Metallic Wallpaper

Designers are causing a stir over metallic decor accessories like metallic lamps, drawer pulls, faucets, and knobs. It’s fun to jump into new decor trends, but even better when you do it from a different perspective. Metallic wallpaper gets our seal of approval as one of 2016’s hottest decor trends. Just how glam does this turquoise kitchen look with this dazzling wallpaper and matching cabinets?

Photo: Sheila Bridges Design Inc.

Kitchen Chandeliers

Now this is an easy way designers make any kitchen look INSTANTLY more expensive and luxurious. Kitchen chandeliers aren’t even expensive to buy (home depot carries some lovely affordable ones) and they reflect light all over the place, lighting up every dark corner and making your kitchen look twice as big!

Photo: Tumblr

Nailhead Detailing

Nailheads make anything look chic! We’ve seen them everywhere from sofas to ottomans, even storage boxes and now they have made their way to our kitchen cupboards. You can buy nailheads on strips by the yard and easily glue or tack them onto the edge of your cupboards and counter tops for a glammed-up look that’s on a whole other level.

Photo: Thehighheeledhostess.com

Durable Wood-Like Flooring

Hardwood flooring in the kitchen screams luxury because as we all know, it’s super easy to damage and is very pricey! You can get the look of hardwood flooring in the kitchen using tiles that look exactly like real wood. To keep your kitchen looking elegant rather than rustic, choose light walls, cupboards and countertops like the granite and quartz ones from Mayfair Granite. Having these wood-like tiles stretch throughout your whole home makes it look expansive, luxurious, and very much like your dream kitchen!

Photo: Hallmark Floors Inc.

Waffle Ceilings

Having a wood waffle ceiling was long thought of as being uber expensive, sometimes even unnecessary, and a decorating style made for the rich only. Today there are tons of alternatives where you can get the look of a waffle ceiling for a lot cheaper! Styrofoam molds mimic the look of real wood, and when painted you can barely tell the difference.

Photo: John Kraemer & Sons 

Glossy All-Black Kitchens

Don’t shy away from black walls and cupboards, an all-black kitchen can make a huge statement room for your whole house! The trick to making black work as a wall color is choosing a glossy shade that reflects light rather than swallows it up. For your hardware such as drawer knobs, pulls, and kitchen faucet choose a brushed gold to amp up your new dream kitchen.

Photo: Style Me Pretty

Built-In Kitchen Appliances

An ugly fridge and dishwasher can really break your overall decor. What’s trending for 2016 is making your kitchen look as seamless as possible. This means dishwashers and fridges that are built-in and look almost invisible!

Photo: Pinterest

Photo: Subway Tile Outlet

Go Simple With Monochrome From Ceiling to Floor

If you are stuck on choosing a color scheme for your kitchen, go monochrome! Pairing black and white ALWAYS makes a any space look instantly glammed up. You can try this theme in your kitchen by choosing a light countertop, light cupboard doors, light walls, and then bring it all together with super dark flooring. Now that’s what I call sharp decor!

Photo: La Dolce Vita Blog

Roll Out the Wallpaper, Vintage Style!

In 2016, we are rolling out the wallpaper once again. Designers are swaying towards a more vintage vibe, and calling old trends new again! What’s a better way to bring this trend to life at home than to roll out a magnificent wallpaper in your kitchen? Make sure to go vintage only on the walls, if your kitchen is still stuck in the 60’s you are bound for a big mess! Buy quartz countertops, modern faucets, and use a modern color scheme to make sure your kitchen looks updated, not outdated.

Photo: Flickr

Think About Symmetry in Every Space

An easy designer trick to make a room look put together? Make everything symmetrical! If that means putting a chandelier over your kitchen island, then put two beside each other! Try this trick with anything, two vases on either end of your dining table, two end tables with a lamp on either end of a sofa – you’d be surprised at how this can balance out a room!

Photo: La Dolce Vita Blog

Get Creative With Decorative Molding

The kitchen below does look a little suffocated with molding, but you can alter this style at home in no time! Add a cornice molding above your kitchen cabinets, some fancy intricate detailing to your kitchen island, and some trim onto your cabinets and let it work it’s magic! If you are tight on cash, look for styrofoam moldings instead of wood, you can save a lot and it’s much easier to work with. Most of this you can do yourself at home with some basic DIY skills – trust us it’s not as hard as it looks, but the end result is very beautiful!

Photo: d’alessio

Show Off Your Pantry – But Clean it First!

If you are lucky enough to have a built-in pantry in your home, show it off with glass doors! You can make your pantry look high-end with glass French doors, or even glass swinging doors (these are super fun). The only downside is, you need to make sure it’s looking neat at all times!

Photo: Ciao New Port Beach

Don’t Forget About Adding Color with Fruits and Flowers!

You can add color and life into a plain kitchen with fresh flowers, and a big bowl of fruit. A nice bowl of lemons, oranges, or other in-season fruit makes a wonderful decorative piece that is both natural and edible! Yum!

Photo: Bradford Design

Install Roman Shades in a Pretty Fabric

Roman shades are a wonderful window drapery option in the kitchen since they serve as a decorative piece and add privacy to your kitchen. One thing you don’t want to be using for a dream kitchen is those half-window lace blinds – toss them now! If you have basic sewing skills, you can easily sew Roman shades yourself using just about any fabric you like, to perfectly match your kitchen’s decor. The designer below used black and white striped shades which I lOVE! It adds a little cafe-style to the overall look. Don’t you think?

Photo: Massimo Interiors

Bonus Tip: Go Bold With Color!

We couldn’t help ourselves but to include this photo in our dream kitchen feature! Check out Veronica Swanson mixing up a recipe in this bohemian kitchen that reminds us more of a jewelry box more than anything else!

Photo: Harpers Bazzar