For any interior design junkie, the ultimate dream is getting to customize elements in your own kitchen or bath. Choosing all of the fixtures, appliances, hardware, cabinetry, flooring to your liking… oh how fun!

Of course, for many, it can be overwhelming or intimidating trying to keep up to date on what trends are in or will stand the test of time. But even pairing fixtures and hardware that go together and visualizing the finished big picture can prevent many people from moving forward on renovating.

Fortunately – we’ve now gone through it, having renovated our office kitchen just this past year! And we talked with the pros at one of the top names in the industry–Kohler–to narrow down three trends in kitchen and bath design that we’re personally loving – and even used ourselves in our office kitchen!

1. Calming, Pale Colors

Our favorite trend of the year seen everywhere from fashion runways to home remodels is the rise of pale colors. Muted neutrals, pastels, and patterns – these soft hues create a calming effect that is equal parts pretty and understated. As you can see – it’s what we went with when it came to redesigning the kitchen at The Everygirl office!

Pale colors pair great with warm or cool hardware collections depending on the look you’re going for: we recommend brushed brass for a more feminine look or polished nickel for a classic you can rely on that still feels warm in the space.

GET THE LOOK

grey vanity
double wall sconce in polished nickel
bridge faucet in polished nickel
farmhouse sink

2. Sophisticated, Show-Stopping Black

There hasn’t been this cool of a new kid on the block since Donny Wahlberg. Matte black hit the scene and keeps gaining popularity, infiltrating the hardware, fixture, cabinetry, paint, and appliance categories.

You can embrace the black trend in large doses like cabinets or bathtubs, or with small accents like hardware and fixtures. We love the sleek bold look; it gives an instant hint of sophistication to any space.

GET THE LOOK

black hardware vanity
8″ rainhead shower in matte black
purist three-hole sink faucet in matte black
undermount double-bowl kitchen sink

3. White Blank Page

We know… “white kitchens” have been around forever and don’t exactly seem trendy. But white cabinets aside, the ideas of white space, minimalism, and clean lines have taken the kitchen and bath world by storm the past year and is still going strong.

White countertops create a simple, clean surface area for working. Open shelving forces homeowners to reduce clutter, pare back, and keep things simple. Slab countertops, backsplashes, and islands reduce lines creating an even sleeker look.