Updated Info on 2012 Kitchen Trends

Now that the International Builder Show is over, there's abundant information on design trends available. As I've been reading and researching, several kitchen trends are being noted. Let me share some.

Natural wood cabinetry has always been popular. We've showcased cherry wood cabinetry in our higher end homes like those in LochenHeath but,according to the NKBA(National Kitchen and Bath Association) last year, cherry as well as maple have declined in use. Oak used to be the "go to" staple and then lost favor. Apparently, kitchen designers are trending back a bit to oak- reasonable cost and availability is probably part of this trend. I'm not too surprised to read that walnut is being used 3x more than in the past. The clean grain and darker color work perfectly with the look of today's kitchen. Green products have continued to be strongly popular which is apparent with bamboo usage doubling in the past year. Birch is a great wood with a grain similar to maple but with a lower material cost- birch use has tripled in the past year. Grand Bay Building and Remodeling just recently finished remodeling the break room at the BATA Cass Road facility here in Traverse City and we used all birch cabinetry - a great value for the dollar.

If you've ever watched the HGTV design shows, you might recall their use of darker finishes. This trend has been noted by NKBA . Along with darker colors is the use of glass. This product really lends itself to a modern look and is being incorporated as kitchen backsplashes. Designers are noting that ceramic still holds the number One position followed by Natural Stone(which certainly would need to be sealed) and glass coming on strong as number Three. I've used glass for vanities but not yet for a backsplash. This use could really be stunning and I look forward to working with the idea.

When it comes to lighting, apparently designers are trending toward LED's (light emitting diodes) rather than CFL's. Use of CFL's(compact flourscent lights) dropped about 10% . I'm not surprised as the color of a CFL isn't always right - especially in a kitchen. I read a Housing Zone article which mentioned that a US ban on newly produced 100w Incandescent bulbs went into effect Jan 2012 - A ban for 75w is slated to begin Jan 2013 with a ban on 60w incandescent production beginning Jan 2014. This will certainly be affecting the lighting industry in next several years.www.housingzone.com/design/5-kitchen-design-trends-2012

Trends are always fun to watch and learn from. Now as Spring approaches, I look forward to a season of new and beautiful designs. Nancy www.grandbaybuilding.com