Trends

Living Green: Creating a Sustainable Kitchen Design
Living Green: Creating a Sustainable Kitchen Design 2560 1710 Chris & Dick's | an ILG Company

If you’re planning a kitchen remodel, you may be wondering how to achieve a sustainable kitchen design.

Fortunately, as people increasingly see the value in caring for our planet – such as creating a healthier environment, saving money on utilities, and just plain doing the right thing – incorporating sustainability into the home is becoming more prevalent, affordable and achievable. As a result, “green” principles are finding their way into every room of the house, including the kitchen.

And more good news: creating a sustainable kitchen doesn’t have to be stressful or difficult if you follow the fundamentals. The professional design team at Chris & Dick’s has years of experience in helping people renovate their kitchen in a way that is ecologically sound. Here are the main points they recommend as you embark on this process.

1. Choose sustainable products.

When you’re building a green kitchen, the materials you incorporate matter. For the most sustainable kitchen design, whenever possible choose products made from eco-friendly materials such as reclaimed wood, linoleum or cork for flooring; non-toxic paint for walls and cabinets; and fabrics made from recycled plastic for window coverings.

As for countertops, quartz is highly sustainable since it is the second most abundant mineral on the planet and is easily and efficiently mined. Granite also rates high for sustainability as it is completely natural and does not require harmful toxins or chemicals to quarry and finish it. Marble, another natural material, is an environmentally sound choice – as long as you choose a timeless design that you can live with for a long time. The high durability and long-lasting beauty of all of these countertop materials means you won’t be forced to replace them due to wear for many years.

2. Go with energy-efficient appliances.

Sustainable appliances do more than just conserve our natural resources – they also help lower your utility bills. Look for Energy Star status and strong performance ratings on your dishwasher and refrigerator choices to get the most bang for your buck and save money for the long term.

Also, don’t think you have to sacrifice style for sustainability in your kitchen appliances. Today’s most attractive appliances are also vying to be the most energy efficient because consumers’ call for sustainability is growing increasingly louder. That means you’ll have lots of options to choose from that are stylish, perform well, and are eco-friendly.

3. Set up a station for recycling, composting and trash.

While buying new “green” products is a wonderful way to create a sustainable kitchen, the main principles of resource conservation – reduce, reuse and recycle – also apply.

To that end, you may wish to set up an area in your kitchen design for separate trash, recycling and composting containers. Designate a section of the kitchen that isn’t especially obtrusive but still easily visible and accessible to everyone in the home, such as in an alcove or nook, next to an island or under the sink.

Once this area is established, read up on what is recyclable in your city and brush up on your composting basics so you’ll know how to treat different types of waste. Because composting and recycling have evolved into the mainstream, finding composting and recycling bins that work with your kitchen design and décor has become much easier.

4. Bring the green indoors.

Incorporating something living will further connect you to your mission of creating a sustainable kitchen.

In addition to potted or hanging plants, consider adding a windowsill herb garden or even planting an indoor vegetable garden. Multiple products are now available to help you grow indoor edible gardens successfully in your kitchen.

As a bonus, consider flora-themed wallpaper or accessories to punch up the green theme and tie in your décor with your other sustainable kitchen renovation efforts.

Creating a sustainable kitchen design can be fun and easy if you know a few basic principles. By choosing sustainable products and energy-efficient appliances; setting up a station for recycling, composting and trash; and bringing outside greenery indoors, you can reap the rewards of a sustainable kitchen design for many years to come.

Pulls, Latches, and Knobs: Demystifying Cabinet Hardware Selection
Pulls, Latches, and Knobs: Demystifying Cabinet Hardware Selection 2560 1707 Chris & Dick's | an ILG Company

Cabinet hardware is probably not the first thing you think of when planning a kitchen or bathroom remodel.

However, at some point after the big decisions on countertops, flooring, cabinetry, lighting, appliances and wallcoverings are out of the way, you will be faced with choosing how to open your cabinets and drawers. And even though it may seem minor, selecting cabinet hardware is a big decision, too. Think of it this way: you and your family will look at and touch those pulls, knobs or latches every day. They should reflect your tastes, match the style of the room – and last a long time.

