The document discusses current and emerging trends in kitchen cabinetry. There is consensus among manufacturers and industry experts on some ongoing trends, such as sustainability becoming standard practice. Additionally, consumers are favoring neutral colors like white and grey. Functionality is also key, with preferences for easy-access features, optimized storage, and built-in technology. Looking ahead, matte finishes and a wider variety of laminate options are expected to grow in popularity in 2016.

1. 58 11.2015 / PROFESSIONAL REMODELER proremodeler.com
Product Trends
by INgrid Bush, Content Manager
A look at current kitchen cabinet Trends that have
staying power, and what’s coming for 2016
Cabinetry Confidential
T
here was broad consensus among our sources—
both manufacturers and industry pros—on current
and coming cabinetry trends. To begin with, some
trends, such as concern for sustainability, aren’t
really trends at all. When it comes to the role of sustain-
ability in consumers’ cabinetry purchasing decisions,
most manufacturers we spoke with say that environ-
mental stewardship is just good business and is now
assumed to be the norm rather than being a brand dif-
ferentiator. But, as several industry experts pointed out,
consumers are aware of making healthy buying decisions
and want products that are low-VOC. Cabinet manufac-
turer Cabico’s business development manager, Marco
Robert, says that environmental considerations are a
selling point in the growing popularity of laminates, too.
Though consumers are starting to loosen their purse
strings as the economy rebounds, they aren’t necessarily
channeling that money into fancier cabinets, remodel-
ers told us. As Normandy Remodeling designer Laura
Reifschneider points out, “We’re far from the heyday of
2005,” and rather than splurging on kitchen cabinets, the
Chicago-area remodeler’s clients are opting to do more
extensive renovations on their homes. At RI Kitchen &
Bath, in Warwick, R.I., Tanya Donahue, VP of sales and
marketing, says that clients will make concessions on
cabinetry quality to afford the overall look they want.
Common Ground
Whether they’re Baby Boomers looking to age in place
or budget-focused Millennials remodeling the kitchen
in their first home, there’s plenty of overlap in cabinet
preferences, though the motivation that’s driving the
design choices differs.
Common to both classic and contemporary aesthet-
ics, says Lori Lewandowski, Merillat Cabinetry’s design
services manager, is a drive for more symmetry within
designs. She says that while large, multifunctional
islands are still important, peninsulas are less common.
Homeowners of all ages are favoring open-concept
kitchens with visual connection to other living spaces.
This, in addition to a desire for more windows to admit
natural light, means fewer wall cabinets and, as a result,
Photos:thispage&Opposite,courtesyNormandyRemodeling

2. “more internal accessories and drawers … within the
base cabinetry to achieve the functionality and storage
that could be missing by not having a lot of wall cabine-
try,” Lewandowski says.
Jean-Pascal Fournier, business development and mar-
keting director for cabinet manufacturer Miralis, says
that the horizontal trend is being expressed through
more drawers, larger drawers, and flip-up doors, as well
as floating shelves and sleek lines. Although he sees
Millennials demanding more urban-style kitchens with
European laminate colors, Baby Boomers are also fol-
lowing that trend when remodeling their kitchens.
But not all kitchen designs are embracing the hori-
zontal. Joan Bostic, Cabico’s VP of sales and marketing,
says she’s still seeing plenty of vertical floor-to-ceiling
cabinetry, but with more glass for doors, to maintain
a light, open feel. In addition to glass doors, open
shelving and countertops clear of clutter help maxi-
mize the expansive feel, with customers consolidating
small appliances, such as coffee makers and toasters,
in one place (see photo, above). These “small-appliance
stations” often include countertop workspace but are
concealed behind doors to eliminate visible clutter in
the kitchen and maintain a unified look.
Reifschneider says that for her clients, it’s not so much
about horizontal vs. vertical as it is about optimizing
storage and functionality. Blind corner cabinets need
to have swing-out shelves or other ways to make them
useful; internal organizers are essential in all cabinetry.
Stephanie Pierce, senior manager of the design studio at
MasterBrand Cabinets, says that for today’s cabinets, “a
very cohesive and tidy kitchen design means everything
in its place and a place for everything. Flush alignment,
‘banked’ work zones, and maximum functionality are
high on the list of expectations.”
This focus on functionality holds true both for Millen-
nials, who are adapting their cabinetry choices to what
they can afford, and for Baby Boomers, who are looking
to age in place and ensure that their kitchen remains
practical and accessible through the years.
Looking for Longevity
Lewandowski says that universal design considerations
have become more mainstream within the last five
years, citing the growing popularity of roll-out trays, ac-
cessible sink and cooktop base cabinets, higher toe-kick
space, and lowered wall cabinets as a few examples.
The aging-in-place cohort prefers easily accessible pull
hardware or, for a streamlined look without visible hard-
ware, touch latches, which are also favored by Millenni-
als. Cabico’s Robert says he is also seeing more demand
for servo drives. Yes, they’re still relatively expensive,
but, he points out, “as more consumers want them, the
price is coming down. And we’re definitely finding that
more consumers want them.”
PROFESSIONAL REMODELER / 11.2015 59
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Product Trends
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Top 3 Cabinetry Trends
1. Light neutrals: White is still going strong, and
neutral hues continue to be an anchoring color
trend in cabinets, with grey gaining more ground as
a “new neutral.”
2. Contemporary style: Even in more traditional
markets, modern styling, such as slab and Shaker
doors, is growing in popularity, reflecting a preference
for less molding and a sleeker aesthetic.
3. Rustic modern: Mixing materials and textures,
pairing streamlined looks with rustic accents, such
as reclaimed wood, to create a clean yet rich, tex-
tured effect.

