In its 2021 Kitchen Trends report, Houzz’s consumer insights on kitchen renovation coincide with those of the National Kitchen and Bath Association with transitional (21 percent), modern (15 percent) and contemporary (14 percent) styles topping consumer preferences. To read the full report, go to houzz.com.
According to Houzz, nearly a third of homeowners who renovate their kitchen report having a healthier lifestyle after the project. Almost all homeowners who renovate their kitchen cook in that space post-renovation and more than two-thirds also dine in their renovated kitchen. Of homeowners who are renovating their kitchen, more than half add an island or upgrade their existing island.
Among the 44 percent of renovating homeowners changing the layout of their kitchen, an L-shaped layout tops the list, followed by a U-shaped layout, a galley style and a single-wall layout — the latter is up three percentage points from the previous year. Among those who added or upgraded their kitchen island, 52 percent use it for dining. Other top activities at the island include entertaining (50 percent) and socializing (48 percent).
Kitchen Model Components
Cabinet Styles
Kitchen renovators overwhelmingly choose custom or semi-custom cabinetry (76 percent). The majority of renovating homeowners continue to choose Shaker-style doors for their upgraded cabinetry (57 percent). Flat-panel doors come in second (21 percent), followed closely by raised-panel styles (17 percent). More than one in 10 new or upgraded islands features a cabinet door style that contrasts that of the main cabinets. Storage elements in kitchen cabinets and pantries continue to trend high among consumers.
Island Lighting
Of renovating homeowners who add or upgrade a kitchen island, 93 percent choose to install new light fixtures above it. Pendant lights are the most common option above the island (62 percent), with recessed ceiling fixtures coming in a distant second (33 percent). When it comes to the number of light fixtures above the island, two and three are equally popular at 36 percent each, although more than 1 in 10 renovating homeowners installs four or more lights.
What About Faucets?
Seventy-nine percent of renovating homeowners upgrade or replace their faucet as part of their kitchen renovation though the percentage upgrading their faucet declined two points from 2020 and four points from 2019. Of the almost four out of five who upgrade their faucet, 76 percent install one at the kitchen sink and 7 percent install two at the sink. Islands often feature sinks as well, with one in five renovating homeowners installing one faucet at the island sink.
