Top Trends for Kitchen Countertop Design in 2021

Sometimes, you walk through your kitchen, and it feels a little outdated. This could be because of the colors on the walls, the type of wood used to build the cabinets, or the countertops. If you're dying to change things up in your kitchen, then renovating your kitchen countertops is a lot less expensive than revamping the entire space. Updating your countertops can breathe new life into the entire space. Of course, before you replace your countertops, you want to know the latest countertops trends in 2021.

Here are the top 8 trends for kitchen countertops:

1. Contrasting Colors to Complement the Cabinets and Countertops

2. Waterfall Islands

3. Concrete Surfaces

4. Wood Countertops

5. Bold Veining Patterns

6. Honed and Polished Surfaces

7. Soft, Neutral Tones

8. Sustainable Material

1. Contrasting Colors to Complement the Cabinets and Countertops

The idea of a kitchen where everything matches is a thing of the past. The latest trends see cabinets and countertops with contrasting colors that create a breathtakingly beautiful kitchen. Imagine your kitchen with white cabinets and glossy black countertops and a blue kitchen island with bright white countertops. Your kitchen is no longer a single color but a landscape of color and beauty. 

If you have light-colored cabinets, you should consider black or some other dark color for your countertop. A rich, dark wood kitchen island would be complemented by a light-colored countertop. You can choose the colors, but you want them to contrast each other for a startling look. 

2. Waterfall Islands

The countertops on islands are becoming a trend in 2021. Long gone are the neat ends on all four sides. They’ve been replaced with a waterfall on one side, where the countertop flows from the top of the island to the floor for a stunning look. You want the waterfall side to be on the same side where you used to tuck chairs underneath so that you don’t lose functionality on the other side.

The waterfall side should be the same color and material as the rest of the countertop. You can achieve this look with almost any material, making it easy to achieve the look. When guests arrive at your home, this will be one of the first design features they notice. 

3. Concrete Surfaces

Concrete countertops offer a bold look in modern and industrial style homes. Installed correctly, concrete countertops offer a beautiful polished look that rivals quartz and marble in beauty. There are many benefits to choosing concrete. It comes in a variety of colors, patterns, and textures. You can find concrete with cloud-like patina and flecks of contrasting colors.

You can find a color and pattern to complement your current color scheme. Unlike other materials, concrete doesn’t need to be sealed and resealed every so often to keep it from cracking, staining, or splitting over time. It’s also very easy to keep clean and looking like new. 

4. Wood Countertops

Natural wood colors are making a comeback in kitchens, and this includes wood countertops. This material offers a variety of benefits, including a lower price point than other materials, such as quartz and marble. Wood countertops offer a naturally more sanitary option for the kitchen. It naturally protects against bacteria, so you can keep your family healthier. 

With wood countertops, if you accidentally nick it with a knife or get a dent on the surface, you can sand it and restain to make it look like new. There are many color options with wood countertops. You can go with a butcher block or a dark cherry wood. 

5. Bold Veining Patterns

Homeowners are looking for a little more character and flair in their countertops, and they’re finding it with bold veining patterns. Modern engineering is making it easier for manufacturers to achieve this look. In most cases, the veins and patterns look like a natural attribute of the material.

As part of this trend, homeowners are going for a more natural look. They’ve selected countertop pieces that aren’t highly polished or finished to perfection, so they’re skipping the honed and leathered finishes. You can now get a quartz countertop with the veins and patterns of marble and granite. This makes the quartz appear like a more natural material in your home. 

6. Honed and Polished Surfaces

Textured surfaces have become popular in recent years. In 2020, this trend will bleed over into countertops. You can choose between honed and polished to give your countertops a new look. Most countertops are still polished but honed is gaining ground.

A honed countertop will provide you with a matte finish, but you’ll still get a finished look. You can apply a honed and feathered look to most countertop materials, including granite, marble, and quartz, so you can use the high-end materials you want with a unique finish that makes your kitchen feel brand new. 

7. Soft, Neutral Tones

In the past years, the bright colors of the Art Deco and mid-century styles have been popular but that trend is ending. You’ll notice softer more neutral colors on the counters. You might notice more whites and dove grays. People are contrasting these milder tones with bright spots of color. You might see a white countertop with a jeweled-toned, patterned backsplash above the stovetop. 

Quartz comes in some unique shades. You can find light browns that are on the beige scale and light blues that almost resemble light grays. With the addition of natural sunlight, these countertops look stunning. 

8. Sustainable Material

It seems like every homeowner is looking for eco-friendly products to help lower their carbon footprint. Choosing sustainable material for your countertop is definitely a good option and an upcoming trend in 2020. One popular sustainable material is made up of 75 percent recycled glass and white cement.

This countertop has distinct patterns and character to set your kitchen apart from your neighbor’s. Since the material is made with recycled glass, there’s a rainbow of available colors from neutral beauties to stunning jewel tones. Also, the material is durable and easy to care for.