With the year rolling along into fall, it’s time to look back and examine the trends identified by kitchen cabinet designers around the Internet.  Spending has been down on large kitchen projects, but many contractors have lowered rates to capture some clients. That said, many homeowners focused on cabinet and countertop remodeling this year to dramatically impact the look and value of their existing home in projects that gave quick returns.

For starters, homeowners searched for upgrades that combined furniture-grade kitchen cabinets with decorative hardware.  By tweaking optional cabinet components like slide-out drawers and adjustable shelving, homeowners gained storage functionality along with beautifying the decor.

Cabinet Colors and Materials of Choice
The greater assortment in colors and materials in today’s pre-made replacement cabinets have greatly extended homeowner options when working style into the budget.  Those who can afford more exotic wood choices can transform kitchens in short order.

For those who want to devote their budget to a powerful, contained kitchen cabinet effort, there are furniture-grade replacement cabinets with styles ranging from contemporary to distressed or aged.

Meanwhile, consumers who need to spend less are favoring medium-soft woods with horizontal grain patterns. Yellows and greens are moving into heavy rotation on the color palate.

Fight Back Against Countertop Clutter
Along with those trends, consumers this year have sought storage solutions and movable appliances to fight cluttered counter tops. Work centers with food preparation and cleanup areas are the rage, allowing you to use a small part of the kitchen for quick family meals, while extending your capability with hide-away appliances.

Consider islands, appliances that roll out of the way, self-contained storage compartments or pantries.  This year it’s all about flashy looks and hideaway gadgets–done efficiently, of course!