We’ve come a long way from the blue-green manufactured countertop of the past. More and more people are ditching the outdated vibes in their kitchen, starting with the countertop.
When you walk into a store or look online at the choices, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Check out our top kitchen counter trends to get a feel for what you like.
Textured not Polished
There’s a big trend right now with making things Matte- that is, not shiny. From lipsticks to nail polish, this anti-gloss trend is taking hold. The beauty industry lent this trend to the kitchen interior design industry as well.
We’re seeing more and more sealed low-shine options like concrete slabs and textured stones. In most cases, you have to seal the material with something to keep it safe and easy to clean.
You can do this with a something called a “honed finish”. It has little to no shined but hides scratches, since it doesn’t attract light to them. You can use honed finished well on natural stone choices as well as cement.
The other option you have for keeping things matte is a leather-ed finish. This newer to the game finish isn’t glossy at all but does lend a light sheen. It feels different, more like the texture of natural stone.
It hides fingerprints and spots well, but not so many scratches or cracks.
However, it keeps the stone’s natural color more prominent than something glossier. The finish you choose for your home is up to you.
Keep in mind that a heavy gloss is more protective, so anything else will have a shorter lifespan. It’s not too cost prohibitive to get things resealed.
Quartz Counter Tops
Quartz is a stone that occurs in a lot of climates naturally. It’s related to sandstone but has a much higher shine. If you think about quartz, rose quartz or geodes probably come to mind.
You can get a giant geode slice for your kitchen, but you’ll pay out the nose for it. Quartz slabs aren’t as fancy as agate or quartz slices. They look like a fainter marble, but much less expensive.
There are lots of color choices in Quartz countertops too. You can find the perfect neutral shade that will tie your kitchen together.
Unfortunately, Quartz is porous, which means it stains and gets dirty. You can seal it, but you it’ll wear off with regular use and cleaning products.
It’s no big deal though, you can re-seal it. Ask yourself if the higher-maintenance is worth the drop in price. It probably is, but we can’t make that call for you.
Full of Personality
When you’re shopping for new countertops, you want to look for something with character. In this day and age, that means marble and quartz veins.
The people at International Granite and Stone are no longer calling these imperfections. Now details in marble and stone slabs are all the rage. It gives the room some interest and the eye a focal point.
It’s also a good way to bring another color into your kitchen. Essentially, nature did the color coordinating for you. There’s your color palette with your accent color right there!
Mother Earth is a master decorator.
Dropped Sinks
If you walk into most houses built before 2010 right now, you’ll see a metal sink, with a sink lip attaching it to the countertop. That trend is dying off.
Designers are loving the continuity of a dropped sink. That means there’s no lip separating the sink from the countertop. Instead, the sink fits under and the hole for it cuts right into the counter slab.
Minimalist faucet styles look best with dropped sinks, though don’t be afraid to install something high tech. Have you seen those touch-activated faucets? Too cool!
Herringbone Wood
Yes, you can have wooden countertops. Make sure to invest in a lot of cutting boards!
The classic herringbone style wood pattern looks great atop any cabinets. It’s neutral but detailed, making it something you can style with but also style around.
Look for a lighter wood. Anything too dark will show dents and scratches. Make sure it’s well sealed and ask the installers when you need to reseal it.
Backsplash
There are some cool things people did with backsplash in the eighties. . . fruit basket tiles anyone? Thankfully, we’re moving away from that.
The new trend for the backsplash isn’t that four inches of the same counter material jutting up against the wall anymore. People are using subway tile or something fancier that sits flush with their counter edge.
It gives you a little more space to work, but looks more continuous, even with a change in material. They’re easier to clean than those four-inch counter material – then regular paint walls too!
Look for a tile color that’s in the same range as your countertop, but isn’t the same.
Complimentary Trends
People aren’t buying new countertops only. We’re seeing more modern looking cabinets and fridges that blend into the decor. In some houses, you can’t even tell where the fridge is, save for the size of the door.
Handle-less cabinets are still a trend, with better grips to the side than older styles of this type. They’re coming in newer materials, some which are matte but harder to clean. Make sure you check that your cleaning products are safe for these new materials!
Kitchen Counter Trends
In 2018, we’re seeing kitchen counter trends that focus on the natural beauty and shine of the stones they’re cut from. Less glossy finishes and less obsession for perfection are on the rise, shoving perfection-only ideas into the past.
Dropped sinks and subway tile backsplash finish out the trend list, followed by some new (probably Ikea) cabinets.
Need some inspiration, check out the kitchen section of our interior design blog. See you there!