Engineered materials, for both countertops and floors, have increased in popularity among those renovating their kitchen, according to the 2019 Houzz Kitchen Trends Study.
Quartz countertops have increased market share by seven percentage points since 2017 and are now a more popular countertop option than natural stone. The popularity of quartz has come most directly at the expense of granite, which has seen its market share among renovators decrease 10% since 2017, Houzz finds.
Likewise, only a quarter of homeowners who update their kitchen floor opt for natural hardwood, while nearly 40% prefer engineered flooring options such as engineered wood, vinyl, and laminate.
Houzz also found that over 80% of renovating kitchen owners change their kitchen's style, with farmhouse style nearly rivaling contemporary as the second-most popular style choice. Farmhouse style's popularity has steadily grown since 2017, while contemporary style's market share has declined to 15% from 21% in the past three years. Transitional remains as the most popular style for kitchens.
Triggers and Scope
The Houzz survey finds that Kitchen renovations are less likely to be motivated by pent-up demand than in recent years. Renovators motivated because they "can no longer stand the old kitchen" or "finally have the means" to renovate continue to decline year over year. In contrast, renovators are more likely to be motivated by their desire to update a recent home purchase. One in three kitchen renovators enlarge their kitchen during renovations, down six percentage points from Houzz's 2018 study.
Countertops are the most popular feature to be replace during a kitchen remodel, while over 80% of renovators also upgrade backsplashes, sinks, faucets/plumbing fixtures, and light fixtures. ne in two kitchen renovations result in kitchens that are more open to nearby rooms, signaling that open-concept living remains popular among a majority of homeowners.
Look and Feel
Less than 50% of homeowners opt for matching metal finishes across kitchen faucets, cabinet door hardware, entry door hardware, and light fixtures in the kitchen. Those who prefer matching metallics are most likely to choose brushed or satin nickel, while those favoring mixed metallics also prefer nickel more than any other finish.
White continues to maintain its position as the top cabinet color, although gray is now used in one in 10 new cabinets, showing continued growth year over year. Most renovating homeowners opt for either custom or semicustom cabinets, and shaker-style cabinets have maintained their market share as the most popular cabinet door style. Additionally, Houzz found that many new cabinets are equipped with built-in specialty organizers or drawers. Cookie tray organizers were the most popular organizers among homeowners, while pullout waste or recycling drawers were popular sketchy drawer options in cabinets.
Product Finishes
Nearly 90% of respondents indicated they replaced one or all appliances during renovations. Refrigerators and dishwashers were the most commonly updated appliances. Additionally, nearly half of renovators indicated they updated their cooktops during kitchen remodels.
Regular stainless steel finishes for appliances have declined in popularity over the past three years, while black stainless steel has risen in popularity over the same time period. One in ten new appliances appear in black stainless steel during kitchen renovations.
Tech Transformation
More than half of upgraded faucets are high-tech, boasting water efficiency, no-fingerprint coating, or touch-free activation. Nearly one in three upgraded appliances are also high-tech, boasting wireless controls, color touchscreen displays, or built-in speakers. Home assistants in upgraded electronics are also a popular technological innovation among homeowners.
Aging in Place
Baby boomers, aged 55 or older, represent 52% of renovating homeowners today, with nearly seven in ten planning to remain in their homes for 10 years or longer. However, only 37% of baby boomers address the needs of aging household members during kitchen renovations, compared to 56% who address such needs during bathroom renovations. One in five younger generation homeowners address aging-related needs during kitchen renovations. Those renovating to make kitchens more accessible are likely to increase the size of their kitchen, and equip the space with elaborate lighting, cooktops, wall ovens, touch-free faucets, and stone flooring.
The study released by Houzz crunched numbers from a 60-question, online survey fielded between September 18 and October 19, 2018. The results of the survey analyze the responses of 1,337 registered Houzz users over the age of 25 who have either completed a kitchen renovation in the past 12 months, are currently renovating their kitchen, or are planning a renovation in the next three months.
