The kitchen is, by far, the most influential room in a home. As you know, it’s the room prospective buyers gravitate toward and can often be the determining factor in whether or not a full-price offer is made.

But do you know the latest and greatest kitchen design trends of this year?

There’s a difference between renovating your kitchen with the purpose of living in it for a few years and renovating with the goal of putting your house on the market. In the latter situation, the homeowners’ design preferences are somewhat irrelevant. Homeowners who want to sell, should make design choices with mass appeal in mind.

“To pick a remodel style, the best thing you can do is actually see some kitchens in person,” according to FilterBuy. “Check websites like Trulia and realtor.com for open houses — homes for sale that will be held open on weekends for tours. Look for homes with words like ‘recently remodeled kitchen’ or ‘fully remodeled home’ that are similar in style to your home, and pay those homes a personal visit.”

If you do visit open houses or browse online listings, you’ll find that the following kitchen design trends are popular right now:

In high-end kitchens all over the country, you’ll notice that granite countertops have been replaced by quartz. Whereas granite can easily be stained, quartz is non-porous and highly resistant to staining and bacterial growth.

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On top of that, it looks absolutely gorgeous. It comes in a variety of styles and colors and often resembles granite, but without the negative characteristics.

Artazum / Shutterstock

There was a time when kitchen appliances were the focal point of the kitchen. Stainless steel refrigerators and dishwashers were what buyers looked for in a modern home.

However, style preferences are evolving and one of today’s biggest trends is concealed or hidden appliances. Refrigerator faces now blend in with walls, and dishwashers look like they’re part of the cabinets

Gone are the days where bright overhead lighting was the primary light source for kitchens. Today’s most luxurious kitchens are using under-cabinet LED lighting to accent features and provide sophisticated ambience.

Not only can the brightness of these lights be changed, but in many cases, the color and hue can be adjusted as well. And because the light strips are so thin, you won’t even notice they’re present.

Jaroslav Moravcik / Shutterstock

Steel windows are officially in. They’ve long been used in industrial settings, but some of today’s most luxurious and fashion-forward kitchens are using steel to turn windows into statement pieces.

One of the hottest trends is to install floor-to-ceiling steel and glass windows for a modern and sophisticated look. Other homeowners simply choose to replace existing double-hung windows with fresher steel options.

Reclaimed materials are totally in right now.

Not only do they add character, but they also appeal to homebuyers who are big on sustainability. One really prevalent trend is the use of reclaimed wood. You don’t want to go overboard, but a nice accent wall or unique kitchen island can add an attractive flare.

When combined with metal or exposed pipe, reclaimed wood creates that posh, industrial look that many homebuyers desire.

Artazum / Shutterstock

The kitchen can be a huge selling point for a home. Thankfully, it’s also one of the highest returning rooms. Homeowners can expect to get most — if not all — of the money they put into a kitchen facelift back at closing, so now’s the time to get serious about a renovation.

Anna Johansson is a freelance writer, researcher and business consultant specializing in entrepreneurship, technology and social media trends. Follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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