The latest trends in new homes: Warm, light-tone cabinets, quartz counters and more

Theprospectofmakinganymajorhomedesigndecision,likepickingoutflooring,cabinetsorcounters,turnsmyintestinesintoaGordianknot.Likemostpeople,Ifret:Howwillthischoicelookwitheverythingelseinthehouse?Isittooboring?Toonovel?Howwillitaffectresale?Willitstandthetestoftime?Willitmakemyhipslookbig?

Andthat’sjustonedesignchoice.Whennewhomebuyershavetomakeallthosedesigndecisionsatonce,theymightaswelljustplanondissolvingintosobbingpuddlesofself-doubt.

Iknow.Ihavebeeninthosedesignshowrooms,strugglingtomakehumongous,bank-accountdrainingdecisionswithlong-termconsequences,bitingmyfingernailstotheirmoons,whilethedesign-roomsalespersonimpatientlywaitswithraisedeyebrows.

Atfirst,youthink,"Wow!Cool!IgettopickouteverythingIwantformyownhouse!"Nextthing,you'reasfrozenasapigeon-coveredstatueinthepark.

Ironically,thepandemichashelpedfolksgetunstuck,saidGenaKirk,headofthedesignstudioforKBHome,anationalhomebuilderwithprojectsin45marketsandeightstates.

“Everyoneshouldcollectsomething,”saysDallasinteriordesignerJohnPhiferMarrs.Acollectorhimself,Marrshasmasteredtheartofdispl…

For20years,Kirkhashelpednewhomebuyersthroughthedauntingdesigndecisionlabyrinth,aprocessshesaysisboth“exhilaratingandexhausting,”especiallyforfirst-timebuyers,whichmakeup65%ofthecompany’scustomers.

“COVIDpushedmorecustomerstousetheonlinestudiotoolswehaveavailableinmostofourmarkets,”shesaid.Soratherthanstandstymiedintheshowroom,theygothroughthedesignprocessathomeusingweb-guidedtools,andtakeaslongastheywanttomulltheiroptionsbeforecommitting.

“Thein-studioexperienceisstillessential,”Kirksaid,“becausetheircustomerscantouchthecounters,feelandopenthecabinetsandputtheirfeetonfloors.Butiftheycomeinbetterprepared,theydon’tfeelsooverwhelmed.”

Today,thoughmorecustomersarebacktovisitingshowrooms,morehomebuyersarestillstartingtheirprocessonline.“Thevirtualexperiencefollowedbyanin-personvisitistheperfectcombination,”shesaid.

I’mnohistorian,buttheparallelsoftheRoaring'20sandthe'20softodayarenotlostonme.Bothinvolvedreactionstoapandemicthatk…

Forthoselookingtochoosefinishesorfixturesforanewhomeortoremodelanexistinghome,here’swhatKirksaysisin,outandlikelytostay:

CABINETS:Customersstilllikewhitecabinets;however,thewhitesaregettingwarmer,leaningtowardboneandbeige.Grayisfading,anddarkespressoandcherrywoodcabinetshavebeenoutforawhile.Buyersalsowantnaturalwoodfinishesintaupeandbeigetones.

COUNTERS:Quartzcounters,especiallyoneswithopenveinypatterns,leadthefield,andarewhatalmost75%ofKBbuyerschoose.Therestgowithgranite,whichtraditionalbuyersstilllike.Hereagain,countercolorsarestartingtowarmup.“We’removingawayfromstarkblack,whiteandgraycounters,towardshadesofcreamywhite,beigeandtaupe,”shesaid.Inhigher-endhomes,marbleisstillstrong.Counteredgesaremoreoftensquare.Fewerhaveroundedbullnoseedges.

FLOORING:Luxuryvinylplankrankshighamongbuyersbecauseitoffersthelookofwoodforalowerpriceandlessmaintenance.Floorcolorsarealsogettingwarmer,asbuyerssteerawayfromgrayandevengreigetowardtaupeandnaturalwoodtones.Flooringthathasredorcherryundertonesisout,thoughblackfloorsarehotamonghigh-endbuyers.

Mosthomeshaveatleastoneofthese,bydefault—notbychoice.Aboring,frameless,builder-gradebathroommirrorsadlycomesstandardin…

APPLIANCES:Stainlesssteelremainsastrongchoiceforappliances.Blackstainlessbrieflygainedpopularityuntilthesupplychaincurbeditsavailability.Plus,itisalsopronetoscratching.“Isteerbuyersawayfromplainwhiteorsolidblackappliances,whichfeeldated,”Kirksaid.

LIGHTINGFIXTURESANDHARDWARE:Thatsaid,blacklightingfixturesareeverywhere,andhavestoodthetestoftime.Today’scustomerslikeroundlightfixtures,opencagestyles,'70sretrofixturesandmidcenturymodernlooks.Brushednickelremainsapopularfinish,whileoil-rubbedbronzefixturesareout,alongwithheavilyembellishedones.

Onwindows,blackhardwareisalsoacurrentfavorite,saidBettyBrandolino,founderandcreativedirectorforFreshTwistStudio,aHunterDouglaswindowcoveringgallery,inElmhurst,Illinois.“Weareseeinglesswood,andnomorecarved,fancyfinials.Buyerswantcleanandclassic.”

Goldfinishesarealsotrending,especiallywhenpairedwithblack.

Brushednickelremainshomebuyers’firstchoiceforfaucets,becauseitpairswellwithblacklightfixturesanddraperyhardware.

TECHNOLOGY:COVID-19hasgiventouchlesstechnologyahugeboost,ascustomersoverwhelminglychoosetouch-freedoorknobs,faucetsandlights.Theyarealsoembracingsmartappliancesthattheycancontrolfromtheirphones,Brandolinosaid.“Thenewerlow-voltagepowerwindowshadesletyouraiseandlowerblindsonyourphonewithyourfinger,evenwhenyou’renothome.”

BIGGESTMISTAKE:“Mymainadvicetoallnewbuyersistonotgetsweptupbythetrenddujour,”Kirksaid.“Chooseneutralfinishesyoulikethatalsohavestayingpower.”

Later,ifyourhomeneedsanupdate,lookforinexpensivechanges.Updatingpaint,lightfixtures,backsplashesordrawerordraperyhardwarecanmakeasignificantdifferenceandcostalotlessthanreplacingcabinets,countersorfloors.

MarniJamesoncanbereachedatwww.marnijameson.com.

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