Before this revelation revs up any indecisiveness, rest assured that the designers at Chris & Dick’s are here to help. Our seasoned team of professionals has been assisting homeowners in making decisions on their home renovation projects for more than 60 years. They’ve put together the following tips for demystifying cabinet hardware selection.

 

1. Go for contrast.

While not the most obvious element in the room, hardware is allowed to sing out and be noticed. To achieve this, choose hardware that stands out by contrasting the colors with your cabinets, countertops, flooring and walls.

For example, drawer pulls with a black matte finish work great against white or cream cabinets and walls and light hardwood or plank flooring. Brushed nickel knobs—although not a new trend—are always in fashion, so pair them with dark natural or painted wood cabinets for a refreshing bit of contrast.

Think of your hardware as an accent piece, one that will complement the main elements of the room without disappearing within them.

2. Consider durability.

Let’s face it—cabinet hardware gets a lot of use (and potentially abuse). To meet this rigorous demand, it must be durable in material, color and design. In this way, form and function need to work together in your cabinet hardware choices.

For example, while you might like the clean look of white wooden knobs to match your white wooden cabinets, they might not be the best option if you have young children. Instead, select a material and color that can withstand being touched frequently with sticky/dirty hands, like copper, brass or metal-plated pulls or knobs in darker, more forgiving tones.

It’s also important to know which form of cabinet hardware—knobs, pulls, and latches—will last the longest in your renovated room. Knobs tend to come loose more easily than pulls, which distribute the force of opening cabinets and drawers across a wider area. Pulls and handles have become popular choices in today’s home designs because they look current and give cabinets and drawers a sturdier feel. While latches are a quaint option commonly seen in modern farmhouse looks, they can be impractical on all your cabinets – working a latch each time you want a plate gets old, and the likelihood of a latch breaking increases the more it’s used; instead, save latches for rarely used cabinets so they serve more for form than function.

3. Match hardware to the style of the room.

 Hardware choices can really add character to your room design. The trick is knowing which hardware styles will enhance rather than detract from the look you want to create.

When making these decisions, think about the vibe of the room and whether the hardware matches that vibe. For example, if you’re going for a modern look, oversized drawer pulls that range from 6 to 21 inches long lend a minimalist feel to the room that aligns with the modern sensibility. These longer pulls can be used vertically for tall cabinets and horizontally for large drawers.

As for finishes, matte black – an updated take on dark finishes – works for classic and retro styles, while metallics like gold and copper add warmth to country and rustic looks.

Selecting your cabinet hardware during a home renovation doesn’t have to be a difficult or stressful process. If you go with contrast, consider durability, and match the hardware to the style of the room, you’ll be set up to choose hardware that harmonizes with all of your other home remodeling decisions.

How to Add Shades of Green to Your Kitchen Design
How to Add Shades of Green to Your Kitchen Design 1080 811 Chris & Dick's | an ILG Company

From chartreuse to avocado to teal, green is a trending color in today’s kitchen design.

Green is a great hue to incorporate into your kitchen design because it can evoke many positive emotions, including a sense of peace, calm, happiness and wellbeing. One of the reasons for this is that green mimics the tones you would see outside in nature – and human beings crave a connection with nature in their everyday lives. It only makes sense to add this color to a room you visit as often as your kitchen.

Still, no matter how much you love green, you want the color to enhance the room without making it look garish. How do you achieve the right balance?

The professional design team at Chris & Dick’s handled this question countless times over the 60+ years our firm has been in business. From their deep well of experience, they offer the following tips on adding shades of green to your kitchen design.

1. Play with green in your cabinets.

Whether you decide to go bold with Kelly green or subtle with a sage hue, colorful cabinets are one of the latest kitchen trends. Green cabinets create a harmonious look since the shade matches nicely with the browns, greys and taupes in today’s hardwood or vinyl plank flooring and neutral-toned walls and countertops.

You can achieve different effects with green cabinets by changing up the hardware. For example, if your cabinets are dark green, brass or wooden drawer pulls lend warmth. Lighter shades like grey-green or lime look fresh with silver-toned, black or white hardware.

And remember: adding just a few green cabinets while leaving the rest neutral is a more subdued, two-toned approach that will still give the room a pop of color and character.

