When you buy a new construction home, one of the best parts is making it your own. A lot of the selections and feature choices land in one major hub of the home—the kitchen. Homebuyers at Lexington love choosing their selections, options, and design in when it comes time to sit with their Design Coordinator. And we get excited with them as they make choices and to help them match their vision for their new home.
Kitchens are more interesting than ever, with color mixing, material trends, and features that match how people live today. Here are a few features we’ve noticed homebuyers love when putting together their new home!
Large islands. Lexington has done open concept kitchens for years, since homeowners love the ease of daily life and entertaining when everything is connected with that great flow. “Because of the casual living trend, especially in townhomes, we’ve moved away from having a breakfast area,” says Denise Benach, Director of Interior Design at Lexington Homes. “Instead, we offer bigger islands—sometimes with room for 6-8 seats—to make a more casual setting that matches how we live today. This way kids or guests can sit at the counter while you prepare meals and you can carry on a conversation as you go about daily living.”
Cabinets stacked to the ceiling. Most of our home layouts have 9 foot ceilings in the kitchen. We take advantage of the space by offering stacked cabinets that go up to the ceiling. “This draws the eye up and makes the rooms look larger, more expansive, and cleaner,” says Denise.
Mixed countertop colors. Buyers love the Quartz countertops that come with their Lexington Homes. And with the larger island as a feature, many buyers are choosing the option to have a different color countertop on the perimeter than on the island. This can help emphasize the island as a focal point in the kitchen.
Mixed metals. There are tons of interesting metal finishes offered in hardware—black nickel, chrome, gold. “People often are avoiding being matchy-matchy,” says Denise. “Instead, they might choose a black pendant light in the kitchen but gold hardware on cabinets, which is included on some upgraded cabinets that are offered. Gold has been a big choice lately.”
Waterfall countertops. Countertops no longer need to have an edge—instead, they can waterfall all the way to the floor. “This has been so popular. We started to get requests for this, and as they continued in popularity, we added it as an option everywhere,” says Denise.
Hood as a focal point. Oven hoods are increasingly popular, but to have them as a feature, typical upper features have to be moved. “People love having their oven hood as a focal point in the kitchen, so we often move the microwave to the island to allow a feature hood,” says Denise.
Darker appliances. For years stainless was the most popular choice for appliances—it is a timeless and universally liked finish. A new trend of darker appliances is increasing in popularity, though. “In some communities, we offer the option of darker appliances, like slate,” says Denise. “We are seeing a lot of people choose that.”
When it comes down to it, homebuyers have more choices and options than ever. And the end result can truly reflect what they want in their own new kitchen. “Everyone switches it up—it’s not all the same,” says Denise. “It’s an exciting time for homebuyers to put together their new kitchen, and we love to help them do it!”
Are you ready to design your new home’s kitchen? Learn more about Lexington communities available throughout Chicagoland!
