HOW ARE MILLENNIALS CHANGING KITCHEN DESIGN TRENDS

Millennials are all grown up, and they consider that owning a home is an inevitable part of living the dream. More than one-third of all homebuyers nowadays are 35 or younger, as reported in the recent study by the National Associations of Realtors. Plus, many Millennials are highly educated with an impressive earning potential. It is not hard to conclude that they are holding a significant part of buying power in real estate market nowadays and as such, drastically shaping how homes should be designed and built.

Concerning kitchen design precisely, Millennials are going into remodelling with an attitude that their kitchen should end up looking as perfect as possible. This is not surprising since we are now living in a research-driven culture. An average Millennial will check out multiple websites before buying shoes, so you can imagine how extensive process of renovating a kitchen can be.

We have collected some of the trends popping up among this young generation of homeowners from the Houzz’s 2017 Kitchen Trends Study and National Kitchen and Bath Association survey. Feel free to sneak peek into a Millennial Kitchens, and see what’s hot, and what’s totally not.

Personal, Practical, Spacious

Personalization is a very in vogue concept these days, and kitchen interiors are not an exception. The mentioned trend has a lot to do with Millennials and their uncontrolled urge to express unique identities. They need their living space to say a lot about who they are. Complete customization is the best way to go here, and an average Millennial will choose it whenever the budget allows something like that.

Millennials tend to promote minimalism and pragmatism in a larger manner compare to previous generations. They favour the useful over the fancy, which leads us to cleaner, more open kitchen spaces. Furthermore, Millennials are sort of enjoyment-oriented when choosing a design for their homes. Larger, entertain-friendly kitchens are becoming more and more attractive to these young generations of homeowners. Millennials are fond of “fluid” living spaces, rooms that can change and grow if need be. A kitchen should serve as a multi-purpose area and welcome entertainment, social interactions, as well as function as a home office if necessary.

Millennials tend to promote minimalism and pragmatism in a larger manner compare to previous generations. They favour the useful over the fancy, which leads us to cleaner, more open kitchen spaces. Furthermore, Millennials are sort of enjoyment-oriented when choosing a design for their homes. Larger, entertain-friendly kitchens are becoming more and more attractive to these young generations of homeowners. Millennials are fond of “fluid” living spaces, rooms that can change and grow if need be. A kitchen should serve as a multi-purpose area and welcome entertainment, social interactions, as well as function as a home office if necessary.

In this elegant, open kitchen spaces, hardware and cabinets are of a great significance. Millennials want their dishes and appliances to be easy to organise, store and find. Common sense becomes the preference over trendy, inefficient designs. Millennials respect quality and smart design above everything else. They are very well aware that yes, you can have both - stylish and functional.

This is actually correct since cabinets can now look gorgeous, and yet be manufactured with different pull-out features that enable us transparency and better organisation. Pantry cabinets and kitchen islands are almost a must in a Millennial’s kitchen, considering they appreciate that extra space like crazy.

Neutrals, Lights and Quartz

When it comes to colour, style and materials, Millennials are mostly playing it safe. Namely, they are not keen for another big remodelling project in a few years, so they are focused on longevity above all. Gray was the most favoured wall colour across all generations, but it was above all preferred amongst Millennial homeowners. White is often picked for backsplashes, so more comfortable and informal look is being given to kitchens and dining spaces. Although Millennials gravitate towards that Nordic feel of greys and whites, they do not hesitate to spark things up with accents of bold colours for example. We have all heard about Millennial pink, right?

Seems like the look, feel and durability are the driving factors for choosing a countertop material, leaving the cost as an aspect slightly on the side. Quartz is supreme by most of the Millennials due to its multi-faceted beauty, longevity and low-maintenance.

Together with open spaces, strong lights are very trendy at the moment. Younger Millennial renovators are embracing decorative pendant lighting, while older ones opt for more functional under- or in-cabinet lights.  

Smart is the New Sexy

Millennials lust that their home supports their tech-driven lifestyle. They are generally willing to spend extra cash on internet-connected systems that can be controlled by mobile devices. Smart appliances, a shelf that pulls down from beneath kitchen cabinets to hold a tablet computer and quality charging stations for mobile devices, and are features ranking high on a Millennial’s kitchen design wishlist.  

This generation also cares about the environment and doing the right thing. Their consumer choices are highly motivated by a desire to protect their health as well as the planet. So, they look for low-VOC paints, energy efficient appliances, reclaimed wood, and recycled materials. When shopping, they lean towards brands that are actively committed to the environment.

With Pinterest and Instagram playing such a big part in many Millennial's lives, there is a constant stream of design inspiration passing before their eyes. There is a huge focus on the aesthetic appeal of a home and kitchen design needs to align with this. Millennial home improvers do value internet searches and information from friends and family members more than other age groups. Customer reviews online are very important to Millennials when selecting kitchen products compared to other age brackets. So, pay extra attention to this one if you are a contractor or a designer. 

Tastes and preferences are varying amongst Millennials, but it is quite clear that they prefer a transitional, personalised design over the super-modern look. Comfort, style and functionality are key elements for this generation, but they are never afraid to be a bit edgy. Millennials are on fire, ready to change the design world, and they are bringing some breath of fresh air, all right!