bluegrass Tour. Photos by Theresa Stanley.
“Cooking shows, online recipes, easier access to more experimental cooking in restaurants and a developing public dialogue about food have all made people more interested. They are experimenting more in their kitchens, expanding their palates and taking the time to make cooking and eating more of an experience and an opportunity to commune with their family and friends.”
Evolving lifestyles have dictated trends in kitchen design and gadgets – from steam ovens, a popular trend that coincides with healthy eating, to custom appliance garages outfitted specifically for housing specialty tools and appliances. In preparing for the 2016 Kitchens of the Bluegrass Tour, we caught up with several local designers who have kitchens featured in this year’s tour to hear more about these current trends (and the features of their own kitchens they absolutely could not live without).
What is one feature in a kitchen that you couldn’t live without?
cabinetgarage-spicerack
Appliance garages and built-in spice cabinets are among the current trends in kitchen design. Photos by Theresa Stanley
“An efficient pantry space. Note that I did not say large – it does not have to be huge (e.g., a whole room) to have a lot of storage!”
Jeanne Sallee, Decorating Den Interiors
“I absolutely cannot live without my elevated dishwasher! It is raised up in a cabinet, so that it is more universally convenient for all ages and abilities. I could not, willingly, go back to a lower one because it feels like the racks are on the floor – so worth it!”
Debra Hupman, Creative Kitchen & Bath
“A walk-in pantry, without a doubt. I have walk-in pantry with a ‘hidden door’ that disappears into the cabinetry wall when it’s closed. Everything is in there: canned goods, dry goods, dishes, spices, a tea and coffee station. It has eliminated the need for any upper cabinets in my kitchen at all. So the kitchen seems bigger, and it is bright and airy with a beautiful view of the backyard through the vast expanse of windows above the counter.”
Kim Bragg, Kim Bragg, Architect
“Panel-ready appliances – they take the look of the kitchen to a whole new level.”
Karen Hoover, Sloan scott Custom Cabinetry
“A built-in spice rack [that also lets me easily alphabetize my spices]!”
Laura Dalzell, Cabinets & Designs
Built-In Bar
Designer Kim Bragg noted that in lieu of fancy espresso makers, people are collecting lots of well-designed, small specialized tools – five-blade herb shears, spiral veggie slicers, sexy garlic presses, beautiful knife sets and multi-function meat thermometers, to name a few. “Part of the design response to this has been — you guessed it –specialized inserts so they have places to put all of these little things,” Bragg said. Photos by Theresa Stanley.
Top 10 Kitchen Design Trends
• Steam ovens and upgraded gas cooktops
• “Transitional” design style – a timeless blend between traditional and contemporary
• Built-in pet feeding areas and pet food storage
• Panel-ready appliances
• Maximum storage in small spaces
• Better lighting and controllability
• Built-in wine or liquor bars or cabinets
• Appliance garages with contemporary or alternative design
• Modern “farmhouse” sinks
• Splashes of unique colors to personalize the space
Popular Kitchen Gadgets
• Charging stations
• Personalized storage — internal cabinet accessories are a great way to opti-
mize and better organize storage
• Garbage and recycling bins that are built into a cabinet that opens with just the tap of a knee or hip
• Microwave drawers
• Hidden outlets (that don’t mar backsplashes) ss