What’s cooking in kitchens for 2016

The just-released 2016 Houzz Kitchen Trends Survey, an annual survey by the online source for home remodeling and design, polled more than 2,400 U.S. homeowners who are planning or recently completed a kitchen renovation project.

The survey showed that 39 percent of renovating homeowners spent $25,000 or less on kitchen renovations and 30 percent are spending more than $50,000.

So what are the hottest trends?

WOOD FLOORS RULE: The survey revealed that 34 percent of the participants chose hardwood. Engineered wood came in at 12 percent nationwide. Only 2 percent chose cork floors.

KEEP THE WALLS NEUTRAL: About 61 percent of renovators painted their walls one of three colors: gray, beige or white. The outliers liked green (10 percent) and yellow (8 percent).

STORAGE IS KEY: The most valued functional aspect of a kitchen is storage, the survey found: 60 percent of consumers valued that as their top feature. The most popular built-in feature? For 67 percent it was pull-out waste or recycling drawers. Second place: cookie sheet/ tray organizers at 56 percent.

STAINLESS STEEL IS HOLDING FIRM: A whopping 75 percent of those surveyed were going with stainless for the new appliances in their updated kitchens. (White came in at 10 percent and black at 8 percent.)

AND WHO SAID GRANITE WAS OUT? Although design divas may turn up their noses at granite, it’s still the most desirable and practical choice out there. For 45 percent, the popular natural stone was installed as their new countertop material. Runners-up: engineered quartz (26 percent) and quartzite (14 percent).