Top Kitchen Trends of 2014

If you're looking to remodel your kitchen or just want ideas for creating a few trendy updates, Pinterest is where it's at. Thousands of images link to blogs and blogs focused on clever ways to organize your kitchen, update your cabinets and create the kitchen of your dreams.

Just search "kitchen" and scroll endlessly down the page for some Pin-speration. Or, save yourself some time and check out the top pins we've compiled below. Each one links back to Pinterest so you can easily repin to one of your boards.

Top 10 Trends Sweeping Kitchens Across America in 2014.

1. Clever Use of Space

One of my biggest complains about my house is that there's not enough kitchen storage. Efficient use of the space I do have is essential, and I always re-pin the clever organization tips I find.

2. Chalkboard Paint

Chalkboard paint is taking over the home, and it seems like the kitchen is where it makes its debut. People use chalkboards to create shopping lists, menus, calendars and fun phrases. People love to paint a narrow wall, cupboard cabinets or add a framed chalkboard to a wall or countertop.

3. Painted Kitchen Cabinets

Everyone is sick of their original wood cabinets and have taken on the tedious task of sanding and painting. The results are beautiful but the work - not to mention the mess - looks pretty daunting.

4. Open Shelving

This could never work with the clutter that hides behind my kitchen cabinets, but many people are opting to bare everything with opening shelving.

5. Kitchen Command Centers

If you have kids, keeping track of their schedules and keeping the mounting paper work that finds its way into your home under control isn't easy. Moms across America are creating kitchen Command Centers to stay organized.

6. Clear Canisters

Another trend that looks awesome is ditching the store packaging your food comes in and storing snacks in matching clear canisters. This really creates a uniform look in your pantry and makes it easier to see what you actually have.

7. Labels

Along with those matching clear canisters comes batches and batches of labels. This is where the chalkboard trend comes in again also.

8. Glass Tile

Mini glass tile backsplashes are big this year as well. They're a great way to work in color and take the eye off your appliances, which many people are now storing out of sight.

9. Updated Hardware

Along with a new tile backsplash has come the need for trendier hardware to match the sleek new look. New faucets, cabinet pulls and switch plates are adding finishing touches to remodeled kitchens.

10. Pantry Baskets

Drawers can make it so difficult to see what you have, which can lead to fruit rotting and other goods going bad before you consume them. Wire panty baskets make it easier to see what you've got so you use in it time.

Now that you know what the top kitchen styling trends are for 2014, which ones will you adopt?


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Create Any Configuration Switch Plate with Inserts

Between duplex outlets, Decora rocker and toggle switches, dimmers and GFI receptacles, there are many different configurations of multi-gang switch plates. The most common call we get sounds a lot like this:

"I'm on your site and I've found a 3-gang plate with the openings I need, but they're not in the right order. Do you have a plate with [insert configuration here]?"

Because there are so many different combinations of configurations, the higher the gang the plate, the less options you may find. The simplest solution is to re-arrange the devices in your electrical box to match a switch plate that actually exists in the finish you need.

The next best solution is to use switch plate inserts to convert 1 opening to another. For example, see the left plate below? Suppose what you need is to switch the toggle and the Decora opening, but you can't find that switch plate.

What you can do, is order this plate instead and then convert the additional Decora opening to a toggle with an insert. We'll show you how below.

Here is a Decora-to-toggle insert that fits the extra Decora rocker opening and converts it to a toggle:

Here's an example of an actual ivory switch plate with a Decora filler and toggle switch:

So, once you pop the filler into the "wrong" plate, it becomes the "right" plate:

Inserts are easy to use and are a great way to create your own custom switch plate. Kyle Switch Plates carries a variety of switch plate inserts in white, ivory, gray, brown and black. They can be used to convert openings to blanks, or to convert Decora openings to toggles, cable and phone jacks and more. Click to shop combination switch plates and inserts for converting switch plates.

#switchplates #remodel #customswitchplates #kyleswitchplates #diy