2. Install a green island.

Speaking of pops of color, your kitchen island is a great place to add green. While your countertops should be mostly neutral-toned so as not to overpower the room, your island cabinets can reflect your personal sense of style and fun. Why not do that by installing an island in your favorite shade of green, whether it’s pale cool green, forest, or something in between?

If an entire green island is bolder than you’d like, you can always just accent the ends or even just the drawer facings. Pair it with granite countertops that have green veins and colorings to emphasize the color without overdoing it.

3. Consider a green accent wall or alcove.

A wall or corner of the room is one of the best places in your kitchen to introduce green. This use of color lends dimension and interest to a room without overwhelming it – and it is also very much in vogue in today’s kitchen designs.

A bright fern or jungle green accent wall or alcove will really stand out against white or cream walls and cabinets, whereas paler shades such as artichoke or honeydew are more relaxing. Choose a shade that complements the colors of other elements in the room, such as seating, lighting fixtures, bowls or artwork.

If an accent wall or alcove isn’t feasible, consider adding green in your backsplash or trim for another way to incorporate this color into your kitchen.

4. Think living things.

Before committing to any of the above suggestions, you can “audition” green in your kitchen by adding plants.

A large potted ficus, herb garden, or hanging plant is a nice way to bring the outdoors in and incorporate some of nature’s green into your kitchen design.

Be sure the places you add greenery allow the appropriate amount of sunlight to reach the plants, and keep up with food and watering to ensure they remain healthy.

Don’t have a green thumb? Silk plants can look just as beautiful in your kitchen without any upkeep.

Green is a gorgeous color to integrate into your kitchen remodel. By playing with green cabinets, installing a green island, adding a green accent wall or alcove, and including some plant life, you can incorporate green into a kitchen design you’ll love for many years.

Color Tips for Your Kitchen or Bathroom Remodel
Color Tips for Your Kitchen or Bathroom Remodel 1080 608 Chris & Dick's | an ILG Company

One of the first things everyone notices about a kitchen or bathroom remodel is the color palette. In fact, a simple color change can alter the entire look of a room.

Color heavily influences our perceptions about a space and can even affect our mood, so it’s important when completing a kitchen or bathroom remodel to choose colors that best enhance the room and have the impact you intend.

But how can you be sure you’re making the right color decisions?

Since Chris & Dick’s has been around for more than 60 years and has seen home color trends come and go, our team of design professionals knows a lot about helping people choose colors for a home renovation. Here they offer tips for picking the right colors for your kitchen or bathroom remodel.

1. Don’t be afraid to go bold with your cabinets…

It may sound counterintuitive to place assertive tones in two of the most-used rooms of the home, but bold-hued cabinets can work really well in kitchens and bathrooms.

Cabinets in dark or saturated shades serve as pops of color that truly liven up a neutral-toned room and give it extra character. Be bold – your kitchen or bathroom may be the perfect place for navy blue or forest green cabinets or, you can even mix and match by going the two-toned route.

If you prefer a more conservative look with white or neutral cabinets, you can always use more robust tones in other elements of the room. Black cabinets in a white or cream room also make a dramatic statement, but be aware that you will need to be more diligent about keeping dust in check.

2. …but not necessarily with your countertops.

When choosing a countertop color, our designers say it’s best to opt for neutral shades because they’re much more versatile than bright hues. After all, you’ll likely be living with your countertop color choices for many years – let’s be real, how long will your love for a purple hued counter last? If you want to change up your room’s color palette some time down the road, a neutral-hued countertop won’t limit your options.

Neutral shades range from the brightest white to black – and all of these tones can serve as the perfect backdrop to your cabinet and wall color choices. Black or dark grey countertops contrast beautifully with almost any color in the rainbow and are very much in vogue these days.

Quartz, granite, and marble are the most popular materials for countertops today, and they are generally all neutral in color. Many of these materials feature interesting markings and striations that lend additional color making them even more unique.

3. Let the walls be your canvas.

Believe it or not, kitchen and bathroom walls can be just about any color you want them to be if paired appropriately with your cabinets, countertops, and other colors in the room.

Light-toned neutral walls are perfect for showing off beautiful cabinetry, where you can get more creative with pops of color as mentioned above. They also let well-chosen countertops, appliances, and lighting fixtures shine without competing against a gorgeous backsplash.

