Kitchen Confidential

Kitchen design has a hot new look in the form of auxiliary cooking and prep spaces. Courtney Shearer, kitchen designer and founder of The Designery, cites a burgeoning trend for scullery-type spaces designed to work in tandem with the main kitchen. “We have never had more requests or been working on more of these spaces that function alongside the main kitchen,” says Shearer. “All of these secondary areas allow the main kitchen to be visually less cluttered and the cooking space as a whole to be more organized.” Another bonus, according to Shearer, is that these self-contained spaces allow for more adventurous decor, such as lively floor patterns. Kitchen cabinetry is also getting a makeover, especially when it comes to finish. Shearer notes that color contrasting between islands and perimeter cabinetry is on the wane, while a play on color saturation is gaining in popularity. One thing that has remained the same is the positive effect a well-designed kitchen has on a home’s value, says Shearer. “Even if you don’t cook, it is undeniable that the kitchen is going to act as the hub of the house, and having a beautiful one will really elevate the home as a whole.”