One bright note in the near-constant press coverage of housing issues in the U.S. — affordability, low inventory, labor challenges, materials costs, high mortgage rates — is that consumers' reluctance to spend on renovations is easing up. According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, home improvement project spending will be roughly $451 billion in 2024, which is slightly down from 2023 but expected to be short-lived.

Topping the list of living spaces that need attention? The kitchen.

On one level, it's about time. Homes are often outdated: The median home age in the Northeast ranges from 55 to nearly 65 years old. In the South and West, it ranges from 26 to 32 years old. And because of high demand for housing and low inventory, many homebuyers are foregoing inspections and facing the consequences — a laundry list of necessary structural improvement projects. According to the 2024 Houzz U.S. Kitchen Trends Study, 35% of homeowners take on a renovation because of a deteriorated or dysfunctional kitchen.

Beyond necessity, however, there are other key reasons homeowners renovate and remodel. The kitchen is no longer just a place to cook and have meals. Cultural shifts exacerbated by the last few years — hybrid work, boomerang kids, more nesting — are here to stay. The workhorse kitchen is used for everything, from school and office work to cooking and entertaining. Enter smart kitchen designs, which are now essential to this kind of everyday living.

Here are five smart kitchen design trends construction and design professionals should pay attention to:

1. Make it transitional

In the past decades, the rise of TV channels like HGTV, websites like Houzz, and apps like Instagram have put kitchen design trends front and center. The Houzz report found that more than 2 in 5 renovating homeowners say they can't stand the style of their kitchen, and 64% of those renovating are choosing an open floor plan. Transitional style, with its mix of contemporary and traditional elements, remains the most popular.

Consumers also don't want to miss out on new color trends (Pantone's color of the year 2024 is Peach Fuzz), cabinetry looks (mixed design styles, natural materials), countertop materials (quartz and granite still reign supreme) and technology (smart appliances).

2. Personalization and customization

Regardless of trends, homeowners want unique spaces that fit their particular lifestyle. Personalizing a recently purchased home is one of the main events triggering a kitchen renovation, the Houzz study found. With so many options to choose from, it's valuable for homeowners to have a one-stop shop like Samsung's Bespoke Kitchen Design. Refrigerator door style, color, material, beverage center, family hub? Check. Wall ovens — air sous vide, steam cook, dual ovens? Check. Ranges with gas or induction, air fry, lighting and cooktop glass options? Check, check and check.

Customizing the kitchen has led to the rise of the statement appliance — one that ticks the boxes on both form and function. For example, Samsung's Bespoke Smart Wall Hoods offer clean lines in multiple finishes, powerful ventilation, minimal noise and the ability to sync with the cooktop via the SmartThings app.

3. The smart kitchen

According to the Houzz report, approximately 30% of renovating homeowners choose appliances with Wi-Fi connectivity, and 29% opt for models that are controlled via smartphones or tablets. And both those figures rose by five percentage points year over year.

Technology has allowed for flexible design and multifunction integration. There's increased interest in features such as touchscreens, built-in apps, and cameras, the Houzz study found. Take Samsung's Family Hub™, which offers the ability to see inside the refrigerator from anywhere making it easy to plan meals. Users can also elevate their cooking and reimagine their everyday routines thanks to the connectivity of the Samsung smart oven. From searching for personalized recipes and weekly meal plans to pre-heating the oven remotely, meal prep can be done right from the convenience of a phone. The fridge becomes the heart of the kitchen with interactive elements — such as a video display, whiteboard and calendar — along with entertainment options for social media, television and radio.

4. Safety and functionality

Multi-generational living has nearly quadrupled in the past decade, with about 26% of Americans living in a household with three or more generations, according to a Generations United study conducted by the Harris Poll. New homebuilders are answering the trend with flex spaces, in-law suites and accessory dwelling units. There's also a need to accommodate people of every age and stage.

Houzz found that 27% of renovating homeowners are redoing their kitchens to accommodate aging household members with elements such as pullout cabinets (58%), extra lighting (54%), wide drawer pulls (48%), nonslip flooring (37%) and rounded countertops (34%).

Whether elders live with younger family members or on their own, smart appliances can be increasingly valuable for safety. For example, Samsung's smart ranges can be controlled remotely and set to turn off after a period of inactivity. For every generation, an induction stove like Samsung's Smart Slide-In Induction Range is safer since there is no flame or direct heat.

5. Sustainable design

Long on the horizon has been the sustainability trend. It surfaces in the indoor-outdoor connection that homebuyers appreciate as well, specifically in:

·     Biophilic design elements, including living plant walls, colors inspired by nature and natural materials

·     Maximization of natural light

·     Alternative energy sources

·     Energy efficient windows

·     Use of LED lighting and energy-efficient appliances

The Houzz study reported that more than 9 in 10 kitchen renovators opt for sustainable choices with LED lightbulbs (67%) and energy-efficient appliances (62%) topping the list.

Samsung refrigerators are rated #1 in energy efficiency in their category, and SmartThings Energy with AI Energy Mode helps intelligently reduce refrigerator energy usage by up to 30%. In the laundry room, Samsung's new partnership with Procter & Gamble has led to optimization in clothes washing. Without consuming energy to heat the water, the Tide POD Cold wash cycle is optimized for dissolving and maximizing the effectiveness of Tide Hygienic Clean Heavy Duty 10X Power PODS® detergent, ensuring superior laundry results.

Design and construction professionals know the difficulty of educating consumers about the benefits of sustainable design. The recent NKBA/KBIS Sustainability In Kitchen & Bath Design Report found a disconnect between what's important to designers and what's important to their clients. The good news is that there are plenty of areas where the two align, including:

·     Retrofitting existing spaces instead of building new

·     Sourcing durable products that don't need replacing

·     Sourcing non-toxic materials

·     Sourcing domestically made products

The NKBA/KBIS report suggested the best way for design and construction professionals to drive demand for sustainability is to reinforce the value propositions of family health, well-being and energy savings. Samsung takes seriously its responsibility for a more sustainable future and, to that end, considers its environmental impact at every step of its products' life cycle — from sourcing materials to production, distribution, use and recycling.

Opening the door to smart solutions

These big ideas are just the doorway into the discussion builders and design professionals can have with clients. From storage and lighting solutions, flooring options and other product and material selections, the Houzz study shows that, as in the past, true expertise is needed to help homeowners make the big — and small — decisions.

Sync thousands of products with built-in connectivity. The SmartThings app is compatible with a wide variety of smart home devices, AI appliances and voice assistants from Samsung and hundreds of other brands.