On the other hand, brightly colored painted or wallpapered walls can be a fun and refreshing addition to your home if your cabinets are a neutral shade. Keep in mind that most kitchen and bathroom walls are broken up by appliances, windows, furnishings, and accent pieces, so you are not likely to have a big empty wall with a color that’s too vivid, which could be jarring. Instead, these colors serve as borders and complements to the other elements of the room.

Also remember that a space painted in a lighter color will look and feel larger than the same space in a more saturated tone, while you can make a spacious room feel cozier by choosing a stronger shade of paint or wallpaper. Additionally, the amount of light in the room – both natural and artificial – will impact how big or small the room feels.

4. Pay attention to the experts … and yourself.

Experienced home design professionals can be extremely helpful when making color choices for a kitchen or bathroom remodel and helping you discover your own tastes and preferences.

Chris & Dick’s seasoned design team is deeply experienced in giving color advice, so you’ll get an unbiased opinion and some expert guidance to help you pick the perfect colors for your remodel. They also understand that you are the ultimate decisionmaker in your home design choices, and they will encourage you to choose colors you love.

Do you adore red, have a passion for midnight blue, or swoon over sunflower yellow? Allow that passion to inform your color choices, and let your own sense of style lead the way.

While choosing colors for a kitchen or bathroom remodel can seem daunting, there are ways to make the process more fun and less intimidating. By daring to go bold with cabinets, keeping countertops neutral, letting the walls be your canvas, and seeking some expert guidance while letting your own style shine through, you can choose colors that you will love long after your renovation project is complete.

Tips for Achieving Your Perfect Kitchen Style
Tips for Achieving Your Perfect Kitchen Style 2560 1566 Chris & Dick's | an ILG Company

It’s time for a remodel of one of the most important rooms in your home: the kitchen. If you’ve been poring over decorating magazines, Pinterest boards, and design websites, you may be more confused than ever about how to create your ideal look. Given the wealth of options, how do you achieve the kitchen style that’s perfect for you?

Fortunately, Chris and Dick’s knows how to help people wade through the options and attain their ideal kitchen style. As a resource for guiding homeowners toward reaching their renovation goals for more than 60 years, we are highly experienced in dialing down the stress of making these important decisions and assisting customers in achieving the home design of their dreams.

While the list of possible kitchen styles is long, here are a few of the most popular styles today and our recommendations for how to bring them to life in your home.

1. Classic—The enduring quality of a classic look is one of the reasons why this kitchen design is so popular. Classic kitchens are always in style because they are clean and simple, and part of their attractiveness is that classic main elements – cabinets, countertops, and appliances – can be combined with non-classic components like furniture, accessories, and lighting to create a customized look.

For a classic kitchen design, choose white or cream cabinets; white or black countertops in quartz, granite, or marble; and light-toned wall colors. Architectural details should be simple and understated, and black or bright accents lend contrast. Add in a few of your own special touches and meaningful pieces to achieve a classic kitchen style that has your own personal stamp on it.

2. Rustic—While this delightfully imperfect genre has been around for a while, its appeal is still fresh. In fact, the rustic style is equally as popular as a classic kitchen is today. Many homeowners are drawn to rustic designs for the richness and implied history they impart as well as their forgiving nature, as scratches and flaws are inherent in this style.

Since distressed materials are a hallmark of the rustic look, choosing reclaimed wood for your countertops will fit right in with your theme, be better for the environment, and is generally more affordable. As for your cabinets, lighter colors such as off-white, light grey or light blue, combined with the wooden countertops creates a vibrant, rustic feel.

You might also consider brick and timber components to add texture and visual interest to the room, and vintage appliances and fireplaces make for great conversation pieces in a rustic kitchen as well.

3. Farmhouse—The farmhouse look has gained traction in our high-tech society as people enjoy being reminded of simpler times. This warm style is comforting and inviting and works great in today’s kitchens.

To achieve the farmhouse style in your kitchen, choose wide and deep sinks with quartz, marble, or granite countertops, paired with a degree of open shelving for displaying decorative kitchenware.

While wooden countertops also align well with this style, opting for a quartz, granite, or marble option will give you durability and aesthetic appeal. Save the wood for your cabinets, flooring, or a nice big kitchen table that is workable, beautiful, and can accommodate guests or a large family easily.

