By Gail Bicknell
Plain and simple, you should love your kitchen. It truly is the heart of the home~the place where you cook, eat, and gather. When you have people over, they congregate there with food, drink, friendship, and family. In my opinion, it’s the most important space in a home. And if you’re thinking of renovating or updating your kitchen, the time has never been better. Supply chain issues are abating, delivery lead times are nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, and new trends are finally replacing the old.
After deciding on the layout, the first building block of the kitchen design is the cabinetry. The cabinetry you choose will be the most impactful design element in the kitchen~ it will be the first thing you see in the room and take up most of the visual field. Your cabinetry provides essential storage and function and will probably be the most expensive component of your project. 
If you’re like me, you may have seriously outlived the “all-white kitchen” era. Yes, white is clean and elegant. White also serves are the perfect backdrop for other, more interesting colors and 2023 will bring us anything but all-white. There is a real return to wood in kitchens, from rustic and bleached to more traditional dark stained cabinetry. Those of you who have always loved wood in the kitchen can rejoice~and reimagine.
Shaker remains the most popular choice in cabinet styles. This year we’ll see a bit more detail added to these silhouettes~double frames, mitered edge details, and skinny shaker (just as it sounds, the rails and stiles of the door are much narrower than traditional, showing a wider expanse of the door panel). And being versatile, classic, and timeless, shaker cabinetry appeals to a wide range of buyers, holds its value, and is considered a selling point when a home goes on the market. If you think you might change homes within 10-15 years, shaker is a great choice.
Ever-popular islands are seeing a slight decline in popularity, being replaced with large gathering tables that allow multi-function in seating and food prep. Paired with a practical bench or comfortable banquette, a generous table with seating is perfect for a larger family or those who entertain.
One of the most defining trends this year may be thicker countertops. Traditionally 1.25”-1.5”, new countertops are ranging 2” to 3” thick. This detail alone gives a kitchen the feel of more visual weight and permanence. For years, due to performance and selection, quartz surfaces have replaced granite in popularity. In 2023 we’ll see more of a mix of materials in countertops~ in the same kitchen. For example, quartz might be used on perimeter cabinets with marble, wood, or soapstone on an island or adjacent work area. Where polished surfaces are easy to maintain and clean, honed surfaces add sophistication and softness.
As far as details, backsplashes are trending away from monochromatic slabs and subway tiles to more color and pattern and you’ll begin to again see bold and colorful wallcoverings and window treatments in kitchens, eating areas, and pantries. Choices in cabinet hardware, too, are unlimited~ natural metals in patinated finishes, semi-precious stones set in brass, and leather fobs are new alternatives for opening your cabinets and drawers!
Ready to update the heart of your home? I’d love to talk with you! Email: fairstreetinteriors@gmail.com and mention the Connection Magazine for a complimentary 30-minute kitchen consult. (Offer limited to distribution area of Connection customers only).
Fair Street Interiors