There’s no questioning the kitchen’s prominent role in the life of most family homes. And according to a recent (April 2015) survey by the National Association of Homebuilders kitchens and bathrooms remain the most popular rooms in the home for remodeling. 

So if you’re building a new home, it makes sense to pay attention to what’s new in the kitchen so that you can get it right from the get-go. Here are a few of the trends that have really picked up steam in this year’s kitchens. Some have more to do with the way your kitchen looks and some are more geared to functionality. 

• Storage: It doesn’t seem to matter what size or style kitchen you have; storage is always an issue. Nobody ever complains about having too much. One way cabinet manufacturers are tackling this problem is by making kitchen drawers more efficient. Some (such as Hafele) are making drawers that effectively double the space by making drawers that are multi-tiered. Click here for an example.

• Improved Hardware: It’s not just cabinets that are seeing improvement. The way you open and close them is changing as well. Manufacturers such as Blum are producing hydraulic, easy-close doors that fold up and out of the way with the touch of a button—idea for smaller kitchens where space is a concern. 

• Bold Looks: You may have seen articles or images of kitchens that have a bold new look. There’s a lot of talk about using both black and white as the dominant color in kitchens. But if that doesn’t match your sense of style you can still get a bold new look with oversized light fixtures that have black fabric shades. And down the road, if you want something less dramatic, it’s a lot easier to change light shades than to redo your whole kitchen. 

• Automation: Even “hands-on” kitchen users will enjoy the “hands-off” appeal of automation offered by features such as sensor-activated lights that come on only when there’s someone in the kitchen. Or you may opt for hands-free faucets for those times when you’re in the middle of a recipe and don’t have time to clean your hands. Or if you’re tired of missing the oven timer when you’re out of the kitchen, you may want a meat thermometer that notifies your smartphone when your roast is done. 

• Alternative Countertop Materials: Quartz countertops have been around for a while, but they are growing in popularity—and there are new colors coming out all the time. Because they are resistant to heat, are resistant to spills and scratches, and are non-porous, quartz makes a great material for countertops. 

We’ll continue to keep our eyes peeled for new developments in the kitchen.