Although primary colors tend to work well in farmhouse-style kitchens, softer shades like cream, white, and pale yellow can really open up and enlarge the room.

4. Industrial—A little bit modern and a little bit retro, an industrial-style kitchen has an almost masculine look and feel while offering affordability and versatility.

To pull off an industrial look in your kitchen, choose quartz, granite, or marble countertops in cool colors, combined with dark grey, white, or brown cabinets. Although a small detail, the handles on your cabinets can really make a difference in creating the industrial look. Sleek cabinet options work well, however one should opt for decorative handles in a copper or cast-iron finish for a true industrial appearance.

Brick walls and exposed-steel surfaces can further enhance the look of an industrial kitchen. Pops of color, such as red, also work well to brighten up the design and add an edgy feel.

Achieving your perfect kitchen style can be a fun adventure if you follow some basic rules and then let your intuition guide you. The help of an experienced kitchen-design professional can help save you time and money, as well. Whether you choose a design that’s classic, rustic, farmhouse, industrial (or other popular looks like coastal, cottage, contemporary, traditional, or modern), infuse the space with your own unique flair, and you’ll achieve a kitchen remodel that reflects your singular style.

Using White and Grey to Shake Things Up in Your Kitchen Remodel
Using White and Grey to Shake Things Up in Your Kitchen Remodel 1500 1000 Chris & Dick's | an ILG Company

Trying to decide which colors to use in your kitchen remodel? Why not consider white and grey? This duo is one of the freshest, most versatile, and bold new kitchen color combinations that’s currently trending.

Since they’re both neutrals, the combo of white and grey adds a modern touch to any kitchen. As we know, there are many shades of grey, and when your favorite shade is paired with white, this color palette provides the perfect backdrop to your own sense of style.

The grey-and-white trend has been years in the making – after helping countless customers design their dream kitchens with this dynamic duo, Chris & Dick’s seasoned designers are excited to share their ideas, tips and tricks on how to use this color pairing to create the kitchen remodel of your dreams.

1. Choose a quartz countertop.

White countertops and grey countertops are trending the most right now, especially in the veined quartz look. In fact, quartz is the most in-demand material for countertops today due to its rich look and durability.

One of the most interesting aspects of quartz is the different colors that appear in the stone’s striations. You can easily replicate one or more of these colors in a backsplash, accent wall or accessories for a pulled-together look that really pops.

When opting for quartz, have a plan in place to keep this surface clean and unmarred: wipe up spills as soon as possible and protect the stone with an appropriate gentle cleaner, used regularly.

2. Combine grey cabinets with a white room.

Pairing a white room with grey cabinets is a great way to use these neutrals together in an eye-catching kitchen design.

Charcoal cabinets with white walls and a light-grey countertop make for a combination that’s new and exciting. Other great shades for cabinets are steel, blue-grey, green-grey and slate-grey.

Extra visual interest can come in the form of whimsical drawer pulls, cabinets with glass doors, or a mosaic-tile backsplash.

3. Pump up the volume with pops of color.

Color pops add eye appeal to any kitchen, no less a grey and white one.

Neutral combos like this one cry out for pops of color such as red trim, a vase of purple lilacs, or sunny yellow chairs or barstools.

Strategically place pops of color judiciously throughout the room to complement the grey and white tones that dominate rather than compete with them. The result is warm, inviting, and pleasing to the eye.

 4. Accent with metal.

Metals work spectacularly with grey and white, deepening these neutral shades. While silver is a natural metallic accompaniment to these colors, gold and bronze add warmth and depth to a grey and white kitchen design as well.

From stainless-steel sinks to gold cabinet handles to bronze-fronted appliances, you can introduce metals to your grey and white kitchen design in so many ways. It’s a great method for adding a new dimension to your remodel, one that can be personalized to your own signature style.

White and grey is the emerging color combo for kitchens this year, and it’s easy to incorporate into your kitchen remodel. By choosing a quartz countertop, combining grey cabinets with a white room, adding pops of color and accenting with metals, you can achieve a dream kitchen redesign that hits all the right notes.

