Kitchen trends move from industrial to homey

Dream kitchens of today aren’t about the sexiest six-burner range or the most exotic countertop material. As cooking has returned to center stage and remodeling budgets have sobered, the kitchen island is nurturing family togetherness and reviving casual entertaining. In short, the kitchen of 2013 has soul. "That industrial, commercial style was looking a little cold," says Samantha Emmerling, kitchen editor at Hearst Design Group. "People are spending all their time in there, and they want it warm and inviting, as well as low-maintenance." Nadia Subaran, senior designer at Bethesda’s Aidan Design, calls the design direction “modern cottage.” “It’s not stark modern design,” Subaran says. “It has natural materials, textures and layering, with lots of whites and grays. There is nothing fussy or frou-frou about it.”