In our house, the kitchen is at the heart of everything going on—especially during the holidays when the aroma of fresh baked turkey, warm apple pie, and all the fixins’ are in progress. That’s one of the reasons I love the layout of our home. Our kitchen is open to the “great” room where all the visiting and fun is going on, so I don’t miss a thing.
When your kitchen is open to everyone who walks in the door, it’s fun to experiment with new gadgets, appliances, lighting, and accessories that turn into conversation pieces.
Here are some of the newest design trends for 2012.
Microwave In-A-Drawer
Dacor’s new Microwave-In-A-Drawer frees up counter space and puts the microwave down where it’s easily accessible to all. Features include automatic drawer opening for easy loading and unloading, control lock to limit unwanted accidents, three sensor cooking programs which automatically determines cooking/reheating times and selects proper power levels, and more. Check it out at www.dacor.com.
Glass Backsplashes
You can make quite a design statement in your kitchen by adding a painted glass backsplash. More than half the kitchen designers are now using glass as a backsplash material. It’s the third most popular backsplash material, trailing behind natural stone and ceramic tile.
Check out options at www.BackPaintedGlass.com.
Delta’s New Allora Faucet—Magnetic Attraction
This sleek-looking faucet features Delta’s exclusive Magna-Tite spray head docking, which means that the Allora has a magnetized connection between the movable wand and the fixed spout. You never have to worry about a wandering faucet again…
The pull-down hose has a 24” reach and toggle control that makes it easy to change from aerated to stream spray. More at www.deltafaucet.com.
LED Lighting
Energy efficiency is nothing new, but it’s becoming even more of a trend this year. The new light-emitting diode (LED) is being specified by 50% of kitchen designers. The light quality is constantly improving, so you can enjoy good lighting while saving money and helping the environment.
Darker Finishes on Cabinetry
It has been our experience that most of our customers prefer a light natural finish on kitchen cabinets, but that trend may be changing. This year 58% of kitchen designers are specifying darker finishes.
In the past, cherry wood has been the first or second most popular type of wood for cabinetry, but that trend is steadily reversing. Surprisingly, oak and birch are on the rise.
Another option that is growing in popularity is bamboo. Bamboo cabinets are touted as strong, durable and eco-friendly. Bamboo, which is technically a grass, can warp with time and exposure to moisture, so you have to be careful when using water in your kitchen.
Since much of bamboo comes from China, it’s difficult to verify the quality of the material, not to mention the supply chain. If you want to ensure your bamboo is green, you can now purchase FSC-certified bamboo from Smith & Fong in San Francisco, so you know it’s been harvested sustainably.
If you’re ready to update your kitchen in 2012, Uniquity Builders is ready to help you get started. Visit our website at www.uniquitybuilders .com to see our Kitchen Creations, and to see what our customers are saying, or call us at 800-498-1833