5 emerging kitchen trends, according to Houzz

As the hardest-working room in the home, the kitchen has seen even more action than usual over the past year. In fact, the latest Houzz & Home report found that the spend on kitchen renovations has increased by 15 per cent to a median of £11,500.

Homeowners are making big changes too, with two-thirds changing the layout and over half replacing all kitchen appliances. To discover the most popular new designs and aesthetics, home renovation and design platform Houzz has unveiled the top five emerging kitchen trends from the platform.

As a result of the pandemic, homeowners are giving more thought to their living spaces and how they feel, with the aim of injecting personality into their interiors.

According to Houzz, the search term 'unusual kitchens' more than doubled in popularity in 2021 compared to the year before and the photo stream is flooded with examples of colourful cabinetry, unique flooring choices and tactile materials.

Green has been the 'It' colour of 2021 so it's no surprise that nature-inspired hues have been providing a wonderful calming feel to homes over the past year. On Houzz, the search term 'green kitchens' rose by 48 per cent this year, with searches for 'sage green', 'forest green' and 'dark green' all rising significantly in popularity.

Rural living is becoming increasingly popular, something that's reflected in the Houzz & Home survey, with 33 per cent of those aged between 25 and 39 saying they'd like to swap their urban neighbourhood for a rural one.

Homeowners on Houzz are also seeking out cosy country interiors for their kitchens, too. The search term 'country kitchen' has risen by 54 per cent compared to 2020. The search terms 'panelling', 'exposed beam' and 'exposed brick' also shot up in popularity (up 187 per cent, 171 per cent and 90 per cent, respectively).

All hail terrazzo! Over the past few years, terrazzo surfaces have been slowly edging their way into our homes (often in the bathroom) and this multifaceted material is now being widely incorporated into kitchens.

Up by 230 per cent in searches on Houzz this year, the hardwearing material has been featured in flooring, worktops and splashbacks, with chips becoming larger and colourways bolder over the past year.

A contrast to the nature-inspired hues are dark colours and features, which are also seeing a rise in popularity.

'Black kitchen worktop', 'black pendant lights' and 'dark grey kitchen' all more than doubled in searches and look great as a grounding accent alongside softer shades.

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