The Worst Kitchen Trends of the Past 20 Years

Kitchen Remodeling Nov 18

There are a number of trends in kitchen design that seemed like brilliant ideas at the time, but have fallen by the wayside for a number of reasons. When this happens it’s generally because interior designers are at odds with needs of a functioning family. In other words, it looks great, but it’s practically inconvenient. Other times, it never looked great in the first place. As our needs as families and homeowners evolve, so too do the design requirements of our kitchens, so this is a list of kitchen trends that have fallen out of favor with modern homeowners.

1. Microwave above the Range

This is one of those things that designers thought was a great idea because it kept everything in one spot, while individual homeowners that were less than 6ft tall recognized that it was actually an awful idea. Not only were most kids not able to warm up their meals, but even taller folks in the kitchen had to reach up in order to pull their meals out of the microwave, making it difficult to read the individual buttons without a telescope, or even see how whatever was inside the microwave was progressing.

2. Pot Racks

Pots and pans are notoriously difficult to find space for, but suspending them from the ceiling is really not a great idea. Nonetheless, this was popular for years because most kitchens are simply too small for the amount of stuff modern American families have in them now. Modern kitchens employ specialized drawers for pots and pans.

3. The Kitchen Desk

Putting a desk in the kitchen makes about as much sense as putting a desk in the bathroom. Sure, now you can sign documents while you’re cooking, but who really wants to do that? Nonetheless, having a kitchen desk was a popular trend for almost 10 years. Buh bye, kitchen desk.

4. Distressed Cabinets

Out of all the trends listed in this article, distressed cabinets may be the only one a lot of folks are sorry to see go. They’ve been a staple of country style kitchens for years, and are actually quite lovely. The major problem is that they’re dark, and the trend is toward very bright kitchens. So there go distressed cabinets.

5. Faux Finishes

Another casualty of modern design imperatives, faux finishes are waning in popularity. Modern kitchens want to be bright and simple, and faux finishes darken and complicate a room. Gray and white, or black and white pallets are the most popular in today’s kitchens.“Most of the things that have fallen out of fashion have done so with good reason,” says one kitchen designer. “They’re either not practical, or another better way of doing something has come along. Kitchens evolve too.”