10 Unexpected Kitchen Design Trends That Add Big Personality

For many, the kitchen is considered the main room of the house. It's the place where homemade meals are cooked, gossip is shared over a glass of wine, and midnight snacks are munched on in the refrigerator light. As such, your kitchen deserves to have a visual personality, something that instantly introduces its (and your) character to any guest; a memorable design choice that makes the space a little different from the overdone status quo.

We've put together a list of 10 interesting design trends you can follow to make the kitchen less mundane. Depending on where you are in the design process (and the budget you're working with), the changes can be big or small. Installing large windows, swapping out the backsplash, or getting stylish appliances are all great ideas if you're starting from scratch. Painting the walls black or adding a chic rug, on the other hand, are low-effort upgrades that don't break the bank. Either way, look for an aesthetic that aligns with your personality — at the end of the day, it's your spark that you're trying to channel into the decor.

You don't need to have an old-fashioned kitchen to benefit from retro appliances; they can actually look even better in a modern space. Vintage design trends are the antidote to all-white kitchens because they bring a much-needed pop of color, instantly becoming the centerpiece of the room. A red vintage fridge or a pastel microwave can spice up any modern kitchen, seamlessly marrying the past and present.

Usually, we keep the kitchen lighting tame and unintrusive, saving the more glitzy choices for the living room, but there's nothing wrong with a little bit of bling in your kitchen. Chandeliers are steadily making their way into cooking spaces, and for good reason. Their elegance and sophistication are unmatched and rarely achieved with any other functional decor piece.

If chandeliers are too lush for your personal style, go the other direction and opt for countertop lamps instead. Their lighting is a lot more atmospheric and moody, bringing some of that cozy bedroom energy into the kitchen. Go for one large lamp or several smaller ones; the choice is yours. This is also a pretty affordable upgrade, since you can always find a good lamp at the thrift store.

Black is probably the most intimidating wall color when it comes to any room of the house, let alone the kitchen. If you give the color a chance, though, you'll see that black kitchens can create an edgy yet timeless space. Painting the walls this deep, daring shade creates an eye-catching contrast with the rest of the kitchen, which you should leave in brighter tones.

Upper cabinets have steadily survived nearly all design trends, but the next wave of modern kitchens might just do away with them. There's something so airy, open, and breathable about a kitchen without the top cabinets; it's truly alluring. The walls can be decorated with artwork or left empty, while the bottom cabinets serve as the primary means of storage. It makes the space feel less cluttered and forces you to only keep what you truly need.

If you do prefer the style of traditional upper-and-lower cabinets, definitely make sure they come in bold, memorable colors. Forget the gray, white, and even the gentle pastels — we're thinking electric blue, coral pink, or straight-up turquoise. Unexpected kitchen cabinet colors are a true statement piece, and, in case you're on the fence about committing to a wild color long-term, you can always go with contact paper.

Back in the day, everybody had a fun, colorful backsplash — and then the subway tiles took over the world. Well, the fun patterns and colors are finally coming back as kitchen design trends shift. It turns out that the backsplash area is the perfect part of your kitchen for expressing unbridled, childlike creativity. Choose patterned tiles, mix and match different styles, and make it look as eccentric as you dare.

Bringing personality to your kitchen doesn't have to mean something daring and untamed if that's not your style. Beverage centers are a perfect example of that. These super elegant pieces make the kitchen look more luxurious, almost hotel-like. It's also a functional addition, not just an aesthetic one, so the purchase is more justifiable if you're working with limited funds.

The lack of natural light will always make a room feel smaller, and since big kitchens are becoming very trendy, large windows are a natural continuation of that. Not only do they create an illusion of a bigger space, but they also offer a beautiful view of the outdoors. Any large dimension window will do the trick, but we're big fans of floor-to-ceiling if you have the option.

Sometimes the best solutions are the simplest. If your kitchen is seriously lacking character and you don't have the time or the budget for a bigger project, get yourself a rug. From monochrome to oriental, rugs instantly bring something fresh into the space. Plus, they're pretty easy to swap out if you ever grow tired of them.