Color, texture and whimsy among new kitchen and bath trends – Marin Independent Journal

El 2019 Cocina & Bath Industry Show wrapped up in Las Vegas last month and, according to Michelle Talley, it offered plenty of new products and trends to consider.

Talley is president of the Northern California chapter of the National Kitchen and Bath Association, a nonprofit trade industry group that owns KBIS.

Almost 31,000 attendees made their way to Las Vegas to see the displays of 600 exhibitors and sit in on special speaker seminars during the three-day showcase.

“Attending KBIS is a must for all kitchen and bath designers, as this is the time to find out about new products, start relationships with brands, and build closer existing relationships,” Talley says.

Here are her best takeaways on the new trends she spotted:

• Modern shapes with new twists. “Modern design had gotten boring with the flat panel doors and neutral colors. We now have opportunities to add whimsy to our designs.”

• Color and texture. “It was everywhere, in faucets, sinks, cabinet doors and appliance panels.” This is a fun opportunity, especially for those who plan to stay in their home for a while.

• “Mixed metals and mixed materials show flare when they show up in faucets, cabinets and front door handle.”

• Mixing styles. “Mixing modern with old-fashioned has been done with easily replaced accessories, but now we can do it with fixtures. Faucets, sinks and handles for cabinets and front door handle styles are all being blended.”

• “This is not your mom’s brass even on our toilets. Brass is coming back, but for those who did not embrace brass back in the ’80s, there are variations on a theme that offer great choices.”

• “Kitchen sinks are no longer white and stainless steel. Want plum, blue or gray? It was all over KBIS. Different materials and different shapes are being used for standard items.”

• “Black is everywhere, in cabinetry, cabinet interiors, grifos, hardware and sinks. For a well-lighted home, this trend is good for the younger crowd. It is also an amazing opportunity to show contrast, or to show off those new fixtures.”

• Lighted cabinet door handles and cabinet interiors. “For living (aging) in place clients, this is a must. If any client goes for a dark interior for their cabinetry, it should be lighted inside.”

• “Sunken vessel sinks were a showstopper. Beautiful sinks that were once several inches above the countertop, which created some issues, are now sunken into the countertop, giving the same beauty and solving a few problems at the same time.”

• “Glossy finishes are still around but matte is a strong new feature in design. For clients who can’t have, or don’t want, glare, this is an amazing choice. A matte gold finish on a matte black surface will really pop.”

Award winners

Every year, KBIS singles out products for its best of show awards. Among the eight winners for 2019 are a:

• Clever sink and top-loading dishwasher combination, both fitted into the countertop. You can just “swipe right” with the dishes and they’re loaded into the dishwasher. Made by Fotile, it’s available only in China right now, but plans are underway to introduce it to the U.S. market.

• Sleek boiled, chilled or sparkling water dispenser by Zip Water.

• Modern-style bathtub that offers a zero gravity experience and a cool 3-D printed faucet by American Standard.

• 48-inch pro-range with built-in sous vide (water bath cooking), induction and gas all on the cooktop

You can see the winners at kbis.com/show/best-of-kbis.

Don’t-miss events

• Join Steven Brown, of City College of San Francisco’s environmental horticulture/floristry department, for an afternoon talk on flower arranging at 1 p.m. March 28 at the Outdoor Art Club at 1 West Blithedale Ave. in Mill Valley. The event is free and light refreshments will be served. Call 415-381-5204 or go to outdoorartclub.org.

• Armstrong Garden Center’s experts will guide you to the best landscape shrubs for Marin gardens in a free class from 8 a 9 a.m. March 30 at 1430 S. Novato Blvd. in Novato. Call 415-878-0493 or go to armstronggarden.com.

• Joe Jennings, a UC Marin master gardener, will share his tips on soil preparation, irrigation, pest management, and seed and seedling plantings in a free talk, “Container Vegetable Gardening,” from 10 a 11 a.m. April 3 at the Landmark Art & Garden Center at 841 Tiburon Blvd. in Tiburon. Call 415-473-4204 or go to marinmg.org.

• Discover new tomato varieties and how to grow them successfully during Sloat Garden Center’s “Learn to Grow Tomatoes 101” seminar at 10 a.m. April 6 at 401 Miller Ave. in Mill Valley (415-388-0365), 2 p.m. April 6 at 1580 Lincoln Ave. in San Rafael (415-453-3977), 10 a.m. April 7 at 2000 Novato Blvd. in Novato (415-897-2169), or noon April 17 at 700 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Kentfield (415-454-0262). Advance registration is required. Admission is $10, free for members. Go to sloatgardens.com.

• Marin Rose Society members will help you understand the correct techniques to prepare your garden roses, or photographs of roses, for entry in the group’s upcoming spring rose show at 7:30 p.m. April 9 at the Marin Art & Garden Center at 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Ross. The cost is $5 for non-members. Call 415-457-6045 or go to marinrose.org.

PJ Bremier writes on home, garden, design and entertaining topics every Saturday and also on her blog at DesignSwirl.co. She may be contacted at P.O. Box 412, Kentfield 94914, or at pj@pjbremier.com.

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