Get Creative - Cabinetry Inspirations from KBIS 2015

The 2015 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas was full of fantastic cabinetry inspirations.  The show was brimming with eclectic design styles, common materials used in uncommon ways, and new products that make your cabinetry come alive.  Since I couldn't take you along as I visited each booth, I've taken the time to showcase some of the most creative design ideas and products that I found.

FUN, FLOATING & FUNKY

Floating elements are very popular and very cool.  Whether it is a floating shelf, floating drawer or floating cabinet; these designs are fun and give the illusion that the elements are unsupported, as if by magic.  Who couldn't use a little magic?

Clean lines, soft hues & a floating drawer ooze a spa-like feel

Put a slant on your designs with irregular forms & asymmetrical geometry

Retro colors used in creative patterns lend a funky vibe

Use contrasting materials & hidden lights for a clean, modern feel

Use color & lighting to brighten up a space

Floating cabinetry appears to defy gravity itself

 

 

RUSTIC, REFINED & ORGANIZED

Rustic materials that evoke nostalgia and replicate or pay homage to mother nature provide designs with a feeling of comfort and warmth.  Industrial influences in lighting or hardware give a masculine, casual feel to a space. On the other hand, more refined styles can be used on their own or in combination with these rustic elements.  Either way a good design has to be functional and when it comes to cabinetry, organization is the name of the game.

Rich stain & hammered copper top with integral sink

Wavy seeded glass with weathered shelves

Heringbone floor, farm sink & industrial pendant lights

Dark stain coupled with painted back & wire and galvanized accessories

Sleek stained cabinet with rustic knobs

Mocha stain, industrial lights & plank tile wall

Gray paint, antique glass & plate shelf

Pull-out dining table

Metal hood with geometric tile backsplash

Belt buckle bracket

Crafting & wrapping station

Lighting in back of door rather than from above

Piano top door style (opened)

Piano top door style (closed)

Design & Construction Week 2015 - The Fun Stuff

You know the saying, "All work and no play, makes Johnny a dull boy"; well a dull designer isn't worth much.  So when the opportunity arises to visit Las Vegas "for work", you have to throw in a little fun.  Design & Construction Week is slammed full of new and exciting products, courses in every subject imaginable, networking opportunities galore, and just to round things out a bit, there is some fun to be found.

You may not agree, but my fun began with the flight.  Once you get through all the obstacles and actually take flight, you're treated to views like none other.  So I set out from Greenville, SC and headed for Sin City.

Along the way, I received great news from Houzz.com congratulating me on winning two awards!  I won the Best of Houzz 2015 award for Design and the Best of Houzz 2015 award for Satisfaction.  This is the third consecutive year I have won the Best of Houzz awards and it is a great feeling each and every year!

 

 Of course, who is there to greet you at the Las Vegas airport?  The slot machines...

...and neon signs!

 Surveyed the view and found fun things just waiting right outside my window

At the convention, I took advantage of selfie opportunities

Enjoyed refreshing beverages and free food

Was interviewed by Houzz TV

Met some celebrities

Nicole Curtis from Rehab Addict

Ty Pennington

Enjoyed some comedic relief

Adam Carolla & Ray Oldhafer's construction podcast "Ace on the House"

Marveled at the number of bald men involved with design and construction 

 (because sometimes you have to find fun in the mundane)

Then I boarded a plane and headed home, perhaps a little less dull than when I started!

So long Las Vegas, until next year...

The real purpose of my trip was to discover new and exciting products and materials for my clients, to find inspiration, and to teach a course on Universal Design.  My upcoming posts will highlight everything I learned, show pictures and videos of the best new products for your home, and give you a glimpse into my Universal Design course and highlights of some products to help us all live longer and more comfortably in our own homes.

2014 BATH STYLE TRENDS

If you want to know what design elements are trending in the bath industry, this is the place to start.  Below is a list of bath design trends that you can either expect to see more or less of in the coming year.  This slide show is based on the findings published in the 2014 NKBA Kitchen & Bath Style Report along with our own professional insights and observations.

HIGHLY DECORATIVE STYLES ARE GIVING WAY TO THE SIMPLICITY OF MODERN DESIGN

MUTED NATURAL TONES ARE BEING USED IN LIEU OF BOLD COLORS

CRISP WHITE TONES ARE REPLACING WARMER BISQUE TONES FOR TOILETS, TUBS AND SINKS

SIMPLICITY IS MAKING A COMEBACK WHEN IT COMES TO CABINET FINISHES TOO

NATURAL STONE CONTINUES TO BE THE MOST POPULAR CHOICE

HEATED TILE FLOORS ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE POPULAR

CLEAN LINES AND SEAMLESS INTEGRATION APPEAL TO THE MAJORITY OF HOMEOWNERS

SILVER TONES CONTINUE TO BE MORE POPULAR THAN GOLD TONES

SLEEK & MODERN TUBS AND SHOWERS ARE REPLACING OVER SIZED JETTED TUBS & SMALL SHOWERS

For more bath design insight and inspiration, visit our other blog posts or contact us for a personal design assessment.  Many of our projects can be found on Houzz.com by clicking on our link in the right hand column of this page.

2014 KITCHEN STYLE TRENDS

Kitchen stye trends have continued to shift towards the contemporary end of the design spectrum throughout 2014.  Below we have created a slideshow of kitchen design trends that are expected to become more or less popular as we round out the year and look forward to 2015.  Our findings are adapted from the NKBA 2014 Kitchen Style Report and our own professional insights and observations.

Less is More as design styles continue to trace their roots back to sleeker simpler tastes found in contemporary design.

Muted earth tones that lean more towards the gray spectrum are replacing brighter color tones.

Wood species with tighter grain patterns and warmer undertones are replacing traditional wood species that show more movement or knots in their grain pattern.

Distressed finishes are just beginning to show a slow down in popularity while cabinetry with multiple finishes or colors other than white are increasing.

Natural stone surfaces continue to dominate the market.  Mix in some butcher block and your headed in an even more popular direction.

Hardwood continues to gain momentum as one of the most popular flooring choices and for those wary of using wood in a kitchen, wood grain tile is gaining in popularity.

Stainless steel is still a safe choice while granite composite sinks are gaining in popularity.

Silver tones have overtaken the oil rubbed bronze finishes and it appears the brass finish revival has yet to happen.

Homeowners are looking for appliances that help them achieve a clutter free kitchen and professional cooking results.

Look for full refrigerator and full freezer columns to gain in popularity as more manufacturers add them to their product lines.

Convenience and clutter free features are in high demand when it comes to storage features.

For more advice, inspiration and ideas on kitchen design, visit our other blog posts or contact us to schedule a personal kitchen design assessment.  Let us help you create the kitchen of your dreams.