New Year, New Look: 5 Kitchen Design Trends for 2021
New Year, New Look: 5 Kitchen Design Trends for 2021 2560 1921 Chris & Dick's | an ILG Company

One of the most exciting things about January is planning new projects or “refreshes” for your home – especially the kitchen, the most-used room in your house. For inspiration on this journey, a great place to start is with the top kitchen design trends for the new year.

While many kitchen design trends carry over from the end of one year to the beginning of the next, each new year presents an opportunity for out-of-the-box twists on an enduring trend as well as some fresh trends we haven’t seen before. Knowing what these trends are helps us plan a space that is both current and unique to your specific needs and tastes.

Our team of professional designers at Chris & Dick’s are privy to the hottest new home décor trends to take the stage every year. Given their knowledge and expertise in this arena, we’ve assembled the following five trends to help jumpstart your kitchen design projects for 2021.

1. White and grey countertops

Whatever other color choices you make for your kitchen, white and grey will go with just about any of them. These two neutral tones are perfect for countertops, one of the “anchors” of your kitchen décor.

A veined marble countertop look incorporates both white and grey and is an especially popular trend for 2021. While marble is one of the most desired countertop looks, it is also one of the priciest materials. The white and grey veined look can be found in more budget-friendly materials such as quartz and granite, which can be easier to clean as well.

Remember that with neutrals like white and grey, you can always add pops of color via paint, trim, and accessories that really punch up the look of your kitchen and give it a fresh new ambiance.

2. Open shelving

This year’s kitchens will have a major emphasis on open shelving. This trend follows the “farmhouse living” style that has been growing in popularity recently.

While open shelving presents an easy new way to show off dishes and serveware and make them more accessible for everyday use, keep in mind that anything that’s kept out in the open will get dirty faster and need to be cleaned more frequently than items kept in cabinets.

A good solution is to install one or two open shelves in your kitchen, while keeping the bulk of your dishes behind cabinet doors. If you really want to show off your dinnerware or serveware, you can always replace solid wood cabinet doors with transparent glass ones to achieve virtually the same effect as you would with open shelving.

3. Sustainable elements

By now, it’s clear that sustainability is more than a trend – in fact, demand for green products and practices extends to almost every area of our lives, including kitchen décor.

Fortunately, manufacturers are meeting this demand by providing a variety of options for making kitchens more earth-friendly and environmentally sound. And, many of these sustainably sourced products and materials are also beautiful, affordable, and easy to find.

Options include terracotta floor tiles, reclaimed wood finishes, zero-VOC paint, and even countertops and cabinets made of recycled materials. This year, consider incorporating a few of these items into your kitchen projects as your design aesthetic and budget dictate. That way, in addition to composting, reverse-osmosis tap water filtering, and LED lighting, you can do even more to go green in your kitchen in the new year.

4. New color plays—and black, too

Almost anything goes regarding color in this year’s kitchens. From bright shades to color pops to the hottest new paint color, the sky’s the limit.

In fact, even black is in style, in the form of appliances, trim, and cabinet/drawer pulls that make everything in your kitchen look sharp and fresh.

Try painting your kitchen island in a vibrant red or green, adding a pop of fuchsia as an accent wall, or installing a mixed-color backsplash to really make a statement. A fun pattern that introduces a new color to your kitchen can work in many places throughout the room, including the range hood, countertop edge or threshold. Let your imagination soar and you’ll no doubt come up with all sorts of creative ideas.

5. Hidden appliances and show-off pantries

Now you see it, now you don’t.

A new trend is to hide appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers, and oven hoods behind finishes that match kitchen cabinets. The result is a clean and seamless look. In the case of a range or oven hood, a coordinated finish can also serve as an accent against a wall color.

Meanwhile, pantries – an often-forgotten part of kitchen décor – are being shown off behind pretty, brightly colored doors and archways. Attractive light fixtures and accessories like ornate step stools and decorative baskets are part of the mix for celebrating this kitchen workhorse.

Before you begin your kitchen redesign project for 2021, consider several kitchen design trends that are emerging this year. Incorporating white and grey countertops, open shelving, sustainable elements, new ways to play with color, and hidden appliances and show-off pantries are a few of the ways to refresh your kitchen’s look and make it sing in the new year.

Start Typing