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Hot Trends, Cool Choices - latest for kitchens and bathrooms
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 Learn about the latest for kitchens and bathrooms.
Most homeowners agree that the two most important rooms in their home are the kitchen and bath. If you are about to embark on a new home construction, or major remodeling of your current home, it is beneficial to spend some time planning, researching and obtaining advice.
KITCHEN STYLE
One of the first decisions to make is what the overall look of the kitchen will be. Many homeowners prefer to have the kitchen reflect the same style as the majority of their home. There are numerous themes and looks to consider. Perhaps your style is formal and you want the kitchen to have an elegant atmosphere to compliment the other areas of your home. Many homeowners enjoy a casual lifestyle, therefore the kitchen should have a warm inviting style that is comfortable and easy to maintain.
Basic Questions To Answer:
- How do you and your family use the kitchen? List all of your activities.
- Do you prepare meals and cook in your kitchen everyday, or only occasionally?
- How many people typically use the kitchen?
- Do you have a family room included in the kitchen area?
- Do you use a computer in the kitchen area, or need more space for bill paying?
- How often do you entertain and do you invite guests into the kitchen??
- What is your budget?
FINISHES & COLOR
The popular trends for the past few years have been somewhat traditional, with French Country and Old World being two of the most outstanding choices. The cabinet styles were often raised panel and could be seen in numerous finishes, such as painted cream or white and darker stained finishes such as maple, oak or cherry. The new glazed finishes are quite popular and include blues, greens, black and red. It is not unusual for most cabinets to be one main color with one or two pieces designed in a contrasting color. This can be seen on islands or units that resemble furniture such as a hutch.
 FRESH NEW LOOK
“Kitchen designs continue to move towards cleaner, simpler lines and warmer richer tones,” said Connie Edwards, CKD, CBD and director for Timberlake Cabinet Company. It seems the current interest in a more modern approach to furniture and home décor is also being seen in kitchen designs. Timberlake is a division of American Woodmark Corporation and they recently introduced the new Capistrano Collection that can accommodate many contemporary styles with the wide, flat doors. This style is reminiscent of the shaker style door but slightly modernized to give a new fresh look. This style is easy to work with and could be dressed up with the combination of sleek modern hardware and stainless appliances or could go more rustic with wrought iron and perhaps black appliances.
The cabinet decision is one of the most important decisions for the kitchen and in most cases the majority of your budget may be spent there. It is important to see all the available styles, finishes and colors that will be seen in your local cabinet showrooms and home improvement stores. Even though maple, cherry and oak are still popular choices, the wood options have increased to include birch, pine, alder, hickory and the more exotic veneers. If your interest is in a very modern look, you can find sleek painted finishes to include white, red or even stainless steel. It would not be unusual to find curves and floating style cabinets for this look. Cabinet doors are now available with optional glass fronts and there are several styles of glass to include seeded, frosted, wavy and swirled. The trend is to have only a certain number of cabinets with glass fronts and others with wood along with open shelving.
Everyone wants to have great function and organization with their choice of cabinets and currently you will find built-in spice racks, dividers and numerous rollout options. The biggest overall trend has to be drawers and more drawers. Consumers love the convenience of opening a drawer and finding their pots and pans at the comfortable easy to access height. Another hot trend can be seen in warming drawers that keep prepared food at just the right temperature and refrigerator drawers to keep items cooled and out of the way. You will even find many appliance companies offering small dishwashers and microwaves designed to look like a drawer.
TOP CHOICES
Countertops are increasingly more exciting and interesting than ever before. It is not just thought of as a practical choice but can make or break a kitchen design. It is a great place to add drama and pizzazz to kitchen design. For the gourmet cook or avid baker, it really is important to find a practical choice that is also just the right look for your kitchen. Certainly one of the most popular choices would be granite because of its substantial beauty and practicality. It will also be one of the more expensive choices. If you haven’t explored the new engineered stone you might find it to be a little less expensive. It is composed of quartz particles and looks a lot like natural stone. A popular countertop option recently has been solid surfaces such as Corian, Avonite and Swanstone. A hot new trend for the more modern kitchen is stainless steel counters and concrete designs that should be installed by professionals. If your kitchen has an island or area that would be appropriate, you might consider incorporating more than one countertop.
