Chickens, Chickens and more chickens. :oP

Actually I read that orange formica is back in, but frankly I'd avoid that like chicken fever..

I'd advise (because it's my thing) that you go with a non style. What I mean is, keep your surfaces classic (granite and stainless in my kitchen but that could translate to any stone) and your cabinets in either a basic painted wood (ie white or ivory) or natural wood like cherry, or oak (not pink or orange) and avoid heavily distressed or carved door styles. Stainless has been in for 30 years, and will continue to be in as long as professional kitchens use it (which will be beyond our lifetime).

If you look at my kitchen, it's an attempt to avoid any major trends (and yet it will eventually date itself as well, everything does). My subway tile is installed with a thick grout line verses thin. The walls are not "tuscan" but do harp back to older days, and the natural wood on the cabinets is pretty timeless. I do have chickens (cutting edge) but they're pretty basic and non-offensive. My counters are stainless, modern, but they're done in a more classic line and the lighting is all antique, so it's already out of style and ready to come back. Your kitchen lasts longer if it dosen't start in style :o)

Everything goes out of fashion, it's just a matter of time. A classic white and black kitchen alway plays well. A eclectic kitchen can avoid time as well, but the one way you'll surely date your kitchen immediately is to go high style. Think shiny red cabinets or glass counters, etc. When it's cutting edge, the edge eventually falls off, and much quicker than the middle :o)

I'm done with analogys tonight...unless you want to hear my "Why dog poop is like your mother in law" dissertation...

Actually, roosters were really in this year. My grandmother has been collecting them for a while and then I read about how "in" they are in a design magazine. Maybe chickens are next!

I say green materials-- it seems to be the "big" thing in a lot of industries (tech is the one I'm most familiar with). On the other hand if "green" means more expensive, I'm not sure if people would splurge.

Seems like soapstone has caught on quite a bit...

I agree with IglooChic (of course!)...go with classic. Then, if you want it to match the current "in thing," use accessories...they can easily be changed as fads come & go.

IglooChic...I think this is the first time I've seen everything "together". I've seen the individual pieces & in-progress pics, but it's nice to see it all come together...very nice! OK, I admit it, I was a little iffy about the chandelier, but seeing it with everything else, it really does add a nice touch! Good job!

I agree with the others - classic wins over trendy, everytime.

But if I had to predict what the "trendhunters" will say is the next big thing, I'd have to say it is black painted or dark stained cabinetry...not medium stain but dark, dark, dark. Why you ask? In reaction to all the white cabinets. They always tend to do the polar opposite of what's in favour just to create a "oh my gosh, that's so last year" feeling of frenzy and make us run out and change everything.

We'll see...

If you want it to last and minimize the dated effect, avoid the last big trend and the next big trend. I think quality cabinets in no "extreme" style - either classic white or a medium stained wood are a good bet. Popular as granite and stainless are now, they have not always been and won't always be. Stainless drifts in and out of popularity over time. Fridge/dishwashers with cabinet panel fronts seem to have sustained the test of time pretty well. I would try to invest in good quality, classic cabinetry and counters and appliances that could reasonably be replaced when they become dated (i.e. not such an investment that you feel you have to keep them the rest of your life)

I really think a "clean" kitchen look that has the appliances mostly concealed will be quite popular. Being part of the dining area with a fine furniture look might be nice. The only good part of my remodel budget being dwindled down and delayed was that I had to be open to more than my original ideal setup. This website has opened my eyes and mind to so many things I would off never considered before.

I also recommend trying to avoid trendiness in something that should last a long time, although what is readily available is often trend specific. Today's "hottest trend" is tomorrow's "what were they thinking?"

I think we all spot this on shows like Save My Bath and Spice Up My Kitchen. Some of those New Trends already seem a little past their prime.

Actually, some of the newest trends are what the laggers behind are currently tearing out. 1980s redux is already showing it's face, for good or bad.

I really have nothing to add, because I can't quit laughing long enough to think! Igloochic, I love your chickens, they are quiet and doing what chickens do and your kitchen is beautiful......but when I read your "Chickens, Chickens and more chickens" and then you mentioned the word orange, it reminded me of the wallpaper that was in my current kitchen when I first moved in (late 70s). The previous owner had "fixed it up" before selling. I hope these don't make a come back anytime soon! I'd be soooo disappointed I stripped the walls!! LOL I wish I had a picture of the whole kitchen with ALL it's chickens.

