Nashville homebuyers aren’t playing it safe anymore when it comes to kitchen trends – they’re breaking away from neutral colors and amping up their kitchen design with bold colors, textures and patterns. And perhaps the last year and a half is to blame.
Mix equal parts pandemic unpredictability with a consistent rise in Nashville housing demand, bake at 365 degrees for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you’ll get a plentiful helping of what home builders, homebuyers and Realtors have been dealing with since the start of the pandemic. This wild ride of uncertainty has quickly taught us to embrace the virtues of patience, awareness and caution in our every day lives, while we spent the last year sleeping, working, cooking and entertaining ourselves and our families from the familiar location of our respective residences.
After more than a year of thoughts of caution trickling into our daily decisions, a contrasting phenomenon first noticed in the Drees Homes Design Center in Brentwood has revealed an evolution in kitchen trends. Brave and bold design styles are dominating kitchens throughout the greater Nashville area and beyond. We recently asked Drees Nashville Design Consultants Jennifer Harkai, Kristy Bauer and Amanda Inman, as well as Drees Architecture Designer Paige Foss why Nashville homebuyers are moving away from the traditional kitchen design.
Are there any trending style choices that we are seeing homebuyers gravitate towards this year?
Drees Design Consultants: Buyers are getting much more brave with color and tile patterns. Although subway tile is still popular, the color choice is pulling away from the safe white to more daring colors like black or verde. We’re seeing the use of more textures and patterns, paired with lighter colored flooring. As for hardware, we are seeing movement towards matte blacks and brushed golds.
Paige Foss: Believe it or not, the general consensus in the design world is one of visual fatigue when it comes to grays and whites. And although some still gravitate towards the white kitchen, designers are experimenting with more colors than ever before, and customers are seeing it … and loving it. The initial response was to embrace black, which we are seeing in not only the easy-to-update designer influences such as walls and furnishings, but also the hard spaces like windows, fixture finishes and tile. Pastels and jewel tones still give homebuyers the flexibility to go bold in small amounts while keeping the remainder of their finishes a little more ‘safe’ and ‘classic’. All in all, texture and color are helping people make spaces feel more uniquely theirs while staying on-trend.
Have you noted any kitchen design choices changing from the norm since the pandemic?
Paige Foss: Open kitchens continued to dominate design choices in 2020, but we did see quite the movement in emphasis for supporting spaces. Large kitchen islands not only act as a place to get a quick bite, but they are now the homework station, makeshift zoom call area, and centralized family meeting area. The pantry has officially taken over the dishwasher as the crown jewel of the kitchen, boosted with cabinetry and work surfaces for easy access to snacks and plug-ins for phones, tablets and computers. Our homebuyers love the option to stay Wi-Fi connected anywhere through our DreeSmart offering.
Drees Design Consultants: His and her offices off the kitchen have become a huge selling point with the growing need for a remote workspace. The ability to easily navigate from a private workspace to an open kitchen has been vital in the decision-making processes of the last few months.
Are there any must-haves that every homeowner elects to have in their dream kitchen?
Drees Design Consultants: Kitchen cabinets stacked to the ceiling and chimney hoods are popular choices for a lot of Drees buyers. Appliances like double ovens have been a big seller. We’ve even seen buyers elect to utilize double islands on some of our floor plan designs.
Paige Foss: Dream kitchens today are made of texture, color and light. Cabinets extending to the ceiling. Oversized islands with seating for the whole family. Pantries that boast a plug-in zone for all the appliances that need a home (that is) tucked out of sight. And appliances that blend style and high-level function seamlessly.
Are there any tips that you would give future Drees homeowners to help this with the design selection process?
Paige Foss and the Drees Design Consultants:
1. Do your research and visit models.
2. Learn from past experiences. What did you do in your last home that you would do again? Wouldn’t do?
3. Dream big while thinking of your home as a living, breathing, yet changeable space.
4. Initially focus on the basics like size and space, as those won’t change.
5. Watch design shows, visit design websites and follow the At Home at Drees blog, Facebook and Pinterest page.
6. Go bold, stay safe or ride the line between the two. Always remember this is YOUR home!
What Drees models would you recommend visiting for kitchen design inspiration?
Design Center Consultants: The Elmsdale at Traditions in Brentwood is a great option for visiting, but two models that are on the way with a bolder flare include the Ballentine at Whistle Stop Farms in Thompson’s Station and the Somerville at Enclave at Dove Lake in Nolensville. Both to be completed later this summer, you can expect a great display of color, fun tile patterns and plenty of well-placed trim.
Paige Foss: Those three are great choices. The Ballentine will be a must-visit estate home with a chef’s dream kitchen. The over-the-top square footage maintains a comfortable elegant feel.
Learn more
Interested in learning more about building your dream kitchen with Drees Homes? Visit us at dreeshomes.com to browse our complete list of community and floor plan offerings in the greater Nashville area or contact Julie Schall, your Nashville area New Home Specialist. Additionally, we invite you take a virtual tour of our Design Center below.
