Over the last 8 years we analyzed specific kitchen terms that were mentioned in real estate listings of millions of homes.
What is your dream kitchen? Personally, I have always envisioned mine to have a large island with quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, two ovens, and a beer tap that always has my favorite locally brewed beer ready to go. Though everyone has their own opinions and preferences, when it comes to remodeling your kitchen many homeowners still want to know what’s currently trending, just in case they sell their house in the next 5 years.
To answer this question, we dove into Redfin data to determine which kitchen trends are actually on the rise and which ones are falling out of favor with new homeowners. How did we do it? Over the last 8 years we analyzed specific kitchen terms that were mentioned in real estate listings of millions of homes. Since real estate agents are limited by the number of characters they can use to describe a house, they specifically use keywords that they believe to be key selling features of any home.
So, what can we expect for kitchen trends in 2019? Here is what the data says:
1. Granite, Marble, or Quartz? That is the question.
Granite has been popular for decades and is currently the most popular keyword among listings at 3.7 percent in 2018. Marble has also been growing in popularity. In 2010, 0.4 percent of listings mentioned marble, compared to 0.7 percent of listings in 2018. However, while marble was mentioned more often than quartz, quartz is growing in popularity at a much faster rate.
In fact, because of the clean and sophisticated appeal of quartz it has been speculated that quartz may become a dominating factor of kitchen trends in the near future. In fact, as you’ll see in the next point, this trend extend beyond kitchen countertops to islands and breakfast bars. If you’re planning on updating your kitchen any time soon, be sure to check out quartz countertops as a possible option for making your dream kitchen come to life!
2. Breakfast bars and kitchen islands are trending upwards
In 2010, just 0.3 percent of listings mentioned the term ‘breakfast bar,’ however, now appearing in 1.25 percent of all listings this year so far, breakfast bar was the third-most commonly mentioned keyword. Furthermore, buyers are becoming even more keen on kitchen islands. In a HelloFresh survey, 64 percent of respondents said a “big island” is a must-have feature in their dream kitchen.
“While there are rare exceptions, most of my buyers are looking for an open concept floor plan with an island or peninsula that overlooks the living room. For many buyers, this is an absolute must-have,” said Katie.
3. Stainless steel appliances continue to remain popular
I think we might have all seen this coming. Stainless steel after all is a very sophisticated yet classic look that easily pairs with almost any style. ‘Stainless steel’ was the second most-frequently mentioned keyword in our analysis, appearing in 2.4 percent of all listings in 2018. This stalwart trend shows no sign of falling out of favor with homeowners.
Though you may be initially attracted to new color concepts that seem to come out every year for fridges and stoves, specific color schemes can become difficult to match to the rest of the kitchen. Stainless steel seems to be the only real exception to this rule, as it can almost universally match with any kitchen design.
4. Farmhouse sinks with timeless backsplash are in!
“Many buyers today are looking for that trendy look of the subway tile backsplash, big farmhouse sink and often white or gray cabinetry,” said Katie Scire, a Redfin agent in Washington, D.C. “I think we can thank Joanna Gaines for the farmhouse sink trend.”
In 2010, only 0.1 percent of listings mentioned a tile backsplash compared to 0.8% in 2018. While farmhouse sink mentions only represent a small fraction of all listings analyzed, the growth rate of those mentions has increased to over 40% in the last five years.
On the other hand, maple cabinets were gaining in popularity between 2010 and 2014, but have quickly fallen out of favor with homeowners since then.
5. Entertaining extras, the keywords that peak homebuyers’ interests
As the saying goes, “a little extra goes a long way,” the use of keyword mentions like, ‘outdoor kitchen,’ ‘wine fridge’ and ‘double oven’ are rising in popularity with each passing year.
“Over the past few years, I’ve been seeing a lot more kitchens with a dedicated beverage area, with a wine fridge below and an attractive place to display barware above. This feature really appeals to those buyers who enjoy entertaining,” said Simone Poingsett, a Redfin agent in Los Angeles.
“Luxury homebuyers today expect a double oven and outdoor kitchen area, particularly in a climate like Los Angeles where you can entertain year round,” said Simone. “While these features are considered standard in luxury homes, they are becoming more popular in mid-priced homes as well and can really set a home apart from others on the market.”
Also, according to Steve Lyons, of Houston Home Remodeling Pros, "Homeowners can top it off with upscale kitchen faucets to complete their kitchen space, whether it be inside or out. Little details like faucets are just as important as other appliances and accessories in a kitchen."
Are you ready to start looking for your dream kitchen? Contact HanStone Quartz to get started.
METHODOLOGY
Redfin analyzed the online descriptions for millions of homes that were listed on the market between 2010 and 2018. Redfin counted the number of listings that mention specific keywords related to the kitchen and calculated their popularity and the change in popularity year over year.
HelloFresh commissioned Zeno Group to conduct an online poll among US Millennial (age 23 – 40) Homeowners or Homebuyers from July 4-8, 2018, from more than 1,000 millennials nationwide who either own a house or apartment they live in as a primary residence or are very or somewhat likely to purchase a house or apartment within the next few years.
