These 11 kitchen trends will be everywhere in 2020

A kitchen remodel gives you a chance to create the cooking and serving space you’ve always dreamed of and can finally afford. There are more design and appliance choices available all the time and your new kitchen will definitely benefit. Whether you’re starting the space from scratch or just doing a minor update, here are the hottest kitchen trends to watch for in 2020.

1. The driest dishes, right out of the dishwasher

Nobody wants to unload wet dishes, yet it’s a fact of life with many dishwashers on the market. Your plastics are not getting dry. A new kitchen needs a dishwasher that does a better job. Luckily, the Bosch SHPM88Z75N dishwasher, our top-rated model, now incorporates the "magic" mineral zeolite to ensure dry dishes every time. Zeolite crystals absorb 30% of their weight in moisture from the wash cycle and undergo a chemical process that causes them to heat up. This results in quick and efficient drying. The crystals reside in a sealed chamber inside the dishwasher and you don’t need to replace them. Bosch has perfected the technology for years outside the U.S. and the company’s sister brand, Thermador, already uses it. Kiss your dishtowel goodbye.

2. Colorful cabinets

White cabinetry is classic and will probably never go out of style but it’s not your only choice. Green makes a terrific kitchen color, reminding us of fresh vegetables and crunchy apples. You'll be seeing many different shades of green in kitchens all over Instagram in the upcoming year. Pale mint and olive work well in farmhouse kitchens or you can go bright with chartreuse or clover green for a contemporary flavor. If you feel more drawn to blue than green, cabinets in dark blue will still be popular in 2020, especially on the lower cabs. Either color will look great if you complement it with wood flooring and white backsplash tiles.

3. Refrigerators that provide better protection for produce

Fruits and vegetables don't get along well in your fridge because ripening fruit gives off ethylene gas, a plant hormone that can cause veggies to rot before their time. Your produce deserves better. Now Bosch is putting an ethylene gas filter into their new French door refrigerators to keep your vegetables crisp and delicious for a longer time.

4. Removable wallpaper

A peelable adhesive wall covering that you can apply yourself and take down when you’re tired of it, temporary wallpaper can be a kitchen’s new best friend. It will add great color and texture that brings the walls to life, without requiring a long-term commitment. When design trends change, you can switch it out without making a major investment.

5. A backsplash that climbs the wall

Whether you choose plain white subway tile or create a colorful large-scale mosaic, backsplashes don’t have to go from the counter to the bottom of the wall cabinets anymore. Instead, the backsplash can rise all the way up to the ceiling. This gives the kitchen a cohesive look and creates an eye-catching focal point.

6. Air frying in the oven

When we write about air fryers at Reviewed, we always explain that they are countertop convection ovens. Now, you can use air fry inside your oven. Frigidaire has created a line of ranges that bring you crispy food without the guilt—and by that I mean grease. The company offers a basket for chicken, french fries, or whatever food you want to crisp up. Select the air fry mode and using a fan to circulate hot air, the oven temperature spikes to brown the food, and then gradually cools down to cook the inside to perfection. If you buy a lot of frozen food, this range could delight you.

7. Specialty sinks that wash the dishes

If you live alone or with one other person, chances are that you don't run the dishwasher every day—there aren't nearly enough dishes to fill it. Now, Fotile is making a tiny sink dishwasher that can wash about ten items at a time. Water use is minimal—about 1.6 gallons a cycle—the water force is powerful, and the temperature reaches about 160°. A few drops of dishwashing liquid will clean it all. Fotile has also developed a separate sink that washes fruits and vegetables using gentle vibrations to remove dirt and pesticides.

8. Mixed metal hardware

The right hardware will update your kitchen and tie all the elements together, so don't be afraid to mix it up. You will personalize the look of your kitchen by changing up the hardware, so pick a couple of metals and use them for the knobs, pulls, and plumbing. While a cool brushed nickel finish looks fresh and remains popular, rose gold will look dated in 2020. If you want a warm metal, try copper or brass instead. Matte black has a bold, minimalist vibe and grabs attention, as long as you don’t overdo it. If you like the look, try it on your faucet and use different metals on the drawer pulls.

9. A darker appliance finish

Stainless steel is classic and white is traditional but other appliance finishes look more current. You can add drama to your 2020 kitchen with black stainless steel, and you won’t be alone. Black stainless appliances have already made their way into 10% of upgraded kitchens. There’s a caveat, though: Every brand has a different take on black stainless, so you might have to stick to the same brand for all your kitchen appliances if you want them to match.

10. White quartz countertops

Although dark counters can look sophisticated, even sexy, white countertops are still the most popular going into 2020. Engineered quartz and natural stone are fighting it out neck-and-neck for the most desirable, so you can choose according to your taste. Quartz comes in a wide variety of styles that emulate stone and is easy to maintain. New lifetime sealers make natural stone a viable low-maintenance option. The surface that won’t look new in your 2020 kitchen is a busy, colorful granite. Whichever material you select, go for a "quieter" and more neutral look.

11. Smart home devices

Any kitchen can be improved with smart devices. You'll really enjoy them in your 2020 kitchen. Your Google Home or Amazon Echo device will read you recipes, order groceries, answer cooking questions, set a timer, serenade you while you’re meal prepping, and lots more. You can buy a Wi-fi connected multi-cooker to cook your dinner and tell an Alexa-enabled microwave to make you popcorn. Newer smart robot vacs rock onboard cameras, so they’re security devices as well as vacuum cleaners. And instead of sweeping the kitchen floor after dinner, just tell the smart vacuum to clean up and get on with the rest of your life.