"Trend" can be a dirty word when it comes to a home. Just ask housewives who lived through avocado stoves and wallpaper in the kitchen—hopping on a trend can date a home and make it harder to sell when it’s time. It can also become an eyesore if it’s not updated regularly. Who wants that?
There are, however, some trends that are worth considering. Things like smart appliances make sense, because they allow you to make the most of your home easily while also offering additional features/experiences you wouldn’t have without them (think of having your calendar appear on your fridge, for example, or getting an alert when someone leaves the freezer door ajar).
Other trends, like monochromatic color schemes, might not make as much sense. Trends like these—incredibly bold and singular—take commitment. Consider, for example, an all-black kitchen, cited by Architectural Digest as a 2021 kitchen design trend. If done well, adding black cabinetry to a kitchen can offer advantages: it can ground a space, add a certain level of gravitas, and even serve to separate one area from another in an open floor plan. Done poorly, however, it can look sterile and unwelcoming.
The solution? Working with your general contractor and designer to create a space that makes sense for you. In doing so, perhaps you consider black cabinet fronts but a warmer, brighter tile design or paint color. Or perhaps you look at a fun, unique flooring option rather than making such a bold cabinet statement.
The bottom line is this: trends are good when they truly work for your space and your lifestyle. If they don’t, following them just for the sake of being trendy doesn’t make sense. And, sometimes, making that distinction requires the help of someone who understands design, construction, and the market in your area. If you work with someone who speaks all of those languages and is up to date on current trends, you can navigate these decisions with an assurance that, in a few years, you won’t dread spending time in a space you once thought was cutting-edge.
This is super important in a kitchen and dining area. Think about it: this is the space people gravitate to. It’s the space you prepare food to nourish your family, the space the kids gather at to have snacks or do homework. It’s where family meetings and important conversations often take place.
The kitchen is the heart of the home. For that reason, there’s no better place to both showcase who you are, through design. For it to feel like your kitchen, it needs to work for you both functionally and it needs to be beautiful. When you’re thinking about adopting a 2021 design trend, whether it’s a bold accent color or a contemporary accessory, think first about how you use your space and how you feel (or want to feel) when you’re in it.