Happy last week of January! I’m writing this on Monday which, to refresh your memory, is the day when forecasters predicted 1-3″ of snow in town (No big deal! Light snowfall! You won’t even notice it’s there.) and we have a good 7″ outside. To be more helpful, it all came down during the morning commute. I went to high school in Maryland and, I am not making this up, they would cancel school before a snowflake graced the sky. To those of you outside of Denver, you might picture it as a city that has snow almost year round, but we don’t. It snows for a day, then the sun comes out and it all goes away. We are not a city that drives well in snow. But we are a city that thinks that we can drive well in snow. This is a distinction that is notable.
Here are some kitchens that I can’t tear my eyes away from along with some kitchen design trends for 2019!
The kitchen above reflects a kitchen trend that I’ve seen coming and I really like the looks of it, but I don’t think it’s for everyone. It’s the dining table in the kitchen instead of a kitchen island. I like it as a spot for someone who doesn’t have any room for a casual breakfast table elsewhere. It’s a hard sell for homeowners who do have a separate (or adjacent) eating area and could use the storage and the counter space that an island affords.
I’ve been mixing dark with light countertops this past year (it’s something I did in my own kitchen) and I think it’s a pretty look. I like two-toned kitchens and I guess I kind of like two-toned counters too. Two tones help break up the cabinet monotony that can happen in some kitchens.
I hope to see color coming back into kitchens this year. I did my first navy blue kitchen in 2015 and this color is still popular for kitchens but wood tones are really picking up in popularity. I would love to see more colors come back into kitchens this year and I love that natural wood is back!
I’ve been trying to help people integrate older things into their kitchens but it’s sometimes a tough sell. Unlike Texas and other parts of our country that do seem to like a little “shabby,” Denver clientele seem to like their homes looking more new. Although it is possible that is more indicative of people who hire designers (or this designer), rather than a blanket statement about a state.
The trends this year involve more color, more adventure in styling, more diversity of furniture, art and styles – all welcome!
“My life at home gives me absolute joy. There are some days when, as soon as you’ve finished cooking breakfast and cleaning up the kitchen, it’s time to start lunch, and by the time you’ve done that, you’re doing dinner and thinking, ‘There has to be a menu we can order from.'” Julia Roberts
The Colorado Nest 
Loved the kitchen with the check Roman blinds!