Kitchen decorating trends

October 26, 1:45 PMHouston Interior Decorating ExaminerKerry Fletcher, ASID

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Photo courtesy of Fletcher Design Consultants

There are many different trends that have come and gone when it comes to kitchen decorating.  Some trends have been out of style for quite a while, such as harvest gold appliances and avocado green Formica countertops. 
Here is a list of more common kitchen decorating trends that are out of style.

1)  Wallpaper or wallpaper borders.  Unless you have installed an ultra glamorous and trendy wallpaper in the last 5 years, then chances are your kitchen walls are out of style.  Remove the wallpaper, texture, and paint.
2)  Fake greenery on top of your kitchen cabinets.  I know you may feel the need to cover every surface with a decorative item, but it is really unnecessary.  Fake greenery just collects dust that flies into your food and on your countertops every time you close your upper cabinets - yuck!
3)  Clutter.  Clutter in the kitchen has never really been in style or trendy, but it can definitely make even the most up to date and stylish kitchen out of style. 

So, what is in style when decorating a kitchen? 
1)  Lighting.  If you want to decorate with something on top of your kitchen cabinets, add above cabinet and below cabinet lighting.  Add different lighting zones to your kitchen for different activities.  Make sure you can get your kitchen extremely bright for cleaning, but put your lights on dimmers to set an appropriate mood per your activity.
2)  Functional accessories.  If you want to add some color and texture through accessories in your kitchen, try using clear glass jars for your sugar, flour, rice, beans, pasta, or whatever you want to display.  Just make sure to fill your jars with items that you will actually use so they don't collect dust.  You can also decorate with a trendy decorative tray or pretty basket to hold fruit on your kitchen island. 
3)  Natural materials.  Man made materials are more likely to go out of style faster than natural materials.  Trendy laminate, ceramic tile, and other man made materials are made to be stylish, but can give away their age after a few years.  Decorate with natural stone or real wood if you want the style to be more timeless.
4)  Green.  Not the color green, but the eco-friendly trend to be more kind to mother nature.  Green kitchen trends include energy efficient appliances, eco-friendly floors (such as bamboo), and no VOC paints.

For photos of what is in style and out of style in kitchens, see the slideshow below.