If you're thinking about a kitchen or bath remodel, the design choices can feel overwhelming. Homeowners want spaces that increase both convenience and style. People want to put their own stamp on a design while embracing a current look.

Multifunctional spaces are bigger than ever, with more integrated technology. Bold colors and patterns are coming to the forefront. Tubs are taking center stage in relaxing bath designs and islands are an indispensable component of kitchen design. Unexpected color paired with natural wood and stone defines the most thoughtful interiors right now.

Here are ten of our favorite kitchen and bath design ideas worth considering.

KITCHEN DESIGN

1. Designer Tiles

Tile is getting a fresh look. Tiles with textures and unusual shapes add dimension and reflect light around the room. Hand-crafted or highly detailed tiles take a kitchen backsplash to a higher level, adding interest to minimalist, sleek cabinetry. Putting textured tile beside a flat surface helps it become a focal point.

Geometric patterns add interest and can be arranged any way you like to make a kitchen feel unique. Boldly colored tiles in rich blues, greens, and pinks make a statement. If you're going for a classic white kitchen, let your personality come through in the backsplash. We go deeper on tile in our tile guide for small bathrooms.

2. Custom Beverage Bars

Custom beverage bars are increasingly popular. Large, open plan kitchens are perfect spaces for floor-to-ceiling wine cabinets that keep your collection at the right temperature. Custom storage turns a wine collection into a design feature. UV-tempered glass and dimmed LED lighting prevent altering the wine's color or taste. Industrial open storage versions hung on a wall let the beverage bar become a stylish focal point.

You can also customize the beverage bar to specific needs. Add a separate beverage refrigerator for the kids' soft drinks, separate from your wine refrigerator. If coffee or cocktails are your preferred beverage, gear the storage and display toward that, with a built-in coffee maker or custom storage for glassware and supplies.

3. Wood as a Feature

Mixing natural and painted wood is a strong direction in kitchen design. The organic trend favors natural materials, so use a stain that lets the grain show through. Try a painted storage unit on a natural wood countertop, or paint the legs of a table with a sanded and waxed top.

Oak is a classic, warm-toned timber that's back in demand. To draw warmth from natural wood, contrast it with cooler tones like blues, grays, or greens in natural stone. Conversely, neutral cabinets and walls let wood countertops become a design statement.

4. Statement Lighting

Decorative lighting is becoming more important to kitchen design. Recessed lighting was the default for years; as tile and color get more adventurous, lighting follows.

Oversized pendants are ideal over an island or dining table. Ornate bar lighting illuminates the full length of these areas. Mixed metals in a lighting scheme take a kitchen from average to high-end. As with any eclectic color grouping, stay within the same tonal range to avoid a jarring result.

5. Islands as a Focal Point

Kitchen islands are a major selling point and a worthwhile investment. Islands are the central part of a multifunctional kitchen, providing dining, entertaining, work, and food prep zones in one place.

These socially focused hubs are increasingly replacing formal dining rooms as kitchens become more spacious. An expansive island in an L or T configuration, or two islands, reduces the need for a kitchen table and makes entertaining easier. We cover this more in our kitchen layout guide.

A boldly colored island enlivens a white or muted kitchen. The organic trend works well with a durable butcher-block island countertop. Add workspace in a food prep zone and storage for large and small appliances. The ultimate look is the stone waterfall island countertop, where the natural stone sweeps down the side of the island and into a similar stone or contrasting hardwood floor for a dramatic statement.

BATHROOM DESIGN

6. Smart Technology

Smart technology has been integrated into most facets of life, and bath design is no exception. Auto-adjusting vents control temperature based on programmed settings. Thermostat smart controls handle heated flooring and showers.

App-controlled and voice-activated showerheads, touchless faucets, and motion sensor lighting save time and energy. Shower toilets (also known as bidet toilets or washlets) save each family member's preferred water and air pressure as well as temperature. Music can be voice-activated during a shower along with water temperature and lights. Smart mirrors and mirrored medicine cabinets double as touch-screen devices that don't mist over.

7. Unique Touches

Individual design touches transform a functional or impersonal space into one that expresses your style. Irregularly shaped bathroom mirrors are popular as a design feature, hung anywhere as both stylish and practical. The right artwork can bring a sense of whimsy or high-end decor. Even a picture's frame can alter the mood. Upcycled pieces are a sustainable option that gives a bath a unique look.

8. Natural Stone Countertops

The focus on organic materials continues. Natural stone countertops are a strong direction in primary baths. Quartz is still a reliable option, but as people look for more color, quartzite and marble vanity countertops and bathroom backsplashes are gaining ground. Earthy tones are popular, so natural materials like oak, honed limestone, and unglazed terracotta are appearing.

Marble is in demand in soft browns and deep greens. Use it expansively on a double vanity countertop, or on top of a smaller storage unit.

9. Statement Tubs

The emphasis on self-care and wellbeing has driven the popularity of relaxing, spa-style bathrooms. The focal point is undoubtedly a custom or freestanding bathtub, a great investment that adds value to a home.

Clawfoot tubs suit opulent or traditional designs; transitional or modern bath remodels lean toward sleek, flat-bottomed bathtubs. Slipper tubs provide a high back so you can sink right in with neck support. Gold fixtures give a luxe feel. In a bath tight on space, a Japanese soaking tub is small enough to sit in but deep and comfortable, available in unusual materials from wood to copper. You can create a focal point with a tub on a platform, accent lighting, or surrounding it with a unique tile feature.

10. Colors

Warm, invigorating shades have replaced the all-cool palettes of past years. Earthy tones, warm neutrals, pinks, rich dark accents, and bold pops of color are in demand. White bathrooms are still popular but in warmer tones, especially taupe, cream, and blush pink balanced with warm wood. Blues, greens, grays, and neutrals are most common for primary baths. Dusty blues and greens pair with many shades of hardware. Pastels are on the rise in soft pink, mint, and lilac. These muted tones work well with natural wood, while bold colors can be introduced on walls, artwork, and vanities for dramatic effect.

Talk through your design with a designer

If you're starting to think about a remodel and want to talk through which directions fit your home, we'd love to talk.

Schedule a showroom visit at our 5,000 square foot showroom in Norwell. No pressure, just a real conversation about your home.

Transitions Kitchens, Baths & Remodeling
433 Washington St, Norwell, MA
(781) 871-0881