Your kitchen at Stepping Stone is the centerpiece of your home and provides all kinds of possibilities for customization and creative flair. To keep your kitchen from looking like a merely functioning space, it’s good to keep up with trends and also find ways to express your own personality (or the personality of your family) through the hardware, furniture, dishes, walls, floors and cabinets.

We’ve combed the web to highlight a few of the big kitchen trends for 2018. So, whether you’re looking to spruce up your cooking space or just thinking about it, we’ve found new color palettes, appliance trends, and unexpected creativity.

Induction Cooktops

An induction cooktop uses an electromagnetic field to heat up a pot or pan while leaving the cooking surface cool to the touch. Induction cooking is 60% more efficient than gas stovetops and won’t overheat your kitchen. These cooktops also eliminate the need for a large range hood, opening the door to creative design possibilities.

Black Fixtures

Black is the new polished silver, or nickel, or whatever surface your current fixtures are. It feels very modern and won’t show wear and tear or water spots as quickly as other finishes. Black is always a good choice because it will work with just about every style and color palette you have going on.

Sage is the Rage

The “it” color for 2018 looks to be sage — which is a gorgeous neutral that brings a calming ambiance to any room. This mossy color works well with rustic furniture and looks particularly good mixed with warm wood and live greenery.

Flat Front Cabinetry

This simple and rather affordable door option really lends a sleek, modern look to any kitchen. Whether it is out of a beautiful grain wood or a white, seamless panel, this trend will always be timeless.

Undercounter Appliances

Appliances and storage are shifting down underneath counters, keeping them clear and small appliances accessible. You can now find microwave “drawers” that load from the top for added convenience.

Marble Walls

While marble itself can be stunning as a floor tile or a backsplash, nothing gives a room a focal point like an entire floor-to-ceiling wall of marble. Just make sure your counters and cabinets are very simple so they don’t compete with the colors and striations in your marble wall.

So, are you totally thinking about making a few tweaks to your kitchen to keep it trendy? If you need more ideas, check out Stepping Stone’s Kitchen Inspirations Pinterest board. And please send us the before and after photos!