By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon

Yep, quartz countertops are a kitchen trend that’s here to stay.

Your kitchen is the one place where you want to be really careful about trendy choices. The last thing you want is a kitchen that looks dated in just a few years simply because you followed a kitchen trend.

Here are eight trends that are popular now but have staying power because they address lifestyle needs, convenience, and savings — ensuring you’ll enjoy your kitchen for many years.

#1 White on White Kitchens
White appliances are so much easier to keep clean than stainless, which smudges if you so much as look at it. Plus, a white look is always on trend because it’s able to blend into any style. White appliances are also less expensive than stainless.

#2 Smaller Appliances
Small kitchens are big these days. Microliving is taking off for millennials and retirees. Owners of multigenerational homes are installing tiny, secondary kitchens for returning adult children and elderly parents.

Typically, these micro kitchens feature a two-burner cooktop, combo microwave/convection oven, 18-inch dishwasher, and 60-inch fridge or refrigerator drawer.

#3 Quartz Countertops
“Consumers Reports” says quartz is the toughest countertop material, which resists scratches, burns, and chips. A mix of crushed quartz stone and resin produces countertops that range from solid colors to the look of real granite, but they’ll beat natural stone in toughness. It’s easy to maintain, and unlike granite, it doesn’t have to be sealed annually to prevent stains.

#4 LED Rope Lighting
Ribbons of LEDs are showing up in the weirdest — and most wonderful — kitchen places: Along toe kicks as nightlights, on the inside of cabinet doors to show off Grandma’s China, concealed in crown molding to wash ceilings with light. It’s a pretty cool kitchen trend that’ll stick around because:

• LEDs come in a rainbow of colors, from bright to soft white, red, blue, and green.
• You can get creative about where you install them.
• LEDs emit virtually no heat, so you can keep them on forever without burning cabinets or walls.
• LEDs are energy efficient, lasting 50,000 hours on average — five times longer than compact fluorescent lights.

And they’re coming down in price, making them more affordable for the average homeowner.

#5 Multiple Small Fridges Instead of One Big One
Refrigeration is no longer limited to a single, hulking unit. Homeowners are customizing their cooling needs with “point of use” refrigeration, adding cool where they need it.

That could mean adding a counter-height produce fridge in your prep island, next to a wine cooler for the adults, and a juice/soda fridge for the kids. 

Don’t think we’re talking about dorm-fridge quality and prices. U-Line point-of-use refrigerators, for example, offer (depending on the model) 11 shelf positions, full-extension slide-out bins, and five food and beverage settings labeled deli, market, pantry, root cellar and beverage. Units typically sell for $2,500 to $4,000.

#6 Touch-Activated Faucets
Touch-activated faucets have moved from commercial spaces into home kitchens.
On the face of it, touch-activated seems a little gimmicky, and with prices ranging from $300 to $400, it’s certainly a lot of money. But it’s great for those times when you’ve got dirty, chicken-goopy hands, and for those in your household who refuse to turn water on and off between tasks because it’s too much hassle. And as water becomes scarcer, anything that saves gallons will have value — and save you on your water bills.

A reason we recommend touch-activated over touch-free: As you know from public bathrooms with touchless faucets, they’ll often turn on when you don’t want them to and not turn on when you do.

#7 Transitional Design
NKBA designers say contemporary, with its sleek simplicity, is among the most popular kitchen styles. Fussy doodads and decorative and distressed glazes are out. 

Contemporary looks sleek and clean, but can also come across as cold. Contemporary design encourages a noncluttered look, which can be hard to maintain in a busy home. So it’s better to hedge your bets with transitional design, which combines contemporary and traditional to bring out the best parts of each. 

#8 Accessibility
Aging in place is a big snore — until you get to that age when the right kitchen trends will allow you to stay in your home. And since a large part of the population is reaching retirement age, accessibility finally is catching on — even with homeowners who aren’t intentionally seeking those features. Why? Because the designs make so much sense.

It’s a trend that’s not going away. The use of adaptable and universal design features increased from 20% in 2020 to 27% in 2022, according to the American Institute of Architects Home Design Trends Survey.

Three here-to-stay trends:

1. Side-opening ovens at counter height: You don’t have to reach up or bend down to fetch your turkey, just comfortably slide it out. It’s one of those slap-your-forehead tweaks that make cooking so much more ergonomic and accessible for everyone.