{{!gwi}}

From what I hear in addition to going green, people are also sizing down. Bigger isn't always better, and sometimes less is more. :c)

Sorry, Robin, I didn't mean to hijack. As you can see by the 70s wallpaper, you must be careful about which trends you choose! In addition to all the great comments (above the yellow and orange chicken post), if you go with materiels that you really like and are really comfortable with, you should have a kitchen that you will be happy with for a long time. At least that is what I keep telling myself as we are in the planning stages of a build of our forever house.

lyno, I'm a chicken freak and even I would've ripped out those chickens!!LOL

I agree that going green is probably going to be part of the future in just about every aspect of our lives, and downsizing will be part of the reality as well. I like the aspect of simplicity and avoiding hot trends, they do seem to have a limited shelf life. So MANY kitchens have so much to love about them- it's hard to pick. Truly anything will eventually date itself too. I guess I have to decide on what I love that will be easy to live with for a long time, even when trends come and go. I think natural wood, medium tone, with relatively simple panels, is always going to be a classic look (even if extreme colors or specialty finishes are hot) and to maybe look to accents that reflect individuality - I guess chickens will never go out of style!

Oh and I forgot - the one thing I'm noticing on the most gorgeous kitchens I see here - it's hard to say it exactly - but the total effect of the DESIGN of the space transcends any particular items, ie. cabinets, or counters or tile. It's like the Atmosphere is architecturally unique, or bold, or clean, but the pieces are not all individually the "star". There is an essential "plus" that combines them together to create a sum , better than the parts. Does that make sense? For example, igloochic's kitchen isn't merely about chickens or any individual part; some ( cabinets) are quite clean. What is that magical quality that keeps a kitchen from just becomming a collection of "best" predictable components available in the showroom? I think THATS what dates a kitchen. How do you get there?

Oh, very good, Robin! I can't predict a transient trend, but I think an enduring one will be the trend to good quality we've seen. And with that goes quality design. My recommendation would be to put your money into a proven, genuinely talented designer (NOT a cabinet salesperson!). This could mean putting money into such things as repositioning windows or raising the ceiling instead of expensive appliances, but the long-term payoff is much, much bigger.

P.S. We'll probably recover much faster from this economic crisis than the crash of 1929, but our recent craze for large, architecturally detailed and expensively outfitted homes is very similar to the one before that crash, and those homes have stayed desirable all through the last century (as long as they weren't too large for post-crash people to maintain or had their neighborhoods become less desirable for residential use).

I think good functional design that maximizes your footprint is never going to go out of style no matter what door style you select for your cabinets or what type of countertops you have. I also tend to think that a well executed kitchen with a design identity no matter where it falls on the budget continuum has some intrinsic value.

ALong the lines of the economic situation and its effect on our lifestyle choices, I think you're going to see kitchens becoming as functional, and multi-functional, as possible. People are going to want to get use out of as much of their home as possible, and with the trend of "staycations" there's going to be much more attention paid not only to the kitchen, but to all the rooms in a home, to become more a place you want to be. So based on that, I'd see trends for more integrated spaces, open concept, entertaining and multiple cook convenience and technology in the kitchens of the near future.

My eyes have opened so much since my OP, thanks to all your great comments!

It's becoming clear to me that just filling up a room with the latest or most expensive cabinets or appliances isn't where it's going to be.

Really good thought and planning of the open space as it serves the family users and their lifestyle in the home makes sense. Economically, big isn't going to be the only answer either. I like the ideas of individual and multifunctional. Great suggestions!

i'm thinking "green" is just another marketing scheme to further separate us from our money. and while the materials themselves might be green the production most likely is not.

and these "green" manufacturers have a lot of nerve. i found some recycled speckled glass "composite" tile at $130 a square. no information was provided to the retailer as to how this tile was produced, or what materials were added for binding.

if a company wants to market something green i would expect them to be serious about it and sell at a more reasonable price point as well as provide sufficient information for the consumer. there's nothing about recycled garbage that could possibly validate this cost.

i'm hoping the next trend will be for companies producing so called "green" products to realize we're not stupid.

i don't mean to be so down about going green. i just wonder if this isn't more about lining someone's pockets under the guise of sustainability and saving the environment, than promoting a healthier planet.

Contracts with alcohol dispensers attached for the construction period.

I think you will see more Euro-style, frameless cabinetry because of it's functionality.

I think the style of the house itself will continue to be a big factor in kitchen planning. And each generation's "past" will continue to play a role in choices. Many of us shy away from making choices similar to our parents' but our grandparents' style can pull at our heart strings like comfort food. Which means my daughter will be choosing knotty pine.

kateskouros--I share a similar distaste for the word "green." The word will mean nothing until it is defined and its use is regulated to match the parameters. Meanwhile it's a tactic to get people to blindly buy---like the consumers who thought they could lose weight with "fat free" without checking out the calorie content. I wholly applaud environmentally-aware choices but I do worry about smoke screens created by the way "green" is currently used in marketing.

