2011 Kitchen Trends

I've been thinking about painting my kitchen cabinets white for months, but it turns out white cabinets aren't the hot trend anymore!  The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has released their list of 2011 kitchen trends.  They polled over 100 designers to see what kitchen trends they were using for their customers and what they expect to be popular in 2011.

Here are the top 2011 kitchen trends:

Shaker Style Kitchen Cabinets

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Traditional style kitchen cabinets are still the most popular, but Shaker style cabinets had a big rise in popularity in 2010 and are now the second most popular style.  Look for this style of kitchen cabinetry to keep gaining popularity.


Dark Kitchen Cabinet Finishes

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Here I am still dreaming of a bright white kitchen, but it turns out dark natural cabinet finishes are now more  popular than medium natural, glazed, or white painted cabinet finishes.


Kitchen Wine Storage

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Wine refrigerators dipped in popularity, but unchilled wine storage in the kitchen is becoming more popular.  Other built in kitchen features like tall pantries, lazy Susans, and pull-out racks are all still super popular, but declined in popularity in 2010.


French Door Refrigerators 

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I haven't seen very many French door refrigerators in homes yet, but look for this to keep gaining popularity.  Among the NKBA designers, French door fridges are the most popular.


Induction Cooktops

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Gas and electric cooktops are still the most popular, but induction cooktops are gaining in popularity.


LED Kitchen Lighting

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Designers are choosing energy efficient LED lighting more and more over traditional incandescent lighting.

Hidden Kitchen Trash

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Under cabinet and pull-out trash and recycling containers have also gained in popularity.  I'm all for this trend, my kitchen trash can is out on display and I always wish I had space in the kitchen to hide it away.

So those are the top 7 kitchen trends to watch out for in 2011, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association.  It's fun to be the one with the newest hottest trend, but when it comes to the kitchen (and the hefty price tag that usually comes with kitchen upgrades) I personally prefer a classic look that will be in style for a long time.  Do you agree with these top kitchen trends?  Do you like having the newest trend in your home or are you like me and prefer the tried and true?

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