Top Houzz Kitchen Renovation Trends For 2019

If you’re planning on remodeling your kitchen this year, these trends (in quotes) from leading online home design platform, Houzz, are worth considering. These are not style points, like mixed finishes on handles or faucets overtaking matching ones, as those details change faster, and are easier to change out, as well. These are longer-term trends that go to the longer-term value on the highest-valued space in your home.

• “Aging-in-place is top of mind among more than a third of baby boomers.” Changes that make this hard-working room easier to use as you get older will increase its functionality and potentially its resale value, since most American housing stock is not accessible. These renovations can include replacing a raised bar with a lowered counter for snacking at an island or peninsula, adding roll-out trays to base and pantry cabinets, adding under-cabinet lighting for brighter work surfaces, choosing a French door opening oven rather than a standard model, and widening walk and work aisles for future wheelchair or walker use. None of these improvements come at the expense of style either; an accessible kitchen can be as beautiful – or more so, given their well-lit spaciousness – than a standard version.
• Quartz countertops, sold under brand names like Silestone, Caesarstone and Cambria, are trending strongly. “Among the 93 percent who upgrade countertops, engineered quartz surpassed all of the natural stone materials combined in popularity, as granite continues a multi-year decline.” Why might you want engineered stone, rather than natural? While natural stone surfaces still have the edge on beauty – there is no finer designer than Mother Nature – they require more maintenance than their manufactured countertops. They also lack the multi-year warranties that quartz brands offer, and require sealing on a regular basis. Engineered quartz surfaces are non-porous, easy to clean and highly durable.
• Natural hardwood floors have also lost popularity to their engineered rivals. “Among the 69 percent who update flooring, only a quarter opt for natural hardwood, a significant decline from recent years. Instead, engineered flooring, such as engineered wood, vinyl and laminate, has become nearly twice as popular.” Engineered floors can be easier and more cost-effective to install, enhancing their popularity, and laminate and vinyl typically cost less than hardwood.
• It’s likely going to cost you more to remodel in 2019. “Spend has increased, coming in at $11,000 for a median kitchen renovation and $33,000 median spend for a major renovation of a large kitchen (more than 200 square feet), both a 10 percent increase from last year.” The reasons for that include rising building material costs, tariffs and labor shortages.
• “Given this financial investment, it’s not surprising that eight in 10 kitchen renovators hire a professional for their project, with general contractors and kitchen remodelers topping the list. One in five hire specialty service providers, such as electricians or plumbers directly, without a general contractor.” According to numerous surveys, Millennials are the likeliest group to take on projects without professional help – at least to start – with many use online tutorials for assistance. They are also the group predicted to take on the most kitchen improvement projects.