Green trends in kitchen design for 2019

Even though the concept of eco-friendly design is not new, it is yet to be introduced to many households. Furthermore, new renovation methods, recycling technologies and green appliances are emerging every day, and they are becoming as cost effective as they are eco-friendly. This means that there’s no better time to refurbish your kitchen into an energy saving Mecca than 2019. If you want to get eco-friendly, here are some green trends in kitchen design for 2019.

Green flooring

When it comes to eco-friendly floor options in your kitchen, you are not nearly as limited as you might initially think. You pretty much have all the choices at your disposal as long as you can find a retailer that deals in recycled and repurposed materials. However, if you want to go with something completely fresh, your choices are roughly between organic (cork and bamboo) and non-organic (linoleum).

Linoleum tends to be very underappreciated as an option due to its perceived “cheapness”, but it’s actually very diverse and eco-friendly. The latest technological advancements in the building industry have made treating and sealing linoleum to protect it from moisture an industry standard. It is a great “chameleon” floor material as it can be made to look pretty much like anything you want, which gives you more leeway in terms of aesthetic approach.

Cork has become a popular eco-friendly option due to its green features – it’s renewable, organic, and it’s quite easy to “harvest”. Of course, it has to be treated with a layer of protective material so it would not get damaged easy. Bamboo is also garnering more popularity as the years roll by simply because it’s virtually perfect as green wood – it grows fast, it doesn’t require a lot of energy resources and it can be produced en masse, which means that the turnover is insane. However, while it does look good and it is eco-friendly as a flooring option, it can damage quite easily.

Green appliances

If you want to build an eco-friendly kitchen, there are certain products that you will have to purchase “as they are”. You cannot exactly commission a “green” stove that is made from recycled materials, but what you can do is purchase appliances with an ENERGY STAR stamp. These sort of products have been constructed from ground-up to spend as little energy as possible while offering the most effective type of performance – be it a dishwasher, a stove, a refrigerator or a microwave.

As the worldwide industry is catching up to the rising trend of green thinking, they are also trying to promote it and earn back the trust of the customers at the same time. This is why, for example, you can find an eco-friendly Bosch refrigerator these days – a sort of product that comes from a brand with a long tradition which is also ready to change according to the latest trends.

Furthermore, you can also purchase new faucets for your kitchen that follow the same philosophy. They come with a set of new attachments and technology that disperses less water under more pressure, which makes washing dishes easier. Some of the newer models also come with an option to regulate the flow of water much more strictly, so if you want an eco friendly kitchen, you should definitely look into that.

Green lighting

There are several ways you can approach a matter of lighting in a green kitchen. For starters, you can refurbish your windows and add more natural light to the area. If you’re financially ready for a bigger project, there is also an option to create an impressive skylight. By exposing your kitchen to more natural light, you won’t have to flick on the light switches as often as you otherwise would, which directly translates into reduced electricity bills. This goes without even mentioning the fact that rooms covered in natural light simply look more appealing.

Apart from that, you can replace your entire kitchen light grid with energy efficient options. The most non-invasive solution is to take out all the incandescent light bulbs out of the existing sockets and replace them with LED models. LED lights are a better energy-efficient option than CFLs as the toxicity factor is significantly reduced when compared to that solution. Furthermore, LED lights spend about 10% of the electricity regular incandescent light bulbs tend to use, and they convert it into light almost perfectly – in other words, there is no energy waste in the form of excessive heat.

Finally, if you have a regular and reliable electrician on speed dial, you can consult with them about reasonable replacements and renovations when it comes to light in the kitchen. For example, you can add some ambient lighting that also uses LED sources of lighting and you can also consider installing motion-sensor light option in certain corners where all members of the household tend to jump in for short intervals.

Kitchen areas are logistically and technically the most complex parts of the household – this is a place where electrical and piping grids intersect and where proper maintenance means a difference between a well-functioning home and a domestic disaster. Thinking smart in terms of kitchen design in 2019 also means that you should consider green choices, which might cost you a bit more than expected initially but which will pay off in the long run.