The list below includes seven trends from the Houzz survey followed by three from the association. Some Orange County, Calif., kitchen designers also weighed in, as well as residents who’ve managed to wrap up their renovations, as it turns out, just in time for the holidays.
Here’s what’s hot:
1. Chef’s stoves. A professional-grade range — a stove with options such as a flat griddle or a cooktop to accommodate a searing pan or a wok — topped kitchen wish lists in the Houzz survey; 32 percent of respondents selected them as their dream appliance.
“What a consumer looks at, even if they don’t cook, is it looks cool,” Nassetta said.
Double ovens garnered 18 percent. Other high-end features such as induction cooktops, wine refrigerators and convection ovens seemed to matter far less. Only 4 percent of respondents considered warming drawers a priority.
2. Eco-friendly features. Nearly half of those surveyed — 49 percent — said using eco-friendly appliances and materials in their kitchens is important.
While a variety of Energy Star-recommended appliances and green-certified building products are on the market, eco-friendly changes also can be as simple as using cloth rather than paper towels, replacing plastic containers with glass, or using non-toxic cleaners, Houzz contributors note.
3. Granite and quartz countertops. Most respondents — 94 percent — said they’re changing their countertops. Granite still rocks, topping the list at 50 percent, but quartz is a rising star, coming in at 36 percent. Marble only drew 10 percent. Tile got a paltry 2 percent.
Quartz countertops are resistant to stains and scratches and are easy to take care of, kitchen designers say. “They’re pretty bulletproof,” said Mike Close, president of Spinnaker Development in Newport Beach, which designs, builds and remodels custom homes.
David and Apryl Imboden went with Caesarstone, a quartz product, for the countertops as part of an extensive kitchen remodel on an Orange, Calif., house they bought in June. “With granite you’ve got to seal it and take care of it and can’t put certain things on the countertop,” David Imboden said. “I just wanted a countertop that you don’t have to think about.”
