The importance of a well-designed and highly functional kitchen is very clear. Over the six years that the CHBA Home Buyer Preference Study, powered by Avid Ratings Canada, has run, kitchen features have maintained top position as the highest ranked group of features, in every year.

Yet while the kitchen remains at the top of everyone’s list as the most important room in the home, the exact mix of features that homeowners want continues to evolve.

So what are the most popular kitchen renovation trends in 2020? And how is this reflected when homeowners decide to renovate their kitchens?  Let’s take a look.

A Room To Live and Connect In

Today’s kitchen design trends are best viewed in relation to a long-standing evolution of the kitchen over the last fifty years – from a closed and separate place for cooking, to the most central meeting place in the home for most families.

This award-winning kitchen renovation from CHBA’s 2020 National Awards for Housing Excellence is a great contemporary example of this evolution.

The Blue Horizon kitchen renovation, by Clay Construction of Langley, B.C., took top honours in its category. The ‘before and after’ photos of this project illustrate the major changes that have moved the kitchen to become the centre feature of today’s home.

Larry Clay, President of the company, summed up the project this way: “When the homeowner was preparing meals, she felt she was isolated from the rest of the household. The solution was to open the space up, so it became part of the larger interior space. This meant removing walls, and selecting finishes that changed a fairly closed, dark space into something that feels bright and spacious.”

Kitchen Renovation Trends in 2020

You can see many of the trends from the CHBA Home Buyer Survey in this kitchen renovation.  These include the use of quartz countertops and easy-to-clean hard-surface flooring. The skillful placement of cabinetry and flush mounting of appliances result in flat surfaces and clean lines that create a more harmonious visual feel to the space.

Under-cabinet accent lights and well-placed task lighting add to the functionality of the kitchen, and the skillful use of bold colour completes the look.

Larry also notes that this project incorporates many of the most popular features homeowners are asking for in a renovated kitchen today. Features include an induction stove-top, a bar fridge and a large kitchen island equipped with a pot filler sink. The island serves as a great food preparation area, and provides a place the family can gather around for an informal meal.

Are you looking to do a home renovation in the near future? The Canadian Home Builders’ Association has all the information you need to prepare for the experience, from planning, design, and budget to how to interview a contractor. And make sure that whoever you hire provides you with a written contract!