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| My souvenir - A little fun in the Moen booth let you create your very own ebru print. |
Packed with a crowd anxious to see all that's new on the kitchen and bath scene, the show was vibrant and healthy this year. If I were to single out the one trend that was a stand out,
I have to say that blended textures was a key design element that had a starring role.
Whether it was tiles, cabinets, faucets, counter surfaces- everything was beckoning to be touched.
Rugged meets City Slicker
Cabinetry took a departure from the simple shaker style and I saw a lot of intricate paneling with recesses and multiple layers of moldings and trim. I was particularly drawn to the juxtaposition of old weathered wood finishes paired with shiny metallic mesh paneling. Not your typical cherry and bamboo but oak, pine, alder, woods of every kind were treated to a fashionable stain, gloss or rub and they all looked amazing.
Recessed cabinet panels got the full treatment in everything from lattice laminates, wire mesh and fabric. The emphasis was on the center panel. I noticed much of the raised trim was fairly narrow leaving little space for bulky hardware. Knobs and pulls were scaled down and linear shapes were popular as well as creative placement. I'm already thinking about some new mini handle designs and plan to expand our petit collection of knobs 1" diameter.
No pun intended, but 50 shades of gray was the most stand out color. Gun metal, clay, slate, putty.. it was embraced in every exhibit. Typically seen with silver or chrome accents, I noticed that gray was also often paired with warmer golds and brown tones that gave it a new and edgy flair.
Formica took a bold leap with Jonathan Adler's colorful laminates that emulated fabric patterns. I had a little fun selecting our knobs and pulls to match. Imagine these laminates in a recessed cabinet panel with white trim.
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| Jonathan Adler Formica laminates with Susan Goldstick hardware from top left clockwise: Nu Tiki Light Sapphire knob, Eel style 6 copper pull, Petit Square3 lapis knob, Petit 6 emerald knob |
