What's trending in kitchen & bath cabinets and accessories: View slideshow
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Sleek and stylish, this high-end kitchen features frameless cabinetry, mixed colors and mixed materials in the countertops. Also highlighted is the popularity of the wood-look for flooring. Credit: NKBA Member Emily Miller, CKD, KITCHEN & BATH CONCEPTS OF PITTSBURGH West View, PA Co-designer: Thomas S. Trzcinski Photo: Craig Thompson
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High on the list of top kitchen trends is the mixing of two or more cabinet colors/finishes in the kitchen. Check out the splash this color combination makes. Credit: NKBA Member Cheryl Kees Clendenon, IN DETAIL INTERIORS, Pensacola, FL
 Photo: Greg Riegler
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Another look at the mixing and matching of cabinet colors and finishes in the kitchen, #2 on the NKBA's top 10 list of kitchen trends for 2016. Credit: NKBA Member Thomas D. Trzcinski, CMKBD, KITCHEN & BATH CONCEPTS OF PITTSBURGH, Pittsburgh, PA Co-designer: Emily Miller, CKD Photo: Craig Thompson
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Along with the dominating preference for wood cabinetry, glass cabinet doors were also highly popular, specified in 89% of wall cabinets. Credit: NKBA Member Mark T. White, CKD, CBD, KITCHEN ENCOUNTERS, Annapolis, MD Photo: Mike Kaskel
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Pull-outs, roll-outs and tilt-outs are highly-requested items when it comes to storage solutions, according to the NKBA 2016 trends survey. Credit: NKBA Member Tom E. Lutz, AKBD, JUST 4 YOU, LLC, Louisville, KY
 Photo: Mike Tuell
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Along with the storage solutions, today's consumers want docking and charging stations in their kitchens. Credit: NKBA Member Emily Miller, CKD, KITCHEN & BATH CONCEPTS OF PITTSBURGH West View, PA Co-designer: Thomas S. Trzcinski Photo: Craig Thompson
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Open shelving is a big request in kitchens. Credit: NKBA Member Cassandra Nordell- MacLean, WILLIAM STANDEN CO. Sarnia, ON Photo: William Standen Co.
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While quartz is still the number 1 countertop material, followed by granite, laminate and wood countertops continue to remain popular. Also popular in residential kitchens is countertops of varying heights, specified in 62% of kitchen in 2015, according to those surveyed in the NKBA trends survey. Credit: NKBA Member Cheryl Kees Clendenon, IN DETAIL INTERIORS, Pensacola, FL
 Photo: Greg Riegler
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Live edges give a new twist to wood countertops. Credit: NKBA Member Cassandra Nordell- MacLean, WILLIAM STANDEN CO. Sarnia, ON Photo: William Standen Co.
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More than half of the designers surveyed by the NKBA said they included accessible and/or universal design features in 2015. Credit: NKBA Member Pamela Livingston-Hardy Photo: Roland Hardy
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The popularity of pocket doors continues. More than 70% of NKBA designers specified them in projects in 2015, with more expected to be used in 2016. Credit: NKBA Member Robin R. Fisher, CMKBD, CAPS, ROBIN RIGBY FISHER DESIGN Portland, OR
 Photo: Dale Lang
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Even pet-friendly kitchens can be stylish with pull-out drawers for feeding stations and food storage. Half of those surveyed by the NKBA included pet amenities in their 2015 kitchen designs; 35% of them said they expect to do more in 2016. Credit: NKBA Member Robin R. Fisher, CMKBD, CAPS, ROBIN RIGBY FISHER DESIGN Portland, OR
 Photo: Dale Lang
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White is the top choice for bathroom fixtures, followed by beige and bone. As with kitchens, the transitional style is highly popular, highlighted here by the cabinetry's vertical/straight grain pattern. Built-in storage is also one of the top items specified for the bathroom. Credit: NKBA Member Matthew Damian Rao, CKD, RAO DESIGN STUDIO, INC, Atlanta, GA
 Photo: Emily Followill
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Wood vanities -- with lots of storage options -- were specified by 89% of designers in 2015. Credit: NKBA Member Emily Miller, CKD, KITCHEN & BATH CONCEPTS OF PITTSBURGH West View, PA Co-designer: Thomas S. Trzcinski Photo: Craig Thompson

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. - What are the hot trends for kitchen and bath cabinetry and countertops in 2016? According to a recent survey of design professionals, the overwhelming cabinet preference is for transitional style, with gray and neutrals the preferred color pallet, while granite continues to rule in the countertop market. These trends and more were revealed in the 2016 Design Trends Survey from the National Kitchen & Bath Association.

In the kitchen area, the most popular design styles continue to be transitional, followed by traditional and then contemporary. The NKBA study also reveals two emerging styles: industrial and farmhouse.

ARTICLE

Panel will review hardware trends at Closets Conference

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With regards to color palettes, homeowners prefer neutral colors, but are not adverse to mixing two or more colors, as reported by 60 percent of the survey respondents. According to the NKBA's survey, the two-tone trend carries over onto the cabinetry, where 42 percent of designers specified mixed color cabinets. Countertops are not excluded either from the mixing of palettes, with surveyed designers indicating they've used different countertop material for the island versus the perimeter of the counter space.

“Our Design Trends Survey serves as the industry forecast when it comes to kitchen and bath design trends, giving us a comprehensive look at what to expect in the coming year,” said Bill Darcy, NKBA CEO.

KBIS REPORT

Top 10 kitchen cabinetry & design trends

At KBIS, some of the nation's top kitchen and bath designers shared their insight on the latest color and style trends, as revealed in the NKBA's 2016 Design Trends Survey.

Also click here to view more reports from the 2016 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show and the International Builders Show.

 “Our members know firsthand what’s trending, because they create beautiful and functional bathrooms every day. It’s only natural we look to them for insight into the industry.”

According to the NKBA's 2016 Design Trends Survey:

The top 10 kitchen trends are:

1.    Transitional style, with contemporary emerging.
2.    Gray/white/off-white cabinets.
3.    Pull-outs, tilt-outs and tilt-ins for storage.
4.    Wood flooring.
5.    Quartz and granite countertops.
6.    Outdoor kitchens.
7.    Built-in coffee stations and wet bars.
8.    Pocket doors.
9.    Special pet spaces.
10.  Docking and charging stations.

The top 10 bathroom trends are:

1.    Clean, modern, transitional designs.
2.    Universal design features.
3.    Neutral colors.
4.    Open shelving, floating vanities and wall-hung toilets.
5.    Built-in storage.
6.    Undermount sinks.
7.    Freestanding tubs.
8.    Shower amenities like hand showers and shower lighting.
9.    Polished chrome faucet finish.
10.  Other popular bathroom amenities, specified by at least 25% of respondents in 2015 include:
a.    Electric radiant floor heating
b.    Easy maintenance features
c.    One-piece toilet
d.    Electric towel-warmer
e.    Humidity-sensing fans
f.    Steam showers
g.    Smart toilet seats with integrated bidet features
h.    WaterSense listed toilets and faucets

More than 450 designers throughout the United States participated in the NKBA's 2016 Design Trends study, which was conducted online in late 2015. For more information, visit NKBA.org.


 

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About the author
Karen Koenig | Editor

Karen M. Koenig has more than 30 years of experience in the woodworking industry, including visits to wood products manufacturing facilities throughout North America, Europe and Asia. As editor of special publications under the Woodworking Network brand, including the Red Book Best Practices resource guide and website, Karen’s responsibilities include writing, editing and coordinating of editorial content. She is also a contributor to FDMC and other Woodworking Network online and print media owned by CCI Media. She can be reached at [email protected]