If you’re planning to update your kitchen, you may be interested in the latest design trends. One rule of thumb when remodeling is to reflect the style of the home’s location and architecture. A sleek, two-toned kitchen may look great in a downtown condo but not so good in a traditional colonial home in the suburbs.

Since the kitchen is considered the heart of the home, chances are that if your plans include selling, today’s homebuyers will be paying special attention to the kitchen. They are looking for a kitchen that is functional for everyday use and aesthetically pleasing for entertaining.

Pam Zandy, vice president of marketing for new home sales and marketing firm Urban Pace, and Michael Lerner, president of Meridian Homes, a new construction and renovation contractor in Bethesda, Maryland, shared some of the latest kitchen design trends they’re seeing today.

• Lighting: LED lighting strips are being added to the bottom of kitchen cabinets to provide uniform light.
• Cabinets: Popular styles include European frameless, flat-panel cabinets like those from Siematic. Tuxedo kitchens—that is, two-toned cabinets, often black on the bottom and white above the counters—and other colors of painted cabinets are widely used.
• Countertops: Quartz is fast becoming one of the top countertop options with its uniform color and designs appealing to those who want a simpler look in their kitchen.
• Ranges and Ovens: Homeowners are asking for a combination of gas and electric cooking, with gas cooking on the range and electric cooking in the oven for the best control of heat.
• Hidden Appliances: More than just adding a cabinet panel to the front of appliances, these new design schemes meld the appliances into the kitchen layout making them almost invisible.
• Fixtures: Beyond the traditional brushed nickel, many kitchens are now featuring rose gold colored finishes.

Where else can you get design ideas? Websites such as HGTV or Houzz are good resources and provide a wide range of kitchen ideas for everyone’s tastes. A local real estate agent can also share insight on trends they are seeing in the market, and you can find a Realtor near you on LongandFoster.com.