Six kitchen fashions you can’t ignore in 2021

Today’s buyers prioritise the kitchen more than any other room in a home – it’s where the family gathers and memories are created.

And while other factors, such as location and the number of bedrooms, will always be significant influences, there’s no doubt a great kitchen will win the hearts of prospective buyers.

As experienced real estate agents we’ve learned over the years that kitchen fashions move quickly. And in 2021, it’s no different.

If you’re thinking of renovating your kitchen before selling – or you’ve just moved into a new home and want to build a modern kitchen – here is the perfect quick-list for you.

• Kitchens open onto decks – Research suggests the walls are starting to go up around kitchens again. A US study says open-plan renovations are falling, and as we usually follow within six to 12 months we can expect this to come into vogue soon. The new trend for 2021 is the kitchen that opens onto a deck or patio. Traditionally, it’s been dining that has opened up but this new trend makes the BBQ area a kitchen extension.
• Bigger splashbacks – The four-inch strip of glass is out in 2021. Instead, splashbacks are going all the way up to the hanging wall cabinets. And forget big and bold colours. Whites and neutrals are in. Which might explain the next point.
• Fantasy island – Cutting-edge kitchen designers are now suggesting you don’t match your island bench with the rest of the kitchen. It should make a statement rather than blend in.
• Cabinet crazy – Storage is the big thing for kitchens this year. You simply can’t have enough of it. Why? Stocking up for a pandemic is one theory. And we all need space for pasta and breadmakers. But who knows? The online site Houzz claims four times the amount of storage is being built into a kitchen than two or three years ago.
• Walk-in pantry – Everyone wants to walk into their pantry this year. This fits with the demand for increased storage and the need to stock rations for the next pandemic.
• Vinyl va-va-voom – It was only a matter of time before expensive wooden floorings would make way for patterned vinyl. Also back for 2021 are ceramic and porcelain tiles.