KBIS 2007 - Overview of Kitchen Design Trends I Observed

Here is a list off the top of my head of the trends that I observed at KBIS. Since I am at the airport now with a 3 hour delay, (update: it was a 7 hour delay, getting home at 3 AM rather than the projected 7:45 pm, adding this to the mishaps below post) with my power cord packed (why did I do that?) I am unable right now to work with my images. Nevertheless, here is what I observed as coming on strong for kitchens '07 and beyond. I will take some of these one by one and expand on them in the days ahead, with images and notes. Here's what's happening!

Trough sinks - long, narrow, multi use sinks....secondary sinks

Organically shaped sinks - maybe long and curvy, seeing even more

Sinks with multiple functions - more than ever, more accessories, flexibility

Brown metals - a rainbow of brown metals from mid to dark colors

Black - Black is HUGE...more to follow

Dark colors - meaning dark wood finishes in cabinetry

Tile walls - strong trend for wall coverings

Light countertops - sandy, earthy, subtle, casual

Thicker counters - anything from 2" to 7"!

Green - meaning eco friendly everything and anything and everywhere. Take care here, as I suspect one small piece of a product being declared as eco friendly may be valid marketing material...there's green, and then there's green...find your green values and then do your research accordingly

Larger sinks - single bowl large sinks, even going larger than last year

Less retro - retro 40s appliances seemed to have had a very short life in the past few years, did not see much of that this year

More contemporary styling, soft, easy to live with - soft contemporary is very big

Traditional alive and well - traditional styling is alive and well...don't believe all the hot, sleek, kitchens you see elsewhere. That's only part of the kitchen trend story. Important, hot news is being made in traditional styling as well.

Wood variety - more authentic wood finishes celebrating unique wood grain and knots and natural wild grain

Earthy rustic - a new, sort of contemporary, rustic look

Appliances in various sizes - huge trend, appliances in various sizes for any reason, any situation

Technology in appliances everywhere...lots of bio fresh type of technology, keeping food fresher longer

Hoods - dynamic, innovative, interesting kitchen hoods. Huge.

Purple - seen in more quiet, smoky, or somewhat mid tones, not too strong. You'll see it soon if you don't see it now.

UPDATE 5/11:  I nearly forgot...big trend, lots of open shelving in the kitchen, whether everywhere or just in some spots, it's there.  

I'll expand on these and other trends that come to me. We'll also talk about trends in general...should we care, considering a kitchen is a designed space, with products that are going to have to last, and look good, for 15-20 years? It's sort of a paradox for a professional kitchen designer, at least for me, and I'd like to talk about this. Have no fear, from my perspective, the excitement of trend watching and looking for hot, current, new, products is definitely a "sport" so to speak, but there are underlying issues to consider as well, considering the design/product decisions are financially large, and permanent. I actually can't wait to sink my teeth into this issue, coming at it from several points. But, till then, there it is, above!

Comments

[Chef Jules]

Susan I have just discovered your Kitchen Design Journal (I have to get "out" more!). What a fabulous resource. I'm always interested in kitchen (my favorite room in the house) design trends, particularly since I'm gathering ideas for a future remodel. I own a catering business and have a wealth of space at my workplace. At home, however, it's a different story. The kitchen in our small (but overall, cleverly laid out) home is on the small side.Yours is a lovely small kitchen, and I'd enjoy seeing more design ideas and pictorals of other small kitchens too! Will add you to my blogroll and visit often. Thank you! ~Jules~

[Susan Serra, CKD]

Hello Chef! Glad you stopped by. Love your blog too. I happen to be very interested in small kitchens and plan to do many more, after all, it's the most challenging thing to design a small kitchen effectively. Every fraction of an inch counts. So, count on that. See you soon!

[Elegant Kitchen Remodeling Blog]

In my area, traditional is still more popular than contemporary, though contemporary styles are gaining.

The younger crowd's usually more into the contemporary styles, so that might have something to do with it.

-- Lionel

[Peggy Deras, CKD, CID]

It is so great to have your eyes and ears at the show and reporting back Susan. This tired body just won't take that beating any more. I stayed home and envied you.

Some questions:

1. The larger sinks I am seeing in stainless. What are the manufacturers doing differently to stabilize the sheet metal so it doesn't bend? It was my thinking that they were maxed out on size. Now they are going way bigger.
I notice that the bigger sinks all seem to have square inside corners...Is that it?
What do you think about cleaning those square corners?
How about Corian and other solid surface sinks? Are they also following the bigger is better trend?

2. "Wood variety - more authentic wood finishes celebrating unique wood grain and knots and natural wild grain"
Don't you think this may be wishful thinking on the part of cabinet manufacturers because they are having a hard time getting unblemished, clean wood?
Were the "high-end" manufacturers showing this trend as well?

Thanks again Susan.

[Susan Serra, CKD]

EKRBlog, thanks for writing. Yes, you're right there too. Oftentimes, contemporary styling appeals more to certain age groups. But, it's going a bit more mainstream, I see, in a softer way. Slowly, for my clients, anyway.

Peggy, more coverage to come! Peggy, I have no idea about stabilizing the sheet metal, lol! I didn't ask that question, but it's true, they are rapidly expanding in size in a big way. I guess the gauge has to keep decreasing and the thickness increasing, wouldn't you think?

I think with this styling, you are right, there ARE more square corners, and you have a good point about cleaning those tight corners. About Corian, no, I didn't see anything enormously large, at least not larger than a fairly large single sink, at around 29" wide, which is now common.

Well, there's lower quality blemished wood and then there's wood with interesting characteristics to it, I see a distinction between the two, the second of which must be as carefully selected as the finest clean woods, I would guess. Or, close to it. Yes, I did see it across the board, it's definitely a trend. I see it in furniture as well, more interest in the wood itself and its characteristics. Hope that helps!