We recently discussed what was trending in color and design. Today we’re going to talk about the trending finishes and fixtures. Homes are so much more than a roof on your head and these trends prove it.
Tops in countertops: Granite remains the surfacing material of choice, used by 87% of kitchen designers and 71% of bathroom designers, but quartz is narrowing the gap. Use of quartz in kitchens jumped from 69% in 2012 to 80% this year, and from 53% to 65% in bathrooms.
High-class glass: Preference for glass backsplashes has grown dramatically in the last three years from 42% in 2010 to 64% this year. Ceramic and porcelain tiles remain the top option for the third consecutive year, but overall use fell by 11 points from 2010 (88%) and now (77%).
Bright light: LED Lighting is being specified by a higher percentage of designers, increasing from 70% to 77% over the past year. The significant uptick from 50% in 2010 indicates that this trend has serious staying power.
Faucet features: This year’s report notes that a third of member designers (32%) specified touch-activated faucets, compared with just 20% for the last two years. Pull-out are the clear leader by functionality, used by 94% of designers this year. Pot fillers are also gaining ground, increasing 5 points over the past year to 33%.
Best finish: Satin nickel remains the most-used finish for kitchen fixtures, with use increasing from 42% in 2010 to 60% this year. Bronze and oil-rubbed bronze finishes are also gaining use. The NKBA says that increased use of these three finishes comes at the expense of polished nickel and polished chrome, which each lost 5 points year-over-year.
For the floor: In bathrooms, ceramic and porcelain tile flooring have declined in use over the past two years, but are still the most popular choice, specified by 83% of survey participants, down from 93% in 2011. Natural stone tile is the second most popular flooring type, but has also declined from 77% use in 2011 to 57% this year.
Kitchen and bathroom design trends haven’t changed drastically. However, they’ve transitioned into each other. As you can see, the sky is the limit with kitchen and bathroom designs. The colors and trends are in harmony with the world. What’s even better is that with the mix of traditional and contemporary, you can mix it up or tone it down and still be trendy.
