Latest Trends in Kitchens & Appliances for 2021

By Gina Greco, Senior Brand Marketing Specialist, SEMCA

With every New Year comes new renovation and design trends. In 2021, we challenge you to make a statement in your kitchen. Bring unique colors and accent pieces into your kitchen and be bold with the latest eye-catching and memorable trends.

The Rise of Smart Kitchen Appliances

Bring your kitchen into the future by incorporating the latest smart appliances into your design. Smart home appliances have become incredibly innovative and are continuously developing at a fast pace.

Sharp Microwave Drawer in a modern kitchen

A must-have for any active cook in the kitchen is the new Sharp Stainless Steel IoT Easy Wave Open Microwave Drawer Oven, which opens smoothly with a simple wave of your hand near the motion sensor, boasts an all-new, elegant and stylish design for a premium kitchen. The SuperSteam+ Built-In Wall Oven is another appliance making waves in the cooking world this year. you can enjoy the extended features of the SuperSteam+ Built-In Wall Oven, including remote start and notifications. Download the Sharp SuperSteam+ Oven app to enable the smart features and access thousands of recipes powered by SideChef. With the creation of superheated steam ovens, cooking has never been faster and more comfortable than it is today.

However, cooking appliances are not the only things “getting smart” this season. New Bluetooth devices have been released that connect/control your kitchen lights, appliances, and smartphone, all while playing your favorite music. Talk about innovation. All in all, these products are sure to shake up the way you think of a smart kitchen.

Store More with Less

Make way for pull-out storage this upcoming year. Now more than ever, homeowners will have an efficient way to organize and access treats that mysteriously find their way into your kitchen cabinet.

Traditionally, cabinet structures left homeowners with a great deal of unnecessary wasted space. More innovative storage also means more places to hide that well-loved cookware that you would rather go off display.

There is a misconception that to organize your kitchen, you need to remodel it completely. While a kitchen renovation is always an option, there are many cost-effective solutions to organize your kitchen, some of the most common being drawer dividers, labeled glass jars, and a spice rack.

The best way to decluttering and organizing your kitchen is to decide what your most chaotic areas are and work from there. Many DIY solutions do not require installations; in fact, they usually require everyday items you may already have.

Bolder and Better

Latest Kitchen Trends for 2020: Bolder Colors

This season, concerning cabinet color, the brighter, the better. If committing to a warm orange or blue is too drastic of a change for your liking (I know it is for mine), then two-tone cabinets are a happy alternative for you.

Two-tone cabinets have been an option that many homeowners are leaning towards as it provides a pop-of-color with a distinctive and contemporary look. You can incorporate this design trend into your kitchen by choosing a dark contrasting cabinet color for only one wall section, exhibiting the appearance of a built-in hutch.

Since storage has grown in importance this year, a two-toned cabinet structure could give your kitchen a less cluttered, lighter appearance without reducing the number of cabinets you currently have. This can be done by choosing a light, pastel color for the upper cabinets and choosing a dark or colorful color for the lower cabinets.

Pet-Friendly Spaces

Latest Kitchen Trends for 2020: Pet-Friendly Air Purifiers

Ensuring the cleanliness of your kitchen is increasingly essential as allergies become more and more persistent. We know how much of a pest pet dander and odor can be to keep up with. But how do we keep our furry friends close to us without the urge to consistently clean and sanitize the kitchen?

This season, create a pet-friendly space in your kitchen by investing in an air purifier with True HEPA and charcoal filters.  Our air purifiers have patented Plasmacluster® technology known to create ions that are both positive and negative and disperses them into the air. By doing so, the air purifier effectively removes 99.97% of particles and eliminates odors from the air that passes through the filter.

What trends will you incorporate into your kitchen in the New Year?

Kitchen Appliance Trends You Won’t Want to Miss

By Gina Greco, Senior Brand Marketing Specialist, SEMCA

Wondering what kitchen appliances are trending this year? If you are obsessed with home appliances and adding new gadgets into your kitchen as I am, you have come to the right place.  For one, Superheated Steam Ovens are definitely trending with baking enthusiasts looking for restaurant and bakery-quality performance. 

A favorite method of cooking overseas, steam ovens in the US, had largely been the domain of restaurant kitchens in the form of free-standing combi-ovens as tall as your refrigerator and costing tens of thousands of dollars. Superheated steam ovens are remarkable; there are no two ways about it.

You may not realize it at first, but it is very rare to find a whole new cooking method in an appliance; trust me, I’ve tried. More commonly, I find reboots: countertop grills, versatile pressure cookers, multi-function blenders. Painting a new, blue non-stick surface or adding a rotisserie bar to a countertop toaster oven is not revolutionary.

Sharp IoT appliance being used

Some built-in steam ovens have made their way to the home appliance arena, but the SuperSteam+ Built-In Wall Oven doesn’t just use steam; it is the only oven that uses purely superheated steam up to 485°F. That is hot enough to brown food, like crispy bacon and crunchy cookies. We offer many tips and tricks to using steam ovens, as well as some fantastic recipes like Gluten-Free S’mores Cupcakes and Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole.

Appliance Features and Options

People seem to be looking for small conveniences, little luxuries, and dependability in their kitchens. For countertop appliances, sometimes all you need to grab your attention in a countertop appliance is thoughtful lighting. Many of us would turn away from that cute gold-plated toaster oven at the store if it didn’t have bright LED lighting inside when you open the door.  

Sharp air purifier on wooden bench

Especially in this new work from home age, many of us are also looking for peace-and-quiet in new places and ways. With the pandemic affecting the area I live in so heavily, air purification became a big concern. I purchased several air purifiers to circulate the air throughout my home. It was important for me to find Air Purifiers covering the square footage of my kitchen and living room and featured Library Quiet operation.

