KBB - September 2014 - 20

TRENDS

Living on the Edge
When it comes to countertops in contemporary-style kitchens, thin
is in.
"Let's just say countertops have had a major makeover, and they've
lost a few pounds," said Guillaume Gentet of Décor by Guillaume Gentet.
"Many modern kitchens right now have ultra-thin countertops as most of
the material is being lowered inside the cabinets."
Inlaid countertops also are popular. Gentet recently completed a
Manhattan kitchen with a rubbed-bronze frame around the countertops
with a ¼-in. thickness showing the top and sides with an inlay of Corian. In
another kitchen project, he applied a 45-degree angle "so that just a thin
line was seen between the countertop and cabinets," he explained. "The
end result was a very smooth, minimalist design."
Similarly, Formica has been seeing a retro revolution - a product of
"modern and mid-century-style kitchens gaining ground [with] clean
lines and straight edges," added Chmiel. To that end, she notices simpler
bullnose countertop edging generating preference over fancier edges,
along with the return of self- and square-edge counters.

Top left: Panorama, a textured laminate line from Arborite, celebrates
the true scale and veining of original stones. The pattern (pictured in
Tuscan) recreates the signature pits and troughs of an Italian travertine. Circle No. 203 or visit kbbonline.com/freeinfo
Top right: The Merge collection from designer Erin Adams breaks
the mold of traditional ﬂat tiles, combining arts-and-crafts colors with
three-dimensionality. The raised shape provides a subtle accent on
a crisp backdrop. Circle No. 204 or visit kbbonline.com/freeinfo
Bottom: Homeowners are turning to white kitchens for their pristine, often
minimalist look. In this kitchen, Werthan supplied Caesarstone Nougat
6600 with a square-edge proﬁle in standard 3-cm thickness, complemented by wood millwork and monochromatic tile walls. Photo Credit:
Beckwith Interiors. Circle No. 205 or visit kbbonline.com/freeinfo

In addition, knife-edge countertops are being used in a wrap or apron
application in which the top is not only on the horizontal surface but also
surrounds the base cabinets or island on the vertical surfaces.
"The surfaces are mixed, so you might see a white marble laminate
surrounding wood cabinets, quartz surrounding painted ﬁnishes or wood
surrounding antiqued metals," explained Chmiel.
Some designs, however, still call for a thicker proﬁle.
"Two and three centimeters have always been the standard thickness
for countertops, but today homeowners are gravitating away from the
norm by going with an extra-thick appearance," said Werthan."Extra-thick
countertops complement minimalist designs very well and become a
focal point in a kitchen."

Finishing touches
As with edging, manufacturers and fabricators are presenting more
choices for ﬁnishes. For wood countertops, "hand-planed surfaces are
increasing in popularity for transitional and contemporary designs," according to Grothouse. "The planed areas are accented with black glaze
and provide a textural and tactile surface that enhances designs."
Low-gloss ﬁnishes that mimic leