I wasn’t surprised to hear that the most popular kitchen layout among U.S. homeowners undertaking a renovation is L-shaped. According to a recent Houzz.com survey, nearly 50 percent of homeowners changed or plan to change the layout of their kitchen as part of their remodeling plan. U-shaped kitchens were the second most popular layout followed by a galley layout. As a kitchen designer it’s tempting to always start with the L-shape but I always prefer considering first if there’s any way to do something different to improve the storage, counter space and clearances for my clients. I must admit however that the L-shape or U-shape usually turns out to be the most efficient.

The Houzz survey also revealed that open floor plan kitchens are another significant trend among homeowners remodeling their kitchens. I definitely see this with pretty much every client I encounter. In fact, I don’t recall anyone coming in and saying, “Can you make my kitchen more closed off and isolated from the rest of the house?” The women on my team and I all agree that to open up the kitchen space to other parts of the home is our client’s most coveted design detail. The Houzz survey confirms this: more than 50 percent of homeowners opt for opening the kitchen to other living areas, while 18 percent choose to open their kitchen space to outdoor spaces.

The average size of a kitchen remodel was 230 square feet. A reported 40 percent of homeowners opted to increase the size of their kitchen as part of their remodel. The top priority among homeowners in the survey and among our clientele is to create a kitchen that is both stylish and beautiful. In addition, our clients want a look that is timeless and neutral and stands the test of time. That’s the number one reason why our clients depend on our decades of experience and our close connection to what’s trending and what works best. We know how to ask the right questions to determine wants, needs and dreams. And we really listen, take notes and implement what we hear into our design.

A well-designed kitchen is an organized kitchen. The greatest source of buyer’s remorse among our clients is overlooking storage and accessories that make the kitchen easier to use and more beautiful. The top built-in and specialty storage amenities specified for American kitchens according to the survey are as follows:

• Pullout waste or recycling cabinets (67 percent)

• Cookie sheet/tray organizers (55 percent)

• Deep drawer organizers (45 percent)

• Pull/swing out trays/shelves (44 percent)

• Lazy Susans (44 percent)

• Spice organizers (42 percent)

• Cutlery organizers (40 percent)

• Utensil organizers (35 percent)

• Pots and pan organizers (34 percent)

• Small appliance garage/drawers (24 percent)

• Wine and/or bar cabinets (20 percent)

• Pull out corner drawers (19 percent)

• Dish organizers (18 percent)

And last, but definitely not least, the survey found that the most popular style of a new kitchen renovation was transitional, followed by contemporary and farmhouseWe would love to meet you and hear about your dream kitchen! Give us a call at 781-749-6777 or email us at info@thecabinetry.net.