Whether I am trying to get a good night’s sleep or find myself working from home in any room of your house, I wanted to find the harmony I was looking for.  I ended up deciding on both the Sharp Plasmacluster Air Purifier with True HEPA Filtration and Humidifying Function for Large Rooms (KC860U) and the Sharp True HEPA Air Purifier with Plasmacluster Ion Technology for Medium-Sized Rooms (FPK50UW) because they matched the square footage of several rooms in my home quite nicely. 

Touch-Controls are trending in modern kitchens, too. Knobs, switches, and buttons are fading in exchange for sleek, responsive, and easier to clean options. I am currently obsessing over microwave drawer oven because they feature hidden panels with responsive, touch-glass controls that simply wipe clean. Plus, it adds a premium look and feel to my kitchen design and takes my microwave oven off the counter and into the island. 

Sharp Microwave Drawer with a breakfast muffin inside

Going one step further, the latest Sharp Microwave Drawer Oven trend is “Easy Wave Oven.” So, you don’t even need to touch the oven to open the drawer! Simply wave up-and-down near the motion sensor, and Microwave Drawer Oven will glide open, is that cool or what? The oven stays closed when you walk by, too, so you won’t have to worry about children and pets accidentally opening it.

Appliances with New Technologies

Sharp Microwave Drawer in a wooden kitchen design.

Many readers have expressed that they are cautious about IoT in the kitchen. Trust me; I understand your concerns. My family and I were cautious, too, at first. The idea of my Microwave Oven turning on from one or two simple voice commands was too much for me to process. That was until I realized how much more convenient my day-to-day became in the kitchen.  That is why the Wi-Fi’s smart features enabled the Microwave Drawer Oven, which uses the Sharp Kitchen App, focusing on convenience. This appliance uses IoT technology and a mobile app to easily make features of the appliance accessible, even the less popular features. It is amazing how many people are not aware that there is a “power” button on their microwave oven. Others may not have ever tried “auto-cook” or “sensor defrost.” Tasks that may seem challenging to perform from the control panel are simple and easy to do using the app.  

 Appliance Aesthetic Trends

Sharp Built-In SuperSteam+ Oven

While vibrant color and retro-design appliances find their way into design magazines and showroom floors, both retro and color are commitments, most people aren’t willing to make. What are you going to do when that limited-run “minty-aqua” countertop microwave with TV knobs your purchased 10 years ago breaks?

Modern kitchen design with mirrored cabinets.

Stainless Steel is king. That isn’t changing any time soon. Although color has had great success in countertop appliances, it is very restrictive in large kitchen appliances. Grey had a moment. It may not have been exciting, but your entire look wouldn’t fall apart because your upgrade and replacement paths could be either stainless steel or black stainless. The same would probably be true with the new, white appliances with stainless steel handles and trims… you could still retreat to stainless steel’s safety.

Black stainless steel has seen a steady rise in popularity for its elegant contrast, bold statement, and growing catalog. Naturally, Stainless steel never goes out of style. As your family’s needs change, your appliances will, too. Sticking with the classics means stress-free upgrades and replacements.

 

What are your favorite new kitchen trends?

Kitchen Island Trends

By Gina Greco, Senior Brand Marketing Specialist, SEMCA

Kitchen islands have undergone a total transformation and are now essential in the kitchen for cooking and entertaining. A few years ago, kitchen islands mainly included cabinets for storage, a few high-top seats, and gas cooktops on the counter. Today, they are much more modern with a sleek, minimalistic approach. Appliances like Sharp Microwave Drawer Ovens can help achieve that look providing both function and style into your space.

Pros and Cons of Installing /Revamping an Island 

Pros: A kitchen island can provide more countertop space, a gathering place when entertaining, additional storage and seating, and appliances like a microwave, dishwasher, or wine fridge.

Cons: Kitchen islands can be expensive to install ​and under-designed.  Modern kitchen islands need central access to sufficient electricity to power all of the convenient appliances housed there.  Islands with modular frames and removable panels make it easier to install and replace components for a future-proof kitchen.  Secondary dishwashers and wine coolers may be easily replaced with a Sharp Microwave Drawer Oven / Pedestal (SKMD24U0ES) combo. Still, proper design in a kitchen island could make having a second oven just as easy.

Must-Have Features

kitchen with Sharp built-in microwave drawer

We would definitely recommend including a built-in appliance or two. For example, countertop microwaves can look bulky and take up some major real estate. The Sharp Built-In Microwave Drawer Oven is the perfect solution to achieve a minimalist, modern-looking kitchen without compromising the most time-saving appliance in the kitchen! With various models, including IoT and easy-wave-open technology, there is sure to be a microwave that is perfect for your needs.

An island can be incorporated into any kitchen that has ample space. Even small kitchens can benefit from the placement of a tailored, well thought out island!

Things To Consider Before Committing to a New or Improved Island

Homeowners should consider their kitchen’s look and feel when incorporating an island to keep the space consistent.

It would be best if you also kept your sight-lines top-of-mind.  Although there are many shapes and styles, kitchen islands most often have 4 sides.  So not all of your appliances need to be lined up against your walls for everyone to see.  You can conceal microwave ovens and wall ovens on the “Chef’s side” and keep storage and decorative elements on the side facing out.  If a grand kitchen-scape is not a priority for you, the “Family side” of the island can store a mini-fridge for the most frequently used, child-friendly snacks, minimizing how often your family needs to traffic through your kitchen while your busy making dinner.  Busy families may consider putting a second sink on the island to better eye the kids while cleaning.

They also should keep in mind the function of their kitchen island—will it be used mainly for storage and extra counter space, or will it include seats and a bar area? Analyzing your lifestyle and kitchen activities will determine what island design will ultimately be right for you.