ProfessionalRemodeler.com examines 15 of the latest remodeling trends for Kitchens and Bathrooms

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Professional Remodeler examines the
latest design trends you can incorporate in
kitchen and bath upgrades
By Tim Gregorski, Editor in Chief
15 design trends
for kitchens &
baths

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1. Open kitchens to create more
social space, furniture-type cabinetry
 Not only is the kitchen utilized for
cooking and eating, it has evolved into a
social setting where cabinetry is being
viewed as furniture as opposed to
standard kitchen equipment.
 Another design trend that has become
popular lately is the new kitchen look
with furniture-type cabinetry and mixtures
of finishes and colors.
 “We have been adding more finishing
pieces to cabinets, such as adding
panels on cabinet ends and molding
accessories, which really highlights a
great look,” says Bill Shaw, chairman of
the NAHB Remodelers and president
of William Shaw Associates in Houston.

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2. The cost-effectiveness of the unfitted
bathroom style
 Whether traditional or contemporary, the
unfitted style reflected in free-standing
slipper tubs and furniture-like cabinetry is
becoming increasingly popular for the
sanctuary-like bathroom reflected in
today’s designs.
 Generally, it is less expensive to install a
free-standing slipped tub compared with
a custom, deck-mounted tub complete
with tile and surrounding stone. Tubs and
cabinetry modeled in the unfitted style is
often the focal point of the bathroom.

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3. Transitional styles for kitchens and
baths
 Last year, the popularity of transitional
style—a seamless blend of traditional
and contemporary—exceeded that of its
traditional counterpart, which had been a
top trend in 2010 and 2011.
 In the latest NKBA survey, transitional
styles are still positioned at the top of the
list for kitchen applications, currently
used by 61 percent of NKBA-member
designers, which is up from 59 percent
last year. Traditional styles currently rank
second for both kitchens (60 percent)
and bathrooms (58 percent).
Contemporary designs rank
third, maintaining 52-percent usage in
kitchens and 57-percent in bathrooms.

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4. The emergence of quartz countertops;
granite and marble remain popular
 Quartz was the second most popular
counter-surface material used in
bathrooms last year, significantly
narrowing the gap with granite. The use
of quartz has increased from 53 percent
to 65 percent, according to NKBA.
 Granite remains popular as it has been
specified more than two-thirds of the time
by kitchen and bath designers. Marble
also remains a popular bathroom vanity-
top material, only moderately dipping in
popularity from 46 percent in 2010 to 39
percent this year.

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5. Color palette favoring grays, beige,
bone, and whites
 Shades of gray in bathroom remodels
have risen from 12 percent to 56 percent
since 2010, according to NKBA. Whites
and off-whites remain the top color
schemes of bathrooms, used in 71
percent of bathrooms, an increase of 6
percentage points over the past year.
 Shades of gray in kitchen remodels have
risen from 9 percent to 55 percent since
2010. Similar to bathrooms, whites and
off-whites remain top kitchen colors used
in 73 percent of bathrooms, also an
increase of 6 percentage points over last
year. Beige and browns also remain a
popular kitchen color scheme, followed
by grays and browns. Sepia tones rise
from 11 to 17 percent in kitchens.

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6. Cabinetry colors and styles
 Among painted cabinetry, white has been
very popular for the past three years, so
it’s clearly not a fad among homeowners.
The popularity of white-painted cabinetry
jumped from 47 percent to 59 percent in
2012 and further increased to 67 percent
this year, according to NKBA.
 Cabinet color is also changing with the
evolution of two-toned cabinets. For
example, the lower cabinet and
oversized island are typically a different
and darker color than the upper level
cabinets, which may also have open
shelving.

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7. Darker finishes, depths, and heights
Use of light, medium, and natural cabinet finishes has remained consistent during
the past year. Light finishes are currently used by 30 percent of
respondents, medium finishes by 54 percent, and dark finishes by 55
percent, according to NKBA.
Use of glazed finishes, which held at 44 percent in 2011 and 2012, increased four
percentage points this year.

9. + 8. Undermount sinks still on top
The popularity of undermount sinks is in a slight decline; however, they remain the most specified
type of lavatory sink during the past three years.
Integrated sink and tops have seen some growth, increasing from 35 percent in 2012 to 41 percent
currently.
Undermount sinks also create extra counter space because the sink is under the countertop rather
than sitting on top. Visually, the vanity top now appears larger because the countertop space is
continuous.

