The pandemic certainly disrupted everything, and the place that changed the most at home was none other than the kitchen. The need to socialize in this area has become so evident that the last edition of an event as important as Casa Decor 2021 was full of multifunctional kitchens.

So, what used to be the heart of the house is now the social area of choice. Therefore, the new kitchen designs include dining areas that can also be used to work, read, study, or even play as a family.

Does this mean that the kitchen has lost its charm? It all depends on how you look at the issue. If you can find in these changes an opportunity for family integration amid times when all of us -or most- are caught in social media and the speed of modernism, then the kitchen, you, and your family haven’t lost but gained a lot.

Trend #1. Together but not messy

Open-concept kitchens are still a trend thanks to their comfort and the fact that they encourage sharing. However, there’s a new addition to this concept: transparent dividers or glass doors, also known as glass and metal panel doors.

This element that integrates and at the same time separates, has its fans and its detractors, but it’s an interesting device in this new vision of the post-pandemic kitchen. In many cases, it’s a way to keep the smells of the kitchen isolated. In others, it’s an aesthetic choice that adds an industrial and modern flair to space.

Trend #2. A space to work, eat and spend time with others

The current trend is to offer more space to share with others in the kitchen. Countertops with chairs that are complemented by tables or islands are the most common touches in this regard.

However, the important thing is for them to have electrical connections to charge devices such as cellphones and computers, which allow you to have the space to do homework and telework after eating.

Trend #3. Lights, lots of light

Being transformed into a multifunctional space, the kitchen needs more lighting than usual, but without exaggerating of course, because you don’t want it to look like a stadium either.

In this sense, the first thing that experts in interior design recommend is taking advantage of natural light. This type of lighting not only embellishes the environments but also generates a sense of well-being in them.

The next suggestion is to add warm artificial light that allows both cooking and illuminating the rest of the space. LED light is the choice to illuminate countertops and lamps over the workplaces, such as tables or islands, which are the trends that rule in this regard.

Trend #4. Minimalism and natural colors

The kitchen is an area where minimalism is almost a sacrifice because you always want to have everything handy and that tends to saturate the countertops. However, the trend of using the kitchen for several things promotes freeing up space on countertops and only leaving the bare minimum on them.

Another trendy topic relates to colors: whites, grays, natural colors and especially the use of wood on countertops and floors are back. The designers point out that these colors and materials provide light, warmth, and a sense of spaciousness, which is important when working in enclosed spaces.

So, take note, move items around the kitchen, rearrange and adapt them, do whatever it takes, because these 4 post-pandemic trends are here to stay.