The Complete Guide to Trends 2016 in Kitchen Remodeling

If one year defined the modern farmhouse kitchen, it was 2016. That was the season homeowners stopped chasing glossy, showroom-perfect spaces and started asking for kitchens with warmth, texture, and a story. The kitchen remodeling trends of 2016 traded cold minimalism for lived-in character — and a decade later, the choices that defined that year still feel remarkably fresh.

This complete guide walks through the biggest kitchen remodeling trends of 2016, from the cabinets and counters that anchored the look to the lighting and finishing touches that gave it soul. Whether you are planning a full renovation or a weekend refresh, these are the ideas worth borrowing.

The Year of the Farmhouse Kitchen

Above every other trend, 2016 was the year of the farmhouse kitchen. Apron-front farmhouse sinks moved from niche to mainstream, anchoring remodels with their deep basins and proud, exposed fronts. Paired with a bridge faucet in a warm finish, the farmhouse sink became the single most requested fixture of the year.

Cabinetry followed the same humble-meets-handsome philosophy. Shaker-style cabinets dominated 2016 remodels because their clean, recessed panels work with nearly everything — painted white for a bright country look, or softened into grays, sages, and pale blues for something quieter. Homeowners also fell back in love with shiplap walls and reclaimed wood accents, borrowing texture from old barns and farmhouses to keep all that white from feeling sterile.

Color, Counters, and Mixed Metals

The all-white kitchen reigned in 2016, but it learned to share the stage. Two-tone cabinetry emerged as a defining move: white uppers to keep the room airy, with a deeper color — navy, charcoal, or weathered wood — grounding the island or lower cabinets. It was the perfect compromise for anyone who wanted contrast without giving up light.

On the counters, quartz officially began overtaking granite as the remodeler's favorite. Homeowners loved that it delivered the look of marble — soft whites with gentle veining — without the sealing and the worry. Butcher block held its ground too, especially on islands, where a thick slab of warm wood made the whole kitchen feel more inviting.

Hardware and fixtures broke the old everything-must-match rule. Mixed metals became the signature detail of a 2016 kitchen: matte black pulls beside a copper pendant, brushed nickel faucets under aged brass sconces. The trick designers repeated all year was simple — pick one dominant metal, then layer one or two accents and let them mingle.

Statement Lighting and Open Shelving

Lighting stopped being an afterthought in 2016. Oversized pendant lights — especially galvanized metal, factory-inspired shades — became the jewelry of the kitchen, hung in pairs or trios over the island. A well-chosen farmhouse pendant could carry the entire personality of the room, which is exactly why statement fixtures topped so many remodeling wish lists that year.

Up on the walls, open shelving began replacing rows of upper cabinets. Sturdy wood planks on iron brackets turned everyday dishes, crocks, and canisters into part of the decor. The look asked a little more of your tidiness, but it paid back every bit of effort in openness and charm — and it made small kitchens feel dramatically larger.

Smart Touches and Hardworking Islands

Not every 2016 trend was nostalgic. Smart appliances quietly arrived in mainstream remodels, from refrigerators that tracked groceries to ovens you could preheat from the driveway. Touch-activated faucets and deep pull-out storage solved daily frustrations, proving that a kitchen could look like a farmhouse and still work like the future.

The kitchen island cemented its role as the heart of the home in 2016. Bigger, furniture-style islands — often in a contrasting finish — added seating, storage, and prep space in one generous piece. Remodelers learned to size the island to real life: room for homework on one side, dinner prep on the other, and friends gathered all around it.

Bring the Trends Home with Gin Creek Kitchen

Here is the happy secret of the 2016 trends: none of them have expired. Farmhouse style endures precisely because it was never about fashion — it is about comfort, craftsmanship, and character. At Gin Creek Kitchen, that has always been the whole point, and it is why the pieces that defined 2016 still feel so at home in our collection today.

Start small if a full remodel is not on the calendar. A galvanized metal pendant over the table instantly channels the year's statement-lighting moment. Open shelves styled with stoneware, canisters, and a wooden dough bowl capture the collected look without touching a single cabinet. Even a simple swap — new hardware, a linen runner, a crock of greenery by the sink — borrows the spirit of 2016's best ideas.

The kitchens we loved in 2016 worked because they were built to be lived in, not just looked at. Take the trends that speak to you, layer them with pieces you truly love, and let Gin Creek Kitchen help you build a kitchen that feels gathered, warm, and entirely yours — this year and every year after.