Even though most design trends start on the east and west coasts, Metro St. Louis does have its own unique style influenced by it being the youngest Eastern city and the oldest Western city in America.
Mosby Building Arts’ design team shares some emerging St. Louis kitchen trends, based on the remodeling projects they’ve recently completed and what their clients are asking for in 2015:
1. Gray Is the New Black
While white kitchens will remain an eternal classic, gray is easing into local kitchens as a way to have color without going to extremes. It works beautifully as a cabinet finish (shown above) or a wall color, and brings a new twist to sophisticated style. Its versatility is why designer Michelle Bridgewater says, “gray is the new black because it goes with everything and always looks chic.”
2. The Multi-Media Kitchen
“I’ve had dozens of requests to bring flat-panel TVs and speakers for music into the kitchen, since this is where homeowners spend most of their time,” says designer Jake Spurgeon. St. Louisans want their media in the kitchen, but don’t need them on permanent display. So TVs mount onto swing arms that hide inside cabinets (example above), speaker covers are painted to blend into their surrounding surface, and charging stations for smart phones and iPads (another popular request, says Jake) are built into drawers.
Read the Top 7 St. Louis BATHROOM remodeling trends for 2015.
3. Hiding the Laboratory
“For passionate cooks, their kitchen is much like a scientist’s laboratory, but you don’t necessarily want your equipment on view all the time,” says Certified Kitchen Designer, Jill Worobec. Ways to do this include built-in countertop compartments with sliding doors to stash small appliances when not in use, and covering large appliances with panels that match the other cabinets. For a recent St. Charles kitchen, shown above, Mosby gave the homeowners more counterspace by embedding the coffeemaker into the ceramic tile backsplash.
4. Artfully Exposed
“We choose dishes and glassware to coordinate with our kitchens, and then keep them hidden away most of the time,” observes Mosby designer Dean Vitale. “But many St. Louisans now want those items on full display.” From open-front or glass-front cabinets, to designing a wall divider (shown above) with open storage compartments, your serveware becomes functional art!
5. Mix It Up
We’re adding dynamics and drama to kitchens by using a mix of surface materials. The kitchen shown above has Caesarstone countertops throughout with a slab of granite for the center island. Mosby designers also use a variety of cabinet finishes to indicate different work zones within the kitchen. Mixing up materials also has a financial benefit: make budget-conscious materials the majority so the splurge on a luxury material becomes a focal point!
6. Modestly Rustic
Across the country, Driftwood is a cabinet finish gaining popularity. It’s a light gray (there’s gray again!) stain that replicates the weathered wood look. The St. Louis twist on this trend is doing a refined version of rustic, like the subtle mottled finish on the cabinetry shown above. Mosby designer Laura Powderly also notices clients preferring “random touches of crackle or wear spots on cabinet finishes so it looks lived in rather than shabby chic.”
Read the Top 7 St. Louis REMODELING trends for 2015.
7. The Wallsplash
“When your tile backsplash runs clear to the ceiling it becomes a wallsplash!” says Mosby designer Jillian Brinkman. As with the kitchen remodel shown above, when you fall in love with a tile pattern it’s daring and fun to use more of it. But as Jillian points out, “You get the best affect by keeping it to one wall.”
Would you like to incorporate any of these trends into your own kitchen? Mosby’s certified kitchen designers will help you create your perfect new kitchen when you call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.