3. High-Tech and High-Lights
For Millennials, making sure there’s a place for technol-
ogy is essential. Smartphones and tablets are becoming
more and more at home in cabinetry, with emphasis on
easy access and charging out of sight. Cabinet compa-
nies are starting to meet this need with tech-specific
accessories such as concealed docking stations and iPad
trays that slide out and tuck away when not in use.
In terms of cabinet layout, Reifschneider says, there’s
something else going on: Say goodbye to the once-
common kitchen “office nook.” Mobile technology
makes this designated spot for laptop and bill paying
unnecessary. “Normandy is ripping these out so home-
owners can use that space in other ways,” she says.
Advances in LED lighting are also making their mark,
allowing lighting to become a mainstream consider-
ation in cabinet design. Because LEDs come in a range
of shapes and sizes, with low-profile options, they can
easily become part of specific work zones in the kitchen,
whether it’s within glass cabinets, above or under wall
cabinets, inside drawers, or in the toekick space of base
cabinets. Beyond the customization and aesthetic op-
tions this affords, for the increasing number of home-
owners looking to age in place, lighting is also a key
concern for safety and accessibility.
60 11.2015 / PROFESSIONAL REMODELER proremodeler.com
Product Trends
1 ] Decorá has released three new
hand-applied, translucent, brushed
finishes to layer over all its painted
maple door styles. The finishes—
Brushed Pavestone, Brushed Saddle,
and Brushed Onyx—can be applied on
light- or dark-color cabinets, depend-
ing on the desired intensity of the
effect, and can be used over any paint
color, including the entire Sherwin
Williams palette. decoracabinets.com
For more information, No. 815 on
reader service card
2 ] With the launch of its Every
Day Made Fresh selection, Cabico
Custom Cabinetry has added six
new colors and six new door pro-
files. The color options meet today’s
demand for popular neutrals in gray
and white tones, as well as a shade
of teal. The new door profiles (five
wood options and one MDF) offer
clean lines and are all transitional in
their styling to meet different design
tastes. cabico.com No. 816
3 ] Released in response to cus-
tomer demand for strong base colors,
Merillat Cabinetry has a new paint
color, Shale, which is available in 19
door styles. This “new neutral” offers
a soft, warm hue that pairs well with
other neutrals and Merillat’s stain
palette, as well as various metal fin-
ishes. merillat.com No. 817
4 ] Wellborn Cabinet is bringing
the Shadow stain and the Shadow
Charcoal stain with glaze to its Select
Series of cabinets. Shadow is a dark
gray stain with a low sheen; Shadow
Charcoal is the Shadow stain finished
with a black Charcoal glaze. These
two finish options will be available
on the company’s cherry, maple, oak,
and hickory cabinets. (Shadow over
cherry, shown) wellborn.com No. 818
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Looking Ahead
• Matte finishes will
be the new thing in 2016
in different materials
and colors.
• Laminates—already
popular in Europe—
will offer an even wider
variety of finish options
at a cost-conscious
price—textures, wood
looks, metallic looks,
stone … anything you
can imagine.
• 2016 will see a shift in
stains from darker to
lighter. Opaques have
great momentum right
now; whites and grays
have shifted into warmer,
more neutral tones.
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