I don't even consider chickens or roosters trendy in kitchens, at this point they're a staple, especially in a French Country/Provincial kitchen. Same with Pigs. (The key with both is to not overdo it.)

I'm thinking the next trend will be colored appliances resurfacing...hello avocado and bisque! I have also been seeing a LOT of fridges housed in armoire type cabinets, not just paneled to blend with surrounding cabinets. Love the look, but obviously not something the average jane can afford. I think among the upper crust this style will replace the paneled appliances.

Green isnt green if it involves removing something that is perfectly functional and replacing it.

An old toilet or refrigerator may be more wasteful of energy but replacing it adds to the landfill. Its a tradeoff.

The best way to be green is to do it right and do it once.

I think in terms of kitchens, perhaps the kitchen to put in is one that does Not reflect the current trends, but rather to pick something that goes with your house. I am not saying that if you live in a 1980 development that you have to do almond laminate cabinets with an oak edge pull, but they DO make cabinets that sort of reference that look. (As well as still making laminate cabinets with an oak edge).

At the risk of stating the obvious the issue of all things "green" emerges here in ways that are sometimes rather skewed. In certain posts you could just substitute the word "natural" with "expensive" and you wouldn't change the meaning of the post whatsoever. The procees for ripping stone out of the earth and processing it into countertops or tiles and then shipping it around the world has an environmental impact.

I am frequently stunned by the price point but I do like the looks of some of the new recyled materials.

Darn, I just ripped out all of the color in my kitchen - Harvest Gold appliances - which by the way were WAY better than the EXPENSIVE replacement ones (except, I love induction). The counter was yellow too. BUT, I've been seeing that yellow counter lately in some magazines - maybe a recyle from my kitchen...there certainly was enough of it.

I think Green will become the norm - like colors did before, and then black, and now stainless. In twenty years, the coal stoves may be back if they can figure out a way to make them less toxic to the air. I remember having one in my Aunt's house and her meals were GOOOOOOOOD! You see all of the old fashioned coming back, but they seem to be fitting in the more modern settings. Green would be good if they would shape up on quality and convenience. Hope so because it's too expensive to go that way now - that old supply and demand, and retro-fitting the plants where the stuff is made. Problem - it takes time to use Green the right way, and we all know there isn't much of that these days. That was the reason for leaving the green and natural, in the first place - convenience. After that, someone will realize that it takes too much time and we'll automatic and "more efficient" trends again. I say stay Classic and stick to what you can love for a while. By the time you fall out of love, it will be time for a remodel anyway.

caryscott: very true!

I wonder about the trendiness of it all. I remember in the 80's when the white or almond colored melamine cabinets, often with oak trim was popular. I *wanted* one of those kitchens! In fact, my apartment building went coop and they renovated the empty apartments that way - I was so jealous. Now those kitchens are in poor repair (they were never good-quality) and look incredibly dated. I see them as "before" pictures on this forum all the time.

In doing my own kitchen now, I wanted something more timeless, but I probably also fell into the trends of the day. I got shaker style doors - I was told by a KD in Manhattan that 90% of the kitchens she's done over the past few years have shaker style doors. (Seems to be an urban thing since many of the beautiful kitchens I see here on GW have raised panel doors.) I got stained wood with a glaze, which I understand is somewhat trendy - didn't actually want the glaze, but it was the only way to get the stain color I wanted. I got stone countertops (quartz) and SS appliances and tile floor and backsplash. The end result looks cool and contemporary and timeless to me *now*, but who knows what I or anyone else will think of it later. I envision someone looking at it in 10-20 years and saying with a chuckle, oh, kitchen circa 2009. (It's the shaker doors that will probably give it away. ;-))

So the next big trends in general? Based on the economy, I'm guessing this will be simpler, less ostentatious. Fewer luxury appliance brands, simpler finishes, less expensive-looking. I don't know if this means a trend from granite back to formica exactly, but something along those lines. Value for money, and less over-the-top wow factor.

I think that kitchens are going to trend much more contemporary/ modern with sleek, easy to clean finishes. More focus on bold splashes of color. More storage wall systems approaches/ multipurpose unfitted systems with a fitted look type of thing. (IOW, cabinetry that can be moved/ rearranged/ repurposed.)

