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This kitchen, designed by Yuko Matsumoto of Altera Design & Remodeling, features a cool, dove blue wall covered in glass, with warm wood floors, white Carerra marble, stainless steel and taupe quartz.
The National Kitchen & Bath Association revealed the prevailing trends seen among nearly 500 submissions in the 2012 NKBA Design Competition, including fixtures, finishes, materials, color palettes, technology, shapes, focal points and overall geometry.
A top trend among design submissions was the use of glossy finishes and fixtures in kitchens and bathrooms. Shimmering countertop surfaces, shiny fixtures and accent lighting are popular in current kitchens, NKBA says. A complement to this larger trend is the infusion of color behind glass panels. A painted wall in the kitchen with glass panels overlaid can create a sheen of color with a smooth surface to accent shiny appliances and shimmering countertops. Glass tiles are also being used on floors and backsplashes in bathrooms to create a shiny or shimmery look.
The incorporation of white into kitchen designs has also been reinvented, and the color is now popular in hues from snow white to shades of creamy, muted, milky tones. Suspended lighting is used in many kitchen designs to create a dangling focal point or highlight artistic pieces. Additionally, kitchen designs are putting traditional technology in non-traditional spaces. For instance, kitchen cabinets are being designed with incorporated fridge drawers or a steam oven under the sink, where plumbing would be traditionally found.
Current room designs are also symmetric, which can create stability and balance. Rooms possessing pieces that counterbalance each other and with other symmetrical placements within the design often generate purpose and contentment, NKBA says. Designs starting with a particular shape are repeated in various sizes, colors and textures, both in the kitchen and bathroom. Open-plan bathrooms are also more popular than ever, with design focused on efficient space, using few or partial walls. For more on NKBA's 2012 design trends, visit www.nkba.org/press/releases/pressreleases2012/12-04-25/The_National_Kitchen_Bath_Association_Reveals_Top_Trends_from_2012_NKBA_Design_Competition.aspx.