BACKSPLASHES PROTECT & DAZZLE
One of the final options in designing a great kitchen is the backsplash or, as many have now become, wallsplashes. This area was simply a four-inch high trim at the back of the counter in years past but now has graduated to become an eye-catching space for spectacular statements. Mosaic tiles, hand painted tiles or raised artistic designs appearing to be out of stone can be used to accent the style of the kitchen. An area that looks especially nice to showcase a unique design or wallsplash is over the stove. As you explore the ideas for your kitchen, go to your local tile showrooms where you might also discover iridescent glass tiles incorporated into an elaborate designed wall area. There are numerous options to consider at your tile showroom and supplier. You might prefer a mural that has a hand-painted scene or still life basket of fruit.
Other interesting and somewhat more modern choices for your backsplash are the newly introduced ready-to-hang stainless steel or copper tiles available through your kitchen design company or home improvement store. These come ready to stick to the wall in an appropriate size and have diamond shape designs and brushed finishes. To go along with a more commercial looking kitchen, it might be interesting to use solid stainless steel sheets to make a backsplash. You could also use granite for the wall area under your cabinets and it is available in tile sizes or could be professionally installed in larger slabs. Marble tiles are often used for their soft colors and interesting texture, but these will need to be sealed to make sure splatters aren’t a problem.
 BIGGER & BETTER BATHROOMS
Wouldn’t we all like a room that is designed to be an escape from all the stress and demands of our lifestyles? The bathroom has evolved into just such a room. No longer do all bathrooms look the same, as was the case about ten years ago. Most homeowners are focusing on this room more and more so they will have a very personal space to relax and regenerate. The obvious trend for bathrooms is the actual size, with most master baths being designed larger and more convenient than ever before.
STYLE SELECTION
The bathroom styles that are showing up in new construction are a reflection of the modern trends seen in almost every home. A sleek sophisticated look is being chosen to create a calm uncluttered ambiance. Most homeowners are interested in incorporating natural light with large windows, skylights or glass block walls. Color has also become more natural with soft hues of greens, blues and a variety of warm neutrals. These colors can be seen in the choice of tile, marble, stone and granite counters. The use of tile on the walls is especially popular for many bathrooms to include the larger walk-in showers. These showers are usually designed with solid frameless glass walls and doors. An enormous selection of tiles can be seen at your local showrooms or home improvement stores. You will see glass tiles in every imaginable color and finish along with beautiful stone and mosaic designs to use for walls or floors.
Some of the more interesting themes being used for the bathroom include Asian modern looks for a serene sleek look. Another way to go would be a luxurious traditional design with chandeliers, travertine floors and top of the line fixtures to include towel warmers, built-in TVs and comfortable seating such as benches or upholstered chairs. There are many options available in fixtures, faucets, shower options, toilet designs, sink styles and the natural stone tiles or practical porcelain tiles.
TUBS & SHOWERS
When you look at a typical home built in the ’80s or ’90s, often you will find bathrooms with either a tub or large shower. Now most homeowners want both, along with all the amenities available with each. Whirlpool tubs or large soaking tubs are available in numerous styles and sizes to accommodate your personal requirements. The styles available might surprise you as you shop the latest introductions. Some traditional styles can be seen such as freestanding tubs with graceful curved lines that appear to be perched on a pedestal. Others are built in with an endless pool look or options to include heaters and armrests. Among the exciting tub introductions to look for is the Kohler Bubblemessage tub with chromatherapy lights and remote control options.
After speaking with bathroom designers, it is very clear that homeowners are especially intrigued with all the options available to create a spa-like shower experience. Most manufacturers are offering the latest in technology for controlling the shower. The current trend is to create larger showers with multiple shower jets and showerheads that produce a rain shower. Also, improved hand-held showerheads can be positioned on a vertical bar to accommodate individuals of any height, including children. Delta has several advanced features for their faucets such as the H20 Kinetic Technology that reduces noise by 25% and decreases water usage by 36% simply by controlling the droplets’ size and density of the shower spray.
VANITIES & ARTISTIC SINKS
Some of the more obvious trends in designing an up-to-date bathroom can be seen in the various styles of vanities and sink styles. Rather than selecting the standard cabinetry often seen in a master bathroom, many homeowners are opting to select modern designs. Wall-mounted cabinets have the most modern look for bathroom vanities and often give as much storage as the older style cabinetry. There are individual wall cabinets of different sizes that can be added to complete the look and add storage for all the necessities. Check out the newest styles seen in local showrooms. An especially popular trend for powder rooms and bathrooms is to use vanities that appear to be traditional furniture items. If you would like to create an elegant French ambiance, consider a French chest or a rustic farmhouse table or simple cottage styles.
If you have attended any home shows or local open houses to see the latest in kitchen and bath ideas, it has become clear just how exciting the new sink choices are.
~ Pam Minter, Photos courtesy National Kitchen & Bath Association
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