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9. LED lighting, reflective
properties
Energy-efficient lighting is widely used by
kitchen and bath designers in both the U.S.
and Canada. As consumer awareness of
energy efficiency has risen, it comes as no
surprise that light-emitting diode (LED) lighting
is being specified by a higher percentage of
designers. Over the past year, 77 percent of
designers have specified LEDs, up from 70
percent in 2011 and 50 percent in 2010.
“This makes them ideal for undercabinet task
lighting. Their cool operation also makes them
useful for in-cabinet applications, where an
incandescent’s heat might damage the cabinet
or its contents over time,” says San Diego-
based, NKBA-certified, independent kitchen
and bath designer, Jamie
Gold, AKBD, CAPS, and author of the
book, “New Kitchen Ideas that Work.”

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10. Glass backsplashes, ceramic and
decorative metal evolving
 The kitchen backsplash has become
more of a decorative area instead of just
an ignored space between the cabinets
and countertop.
 A backsplash can also add texture and
depth to the kitchen. The selection of
glass tiles and other new innovative tiles
creates interesting focal points in the
backsplash area and its tie-in with
countertops and finishes.
 Ceramic and porcelain tiles held its top
position for the third consecutive year,
but overall usage fell by 11 percentage
points between 2010 (88 percent) and
2012 (77 percent).

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11. Popular use and creative design of
ceramic and porcelain tiles
 Slightly down from 93 percent in 2011,
ceramic and porcelain tile flooring has
been in decline of late, but it still remains
the most popular of all materials
specified by kitchen and bath designers.
Ceramic and stone tiled floors are
extremely durable and easy to maintain,
and manufacturers offer dozens of styles
and colors to meet the needs of
homeowners and designers.
 Natural stone tiles have also declined
since 2011, dropping 77 percent to 59
percent in 2012, and to 57 percent this
year. However, stone tiles remain the
second most popular type of flooring
used since 2011.

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12. Touch-activated faucets gaining
market share
 Historically, touch-activated or touchless
faucets were commercial products but
have now crossed into the residential
market and are here to stay.
Homeowners with limited use of their
hands, whether due to arthritis or other
physical limitations, find touch-activated
faucets much easier to use on a daily
basis. Touch-activated faucets have
been specified by 32 percent of
designers in 2012 versus only 20 percent
of designers in 2011.
 Pull-out faucets are still in the top
position, as they have been since
2010, with usage rising from 88 percent
in 2010 to 94 percent this year. Pot-filler
faucets rank second this year, gaining
five percentage points over the past year
to 33 percent.

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13. Satin nickel, bronze, oil-rubbed
finishes
When it comes to faucet finishes, satin
nickel has been on the top since 2011 with
its usage increasing from 42 percent in
2010 to 60 percent this year. Bronze or oil-
rubbed bronze finishes are also being
specified more often, growing from 41
percent to 50 percent in the past year.
The increased popularity of satin
nickel, bronze, and oil-rubbed bronze likely
comes at the expense of polished nickel
and polished chrome. The former being
easier to maintain in regard to cleanliness
and also offers a warmer tone than the
brushed chrome. Polished chrome dipped
from 52 percent to 47 percent while
polished nickel dropped from 25 percent to
20 percent in the latest NKBA survey.

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14. Larger showers, better shower amenities
In smaller master baths, a larger shower that offers a spa-like experience is still popular.
Space-permitting clients want to have a private commode area and his and her vanities with
cabinets that suit their personal needs.
For smaller bathrooms, the tub is often forgone and a larger shower with body-
sprays, multiple showerheads, and steam is preferred. The shower should not be designed
too large as it can lead to increased maintenance effort and higher construction costs.

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15. Kitchen & bath designs based
on Pinterest and Houzz
The advent of sites such
as Pinterest and Houzz have
brought consumers an infinite
number of new and unique ideas for
their homes. The homeowner is not
so reliant on a designer to introduce
them to every new trend and
material.
It can all be done via
email, streamlining the whole
process of design conception. The
downside? Search engines often
bring up the same images based on
how often they’ve been looked
at, meaning the most popular
pictures are looked at the most and
are brought to the front again and
again, which is a feedback loop that
can limit creativity instead of expand
it.

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