New Directions for Kitchens and Baths

23 Jan New Directions for Kitchens and Baths

Reported from Home and Textiles Today

Las Vegas – The long domination of traditional design in kitchens and bathrooms has given way to transitional and contemporary styles in North American homes.

The 2015 Kitchen & Bath Design Trends report from the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), released yesterday, found that transitional designs are now tops, with contemporary running a close second.

More than 400 designers participated in the study, which was conducted online in late 2014.

“This report is so valuable because NKBA members are on the cutting edge of kitchen and bathroom design,” said Maria Stapperfenne, NKBA president. “It gives us the point-of-view from the specialists who are on the front lines creating beautiful and beautifully functional kitchens bathrooms every day.”

White is the most common color scheme for both kitchens and bathrooms – although kitchens with multiple color schemes are emerging.

In the bathroom, the leading hues are white and gray – specified by more than 70% of the survey’s respondents. Half think gray will continue to run strong in 2015, although a notable number of designers pointed to purple, lavender and lilac as trending.

The top 10 overall kitchen design trends for 2015:

Clean with an overall contemporary feeling. A fusion of styles and multiple colors in one kitchen.
European-styled cabinets.
Multiples of appliances in one kitchen.
The rise of steam ovens.
Furniture-look pieces.
Outdoor kitchens.
Fewer standard kitchen tables, replaced by counters or tall gathering tables.
TVs and docking stations.
Wine refrigerators.
Focus on the user experience, from easy maintenance to accessible design and considering the needs of all users in the space, including pets.

For the bathroom, NKBA’s top 10 trends include:

Clean, white, contemporary designs.
Floating vanities.
Open shelving.
Electric heated floors.
Purple haze.
Trough sinks.
Easy use, maintenance and accessibility.
Innovative storage.
Showers and freestanding tubs.

(Photo credit Kohler)