Home Trends Watch

What’s in and what’s out in kitchen design? Experts weigh in.

Zillow Digs has outlined this year's trendiest kitchen designs, and, if you hurry, you just might be able to get your remodel or update done before the holidays.

The hub for home improvement released its Home Trend Forecast for 2016, proving that high-contrast colors, sneaky appliances, and decorative hardware have caught the eye of home designers everywhere. And of course, shiplap is here to stay.

Thanks to the rise of quartz, marble, butcher block, and cement countertops, home experts have been ditching brown and tan speckled granite. And these new countertops look best paired with cabinetry painted in high-contrast colors. Especially popular are tuxedo cabinets, where uppers and downers are painted in complimentary colors such as black and white or navy and gray (or maybe Gray Owl).

Designers, and more importantly homeowners, are also jonesing for a little extra storage and one less place to dust. Short upper cabinets and that awkward gap they leave in between the ceiling have been replaced with tall uppers that sit flush with the ceiling. And bold cabinets call for statement-making hardware. Mixing jewelry-like knobs in gold, rose gold, and black offers an eclectic look.

The seemingly cold nature of stainless steel appliances have remained moderately in vogue, but the new trend of hidden appliances is gaining traction. This includes covered refrigerators and microwave drawers, giving kitchens a clean aesthetic.

Shiplap lovers can breathe easy. The rustic wood paneling that has become synonymous with farmhouse kitchens will only become more popular. White-washed paneling has moved from the walls to backsplashes and ceilings.

Hidden appliances, including enclosed refrigerators and microwave drawers, help keep a clean look in the kitchen.

Photo courtesy of Zillow Digs

Hidden appliances, including enclosed refrigerators and microwave drawers, help keep a clean look in the kitchen.

trends zillow

Swedish Fish News

Popular Ikea furniture chain to open 4th Dallas store in Rockwall

IKEA

Ikea sign - instantly recognizable

Dallas-Fort Worth is getting a new Ikea store in Rockwall. Located at Stodghill Road and I-30, it'll be the third Ikea in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and is due to open in December 2025.

Ikea is the world's largest furniture retailer, founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad, and known for its simple, modern approach to interior design at an affordable price, its ready-to-assemble furniture, and its amusement-park-like stores.

Ikea will be the anchor in a 65-plus acre mixed-use development with a location chosen for its accessibility not only to the east side of DFW but also to major highways that connect to faraway towns like Texarkana and Little Rock. Rockwall to Texarkana is 155 miles or a 2-hour-and-22-minute drive — surely doable if you're hot to get a great quality mattress at a good price or stock up on Swedish gummy red fish.

According to a release, the store represents Ikea's intention to become more accessible, affordable, and convenient for the many here in the U.S., even those who live in places like Casa View and Mesquite, and the store will offer a new way of reaching customers both in-store and digitally.

The store's footprint is 108,000 square feet — almost a third smaller than the existing locations in Frisco and Grand Prairie, which both span 293,000-plus square feet (although Grand Prairie is one story while Frisco is two-story). There's also a pickup-style store in Southlake that's 10,809 square feet.

“Our expansion goal is simple. We will be where people are, whenever and however they want to experience Ikea," says Ikea U.S. Ceo and Chief Sustainability Officer Javier Quiñones. “We have been testing different store formats to increase customer convenience, make home delivery more cost-efficient, and reach our customers where they live, work, and socialize. IKEA Rockwall represents a key milestone in this ongoing journey.”

Though smaller than the other area behemoths, Rockwall will nonetheless be serving Ikea's trademark meatballs at a new Swedish Deli concept, a Swedish cafe to enjoy meals onsite, and a Swedish Bistro for quick takeaway items that can be enjoyed in the outdoor seating area or at home.

The space will include multiple fully furnished room settings that showcase “local living” solutions reflecting the unique needs of the residents of the local community. Rockwall embroidered pillows, maybe?

Additionally, Ikea Rockwall’s design will include features for improved sustainability, specifically solar power, LEED certified construction, EV chargers, onsite recycling and native plant materials to reduce water consumption.

“We are strongly committed to the communities in which we operate. IKEA Rockwall provides an even more seamless omnichannel shopping experience throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, and we look forward to welcoming residents and surrounding neighbors to this new Ikea experience,” says Ikea U.S. Area Market Manager Rob Parsons.

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