Engineered stone counters (granite is so over done)
Simple cabinets without the corbels etc. (Think anti Clive Christian)
Functional spaces vs. ostentatious
Green, easy to care for materials
Chicken, roosters, etc. aren't trendy, just tacky (but if you love them, go for it)
Less really is more
Function over decoration
Appliances we need (not just want)

I always find these threads intriguing- and I enjoy watching trends from a pure bystander stance (kind of like sociological anthropological economics-marketing view -lol). while we all think we may be immune to trends and marketplace pressure, there are subtleties that still come through.
I do agree with one of the earlier posts suggesting that there will be more dark cabinetry as a response to all the white, light etc that is current-/ I think there always will be something evolving that feels newer or fresher. With all that said, I don't mean to suggest that people will feel the need to rip out what they ahve, but rather that it will start to be shown more in mags, model homes, new construction etc and that starts to filter out to the rest of us.
Me? I am still loving the natural oak cabs I selected in 1989.

I also read this with a chuckle. I lurk on this forum for ideas as my kitchen remodel is still years away. Everyone loves to feel that they are classic.... Me? My guess is that kitchens will get more streamlined/hidden. People cook so much less and less time is spent in there using it as a place of cooking, I think the goal will be to make the area as multifuncion as possible and remove the trappings of kitchen appliances, etc. The ever present island will be transformed into basically dining-gathering tables. We are already half there with kitchens opening up into the living space, separated by the island. Why not hide that stove/frige/sink so when you don't need it, you don't see it. So there will be more specially built cabinets.... the "Murphy bed" of kitchens...

Your probably right but there is a trend I just don't get (and I like contemporary small spaces). It's a kitchen there must be a fridge, a stove etc. What's the point of hiding it? Shhh this is the kitchen, don't tell anyone. Efficient I get but concealed is lost on me.

(BTW...I think the Shaker style is popular for a couple of reasons--#1, it's cheaper than the uber-fancy door styles with lots of trimwork and #2, it transcends from farmhouse country to Craftsman to modern...and it's a reaction against the raised panel oak that everyone had in the 80's with the arch at the top on the upper cabinets...)

I originally had picked out a super fancy, raised panel door style--almost matched my original 1870's built-ins in our dining room--white with a glaze, and it turns out it was the second to most expensive in the whole Wood-Mode collection (turns out, I did second to CHEAPEST door style in the BROOKHAVEN line, after getting a price on what I wanted...double, I think? maybe more?)

So maybe simple door style is popular because it's CHEAP!
:)
sarah

I would think during a recession, people focus on saving money. Say not eating out to save money. Making the kitchen more important than ever. Buying things in quanity when they go on sale. So storage space or pantry's would be a high priority. Children are living at home longer and multiple generations are living together now. You may need 3 or 4 microwaves to accomodate ALL those people. Dinning rooms, breakfast bars,dens and livingrooms may become obsolete. A kitchen with a BIG eating area doubling as a livingroom would be the new trend. Recycling as the worlds population grows may become more than "the right thing to do". Maybe it would be a law, to sort your trash before it could be picked up? So multiple trash bins, say 5 or 6 might be incorporated as a "new" trend? OR....maybe they will develop a trash zapper. It would zap the trash like on star trek into another dimension.....:0) We would all need one of those!!! lol

mom1993 - That's my kitchen now, and in the future too! Personal taste--regardless of trends or animal fetishes--will always dictate our kitchen choices. Your list could just as easily yield a fussy olde Europe style kitchen as a sleek modern cooking lab. It's all in how we envision it--and that's where the fun is.

As for the "trend" aspect, I agree that green will lead the way. We already see "green" makeovers on tv that involve ripping everything out and replacing with new, imported "green" elements. Ha ha, so very ironic, no?

Given that we cycle through styles, I wonder if we'll see a neo freestanding kitchen design aesthetic? The true olde European style of freestanding sideboards and hutches (like those cool napanee cabinets some GWers reuse). And even different countertop surfaces for different areas. That's hard to do without advance planning. I'd have a difficult time pulling it off in my U-shaped kitchen, even though I'm constantly re-doing it in my mind's eye.

I would think we'd be eating in our kitchens more, rather than less, in future. I doubt with this recession there'll be as much restaurant dining, and certainly less fast-food dining. Frankly, I get so disappointed when I eat out and realize I could have made a better meal myself, that I'm disinclined to eat out as much. So I see the modern kitchen as a multifunctional space that'll be for cooking, prepping, eating, watching TV, using the laptop, listening to music, spreading out projects, balancing the checkbook, etc. etc. How those functions get incorporated may differ, but it helps to think about making the kitchen a tech hub as well as a cooking/eating space.