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Furniture Looks,
Elegant Simplicity Marks New
Styles in Kitchen Cabinetry
- This article provided by the American Hardwood Information
Center at www.hardwoodinfo.com
Maple cabinetry with integrated appliances.
- Photo courtesy of American Woodmark Corp. and the Hardwood
Information Center - www.hardwoodinfo.com.
Kitchen cabinets are simpler, more functional and at the
same time more elegant than ever before, report attendees
at the 2005 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show.
According to a survey conducted by the American Hardwood
Information Center, solid hardwoods - mainly maple, cherry,
oak, alder and birch - now are used widely on cabinet doors
and drawer fronts in all price categories.
Although light and medium finishes continue to be popular,
trendwatchers also see a growing interest in deep, rich browns.
"I think that's been influenced by the furniture industry,"
says John A. Buscarello, ASID, a New York City-based kitchen
and interior designer, who points out that chocolate and mocha
tones are prominent in recent new-furniture collections. "Light
woods are perceived as less formal than dark ones, and the
pendulum is definitely swinging toward more formal looks for
the kitchen."
Natural finishes, too, are gaining popularity. "A lot
of people now look to woods with a naturally dark finish,"
notes Dianna Holmes, design manager of Canac, the Kohler-owned
cabinetmaker in Thornhill, Ontario. "Dark woods are being
selected; then, instead of being stained, they're simply clear-coated."
Both designers foresee the emergence of contemporary design
in kitchen cabinetry. "It's the influence of Europe,
where things are more streamlined," says Buscarello.
This accounts for the increased appearance of slab doors on
display at the industry's annual new product showcase event.
Among buyers of high end cabinets, a parallel trend is a
preference for less fussy ornamentation. For example, fewer
additional moldings are being applied to thicken the rails
and stiles of high-end cabinet doors. Instead, more subtle
mitered doors echo the simple lines of Shaker and Arts &
Crafts styles.
Buscarello also stresses that "every nook and cranny
of the kitchen is being plotted now." With many more
interior dividers, slide-out shelves and turntable units available
as storage options, he says, "there's nothing left to
chance." He also points out that much of what used to
be kept in cupboards is being stored in drawers: "Pots
and pans are easier to get to, in drawers. Heavy-duty drawer
glides make it possible to put large, heavy pots there."
Other trends spotted at the
Kitchen/Bath Industry Show include:
- Consumers are opting for a thicker cabinet
door - 1 inch instead of 3/4 inch - because greater thickness
often suggests higher quality.
- Glazed, distressed and antique finishes
are replacing ornate details once popular on many high-end
cabinets.
- Painted finishes are holding their own.
Although various colors vie for the spotlight from time
to time - cranberry and orange each slide in and out of
favor - white, off-white and oyster consistently get the
most attention.
- The so-called "unfitted look"
has strongly influenced cabinet design, with manufacturers
looking to create individual pieces of furniture rather
than expanded banks of cabinetry. Why? Because open-plan
kitchens also embrace family rooms, great rooms and dining
spaces, which means sideboards, entertainment centers and
open shelving must coordinate with kitchen-cabinet styles.
- As kitchens expand in size and complexity,
"mixed orders" are no longer rare. Consumers who
want work islands, wet bars, baking centers and butler's
pantries incorporated into kitchen design are eager for
contrast in cabinet styles, colors, types of wood and finishes.
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