A kitchen renovation is a reliable way to upgrade the look and feel of your home, especially if you have re-sell value in mind. When considering changes you’ll want to choose features and colors that you, or future owners, will be happy with for 5-10 years. Here are five “safer” trends to consider for your beautiful new cooking space.

1. Greige

Shades of grey and beige have become the staple color palette for the modern kitchen and home. More adventurous than white, but still a relatively easy-to-work-with neutral color. Grey can be used in different ways than just paint on walls or cabinets. Think concrete countertops or floors.  Matte finishes are especially favorable right now, and expected to be strong in the design industry as a whole for years to come.

2. Wood accents.

Wood is a must-have material in kitchens right now, whether it’s cabinets, countertops, benches or accent pieces. The natural texture adds a relaxed element to the space

3. Tiles – backsplash and floor.

An easy way to add personality to your kitchen is through a creative use of tiles. Gone are days of having to match your floor and backsplash perfectly, so have fun with it! If you don’t want to go too far, try and playful black and white pattern on the floor, with a small, neutral tile for the wall. If you’re feeling more daring, go for a colorful pattern on the floor and balance it out with white subway tile on the wall.

4. Open shelving & two-tone cabinets.

Maybe one of the “riskier” trends to try, open-shelving has proven to be an enduring trend. Along with that, you will start seeing more and more two-tone cabinets as a feature in modern kitchens. This means kitchen cabinetry painted in two or more colors, usually top vs. bottom. Open-shelving is an easy way to add minimalistic style to your room, while using your dishes as accessories. If you’d like the option to disguise your messier shelves you could do your own take on two-tone cabinets and have a mix of colors as well as open vs. closed shelving.

5. Lighting trends.

Trends in lighting are always changing and can seem hard to keep up with, but can be a relatively simple way of making a major change to the look and feel of the kitchen. A few of the trending lighting choices are:

• Edison bulbs – A trend you have probably seen all over home designs, not just in the kitchen. This special filament bulbs can be feature pieces that add a warm, welcoming light to the room.
• Track lighting – Use as a focal feature to draw the eye to a part of the kitchen such as an island.
• Layered lighting – Multiple, and different kinds of lighting can break up a large room and help separate the kitchen from the living area. Or, soften the sink space with accent lighting – it’s nice to have the option of softer, warmer, lighting in the evening.
• Cabinet lighting – A form of layered lighting in and of itself, but is worth mentioning separately as such a strong trend. A great “night light” option in the kitchen, that can also highlight that backsplash or countertop you spent so much time deciding on. With different kinds and styles, do your research and talk to your contractor about the best options for your space.
• Pendant lights – Consider the rustic or industrial style pendants featured commonly today, combined with Edison bulbs and you have yourself a trendy, modern kitchen. Pendants are a great way to add a unique sense of style and character to the kitchen.