Stephanie Azran
- Mar 11, 2020
- 3 min read

Kitchen remodel spend up, here are the trends to track.

People spent more on major kitchen remodels in 2019, an average of $35,000 (up from $30,000 the year before). At the same time, people are scaling back on upgrades to countertops and backsplashes, even as they remain the two most popular features to change during renovation. Smaller remodel projects averaged around $8,000.

According to the research, people aren’t rushing into kitchen renos even if they want to make changes. Instead, 37% of renovators waited until they had the financial means to do it properly.

Time to renovate!

Two other reasons people are renovating their kitchens: they can’t stand the one they’ve been living with and they want to personalize a new home. 27% of homeowners made the move because the existing kitchen deteriorated past repair.

Going Pro

And who is completing these renovations? Fortunately, 85% of people decide to skip the DIY route and hire general contractors, designers, architects or kitchen remodel specialists. There is also a lot of custom work going on, especially in cabinetry.

Cabinets Make the Difference

68% of renovating homeowners surveyed completely replaced their cabinets, with 27% making partial upgrades like exterior refinishing, replacing some cabinets and replacing doors. The top style is Shaker, with other styles way behind. White cabinets are still a style go-to, with wood tones coming in second. For contrasting cabinets, the top color choices are gray and blue.

White cabinets are the top choice.

Specialty Storage

Storage solutions continue to be a major concern, with many homeowners renovating pantries and drawers for better organization. Renovators are loving cabinets with cookie sheet storage, but also looking for deep drawers. The most asked-for tray or drawer type is for waste and recycling, with revolving type also being popular.

Island Living

People love their islands. A third of renovators added one if the kitchen didn’t already have one, and among those who had existing island, 22% upgraded. Part of that upgrade was adding appliances like microwaves, dishwashers and cook tops.

Functional islands with appliances and pendant lights are popular.

Rectangular and square islands are still the most popular shapes, but L-shaped and U-shaped islands are also a draw. People are really into islands with contrasting countertops, especially in wood tones. But the most important things? Size and storage! 1/3 of islands are over 7 feet in length and the vast majority have either cabinets with doors or drawers.

Countertop Materials Shift

Engineered quartz is still a top choice among renovators, but the growth from the past two years has slowed, likely due to rising costs of Chinese imports. The second-most popular countertop material is granite. Butcher block or wood, quartzite and laminate are much lower down the wish list.

People are using different countertop materials on islands.

Let there be light

When it comes to upgrading lighting, recessed lights seems the way to go. Undercabinet lights, pendant lights and chandeliers have declined in popularity from last year, but only slightly. The most common choice for lighting above islands comes in the form of pendant lights.

Pendant lights are having a good style moment.

Tech trend slows

It’s also worth noting that spending on high-tech appliances and gadgets have stalled. Still, half of new faucets have high-tech features like water efficiency and no-fingerprint finishes. About a quarter of appliances sold have high-tech features; the most important feature being wireless controls. Charging/docking stations and home assistants are as popular as last year.