It’s no secret that the kitchen is our favorite room in the house. The kitchen is where you spend a large portion of your time, and it’s a prime gathering space for family time and holidays. Making the kitchen functional (and beautiful!) is a necessity for virtually all home buyers and renovators. But where to start? We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite trends and styles in kitchens right now so you don’t have to!

Natural Elements

This applies to our projects in general, not just kitchens – but we love incorporating natural elements in our homes. Wood beams, shelving, and leather bar stools all add beautiful interest to otherwise neutral kitchens.

Pops of Color

Speaking of neutral kitchens, of course, we love them. But a well-placed pop of color is such a nice touch in any kitchen. Try a bold colored island or subtle cabinet color to add just the right amount.

Open shelving

Open shelves in the kitchen are a great way to add visual interest and extra space for decorating, but a lot of people are scared away by open shelving (how do you hide away dishes that aren’t shelf-worthy?!). Luckily, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Try adding a few shelves along with traditional cabinets to incorporate the style without having everything on display.

Statement backsplash

A backsplash is a great opportunity to break up a neutral space with some color or texture. We love a bold backsplash as a finishing touch in any kitchen.

Range hoods

A lot of our clients opt for a bold or custom range hood in the kitchen, and we can see why! They’re beautiful and functional, too.

Islands

Kitchen islands are nothing new, but they play such a crucial role in adding work space, seating and storage space to a kitchen. Not to mention a big, bold island is a great visual centerpiece for a space.

Mixed Materials

It’s so important in a monochromatic or neutral room to mix it up as much as possible with texture. For this reason, we love using mixed materials! Try mixing wood, marble, tile, and metals for a cohesive look that is far from boring.

Cabinet/drawer pulls

It’s hard to believe that something as small as drawer pulls can make a difference in a kitchen design, but they absolutely do. They can add a ton of visual interest and contrast to the cupboards and the whole space in general. Picking out the correct cabinet or drawer pulls for a kitchen can seem intimidating, but we put together a whole post about it to help you out! Check it out here for all the details on our favorite pulls.

What are your kitchen must-haves? Come over to our Instagram @AlmaHomes and let us know, and make sure to share your favorite kitchens with us, too!

Photography: Laura Rae Photography, Spacecrafting Photography, Sarah Olfelt Photo, Alma Homes