2. Drawers with deep pockets: Base cabinets have evolved from back-bending storage for pots and pans to deep drawer space — typically 24 inches deep — that can hold just about everything in your kitchen.

Continuing that evolution — heck, let’s call a revolution — are deep drawer organizers, ranging from $54 to more than $100, that make sure everything stays in its place, rather than rumble around in chaos. You can customize drawers with:

• Slots to hold plates and store knives
• Dividers to keep your water bottles separate from your vinegar collection
• Stackable trays that separate utensils and flatware
• Removable boxes that let you reorganize the drawers at will

3. Microwave drawers: Just like the side-opening oven, by installing the microwave below counter height in a drawer, it’s easier for everyone to use. Just open it up put your food inside, close, and start it. That’s better than above-oven height, which has been the typical location for many years. 

By: Stacey Freed

Wow. What an olfactory difference cleaning with a small box of baking soda can make.

How many of those hanging car air fresheners would it take to stop the fishy smell from last night’s dinner? Too many! Before you decorate your kitchen like a cardboard pine forest, take a deep breath — preferably through your mouth — and open your cupboard. Enter baking soda. Odds are you already have what you need to nix food odors in one inexpensive little box. That unassuming baking soda can work a miracle in your kitchen.

Baking Soda Absorbs Odors
This household staple acts as a molecular sponge, eagerly soaking up and neutralizing a wide range of odors. Baking soda, unlike most commercial air fresheners, doesn’t mask odors, it absorbs them, says Mary Marlowe Leverette, an experienced cleaning and fabric care expert.

Not only does baking soda absorb odors, but it does so with a scientific finesse that makes it a go-to solution for maintaining a fresh and odor-free environment in various corners of your home.

How Does It Work?
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate in a convenient box) neutralizes stubborn acidic odors — like those from sour milk — as well as other funky smells lurking in your home. It’s a natural odor eliminator, but it’s not instantaneous. Depending on how pervasive the scent is, baking soda can take anywhere from a few hours to a whole day to remove unwanted food odors.
The secret to the absorption lies in the chemical composition of baking soda, scientifically known as sodium bicarbonate. Baking soda is amphoteric, meaning it can react with both acidic and alkaline substances. The acidic or alkaline molecules that often cause odors are neutralized by contact with baking soda.

7 Household Items to Clean With Baking Soda
From banishing odors in your dishwasher to rejuvenating your microwave, baking soda can elevate your cleaning routine, especially cleaning kitchen appliances.

Bonus tip: A vinegar-baking soda combination can boost cleaning power: the acid in the vinegar reacts with the baking soda, causing it to break down and release carbon dioxide gas. This gas can lift dirt from the surfaces undergoing the cleaning process.

Let’s delve into the myriad ways cleaning with baking soda (and sometimes vinegar) may refresh and revitalize items around your home:

#1 Dishwasher
Dishwashers are supposed to be hallowed havens of cleanliness. If you don’t run the dishwasher every day, those rotten food smells can build up. Stop the stink by dumping a cup of baking soda into the dishwasher and running it through a rinse cycle. The soda eliminates foul smells and unwanted food odors from the machine. Ah! That’s a nicer-smelling place for your dishes, no matter what type of dish detergent you use.

#2 Oven
If you avoid using your oven because of that special burning smell, it might just be time for a scrub. The oven can be responsible for a lot of household cooking, which means it can hold onto a lot of food smells. Cleaning the oven with baking soda can be done in just a few steps:

Cleaning Your Oven with Baking Soda 

1. Scrub the oven with a paste made of one-half cup of baking soda and a few tablespoons of water.
2. Coat the oven with the paste, and let it sit overnight.
3. Wipe the paste away with a damp cloth.
4. Spritz any stuck-on paste with vinegar in a spray bottle.

#3 Range Hood
That greasy range hood could also be adding to your kitchen’s odor. Clean it with a mixture of about one-quarter cup baking soda, a good squirt of degreasing dish soap, and the hottest water you can stand (but be careful not to burn yourself!).

#4 Drains and Disposals
When you can’t source an odor, drains and disposals are often the culprits. Make them stink-free and (bonus) clog-free with a mix of one-quarter cup of baking soda, one-quarter cup of vinegar, and some kosher salt. Give the drain a slightly abrasive scrubbing and follow up with boiling water.

#5 Food Containers
Containers that once held strong-smelling foods can retain those odors. To rejuvenate them, wash them with a solution of water and baking soda. Let the containers air dry, and voila — a fresh start for your leftovers.

#6 Microwave
Does your microwave still smell like last weekend’s bacon? Clean and deodorize it with a solution of two tablespoons of baking soda mixed with a cup of water. Put the solution into an uncovered, microwave-safe container and zap on high for three minutes. Then, simply wipe down the interior.

#7 Refrigerator
A little fridge baking soda box isn’t just an old wives’ tale — it helps keep your refrigerator smelling crisp. Place a full box in there with the top tab open to let air flow into the bicarbonate powder. The soda eliminates strong smells from foods like onions, cheeses, and yesterday’s leftovers.

Pro Tips: Removing Odors With Baking Soda

• Toss a handful of baking soda into your kitchen garbage pail and recycling container to control ongoing odors. Refresh every few days.
• Composting may be virtuous, but it can attack your nose every time you open the bin. Fight back by tossing a handful of baking soda into the compost bin before each deposit. Occasionally clean the bin with vinegar. When it’s dry, cover the bin’s bottom with a layer of baking soda.
• Making fish tonight? Prevent odors before they start by soaking raw fish in one quart of water with two tablespoons of baking soda. Leave it in the fridge for about an hour, rinse, and pat dry before cooking.

Baking Soda: A Multi-Purpose Cleaner and Deodorizer
The best thing about the cheap, odor-zapping wonder of baking soda is you can use it guilt-free. “You’re not going to harm humans or animals or ruin anything using baking soda,” Leverette says. “Plus, after you’re done deodorizing, mix it up with vinegar or lemon juice and some red dye, and make a cool volcano. The kids will love it.”

So, the next time you reach for that box of baking soda, remember that you’re not just adding a pinch of freshness to your baking —– you’re unleashing a cleaning superhero into your home!

Article by Douglas Trattner

Most families do more than 400 loads of laundry a year, costing upwards of $600. Trim those costs with these energy-saving tricks.


Here’s a fun laundry room fact: The average American family washes 300 loads of laundry a year, spending as much as $1.08 per load, for a yearly total of $324.
Most laundry room expenses come from heating water for washing and heating air for drying. But these costs aren’t set in stone, and you can save money by following these energy-reducing tips.
Get the Most from Your WasherNinety-percent of the cost of running a washer goes to heating water. Here’s how to save money while getting your clothes clean.
1. Use cold water. You can save a bundle by washing your clothes in cold water, which is a perfectly efficient way to clean most clothes. Washing a load in cold water costs only about $0.04, compared to washing in hot/warm water for $0.68.  

2. Run full loads. It takes as much electricity to wash a small load as it does a full one, so you’ll save money by washing only full loads. 

3. Update your machine. If you don’t already have an Energy Star-certified washer, it’s time to get one. These energy-efficient machines use about 25% less energy and 33% less water than for a standard machine. 

4. Buy a front-loading machine. Energy Star-certified front load washers use about 45% less energy and 50% less water than top load agitator washers. Compared to a top load impeller washer, front load washers are still 25% more energy and water efficient. 

Related: How to Buy a Washer
Get the Most from Your Dryer5. Spin faster. The faster you spin clothes in the washer, the less time they’ll need in the dryer. If you have the option, chose a faster spin cycle.

6. Clean lint filters. Remove lint after every load, and clean ducts annually. Your clothes will dry faster, using less energy.

7. Warm it up. If possible, locate your dryer in a warm laundry room rather than in a cold basement. The warmer the air coming into the dryer, the less energy your machine will use to heat it up.

8. Go gas. Drying a load of laundry in a gas dryer generally costs less per load than an electric dryer. 

9. Keep it full. Dry only full loads and try not to mix fast- and slow-drying clothes — a practice that wastes energy by continuing to dry clothes that are no longer wet.

10. Let nature help out. When the weather is warm, cut your energy costs by drying clothes outside on a clothesline. If homeowners association regulations don’t allow you to set up a clothesline outside, use a standalone drying rack inside.

Article by HouseLogic