b'STYLE TRENDS (continued) Cabinet colors inform tile selection; Kitchen upgrade spending impacteding industry due to changes in inter-countertop colors contrast by tariffs on Chinese products nationaltradepolicy.Homeowners Countertop renovations were citedFinancialinvestmentinkitchenaredealingwithincreasingproduct by 89% of respondents, followed byprojectscontinuestogrow,withpricesbysubstitutingmaterials,as 84% who upgraded backsplashes, themedianspendonmajorkitchenindicated by slower growth in the use two top areas for updating, and bothremodels** completed in mid-2019of engineered quartz and a decline in atargetfortileandporcelainslabat $35,000, up 17% from a year agothe popularity of engineered flooring products. When it comes to appear- ($30,000).However,whilemanymaterials, highly impacted by tariffs ance, many choose island finishes thathomeownersoptforcompleteon imported materials from China.stand out from the rest of the kitchen.kitchenoverhauls,thebreadth TwoinfivehomeownersaddingorofkitchenrenovationshasbeenTrending styles in kitchens upgrading their island cabinets opt forscaled back for the second year inHouzzreportedthefollowing an island cabinet color that contrastsarow.Forexample,upgradestotrending kitchen styles, features and withtheirmaincabinets(39%).Topcountertopsandsinksarenotasfinishes. Customers are looking for a island cabinet colors are: widespread (89% and 83%, respec- wow factor with tiled kitchen back- Gray (26%)tively)comparedwithtwoyearssplashesthatrisefromcountertopsBlue (19%)ago (94% and 90%). Similarly, struc- toceilings.Andthoughvinylfloor- Black (11%)tural upgrades are not as frequent,ingisontheriseinkitchens,23% Contrastingcountertopcolorsareincludingopeningthekitchentoof respondents said ceramic or por-alsocommonamongthoseupdat- other interior rooms (46%), chang- celain tile is still their top choice for ingtheirkitchenislandcountertopsing kitchen layout (46%), or addingkitchen floors. (29%),includingwhite(23%)andsquare footage (35%).Stylestrendtransitional:Among medium wood (21%). Among home- Itisremarkabletoseemedianthe 85% of renovating homeown-ownerschoosingcontrastingcoun- spend on kitchen remodels grow byers who change their kitchen style, tertop materials when updating theirdouble digits for the third year in atransitional,contemporaryand island (26%), butcher block tops therow,saidNinoSitchinava, list (41%). Nearly all new islands haveHouzzprincipaleconomist. storage features (98%), and over halfCombinedwithatwo-(52%) have built-in appliances includ- yeardeclineinthescope ingmicrowaves(32%),dishwash- of kitchen remodels, spend ers(31%),garbagedisposals(24%),increasesconfirmourfind-cooktops (21%) and beverage refrig- ings of significant price infla-erators (9%).tioninthehomeremodel-Backsplash feature walls are making a statement in kitch-Countertop renovations were cited by 89% of respondents.en renovations, with ceramic or porcelain tile dominating. Jessica Cain2018 Houzz Marni Epstein-Mevis2018 Houzz122020|TRENDS'