Now that the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Las Vegas has officially wrapped up, it’s easy to spot what the hottest design trends for 2016 will be. There may have been tons of products and designs on display, but transitional-style bathrooms and kitchens were the biggest hit. According to members of the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), this modern style heavily focuses on built-in storage areas, neutral colors and amenities to make one’s life easier.
“Our Design Trends Survey serves as the industry forecast when it comes to kitchen and bath design trends, giving us a comprehensive look at what to expect in the coming year,” said Bill Darcy, NKBA CEO, in a recent press release. “Our members know first-hand what’s trending, because they create beautiful and functional kitchens [and bathrooms] every day. It’s only natural we look to them for insight into the industry.”
For bathrooms, open shelving and floating vanities are growing in popularity, as well as wall-hung toilets and undermount sinks, freestanding bathtubs and hand showers. Though white is still a great go-to color for your bathroom, NKBA designers think grays will become far more popular in the coming year. Heated flooring and towel warmers, humidity-sensing fans, steam showers, smart toilets and bidets are all becoming expected amenities to make life easier and more comfortable. Interestingly enough, bathtubs are being overshadowed by no-threshold showers, though freestanding and soaker tubs still remain popular.
Homeowners now want wood floors, quartz and granite countertops, outdoor options, built-in coffee stations, pocket doors and plenty of charging stations in their kitchens. Farmhouse and industrial kitchens are two styles that have really pulled ahead, along with mixed-color cabinets, and contrasting materials for the countertops and island counters (like wood mixed with stone). Specially-designed spaces for your pets are rising in popularity, like hidden feeding stations and pull-outs to store toys in, while wet bars are becoming a must-have for any kitchen size.
Now that you know what’s hot for 2016, check out this year’s Best of KBIS winners to make your next kitchen/bath makeover a breeze:
- - Best in Show: Perfect Steam Washer with LuxCare Wash and SteamBoost Technology by Electrolux
- - Best of Kitchen, Gold: Kaza Concrete by Walker Zanger
- - Best of Kitchen, Silver: UPR 503 Undercounter Pullout Refrigerator by Liebherr
- - Best of Bath, Gold: Vibrato Faucet, DXV by American Standard
- - Best of Bath, Silver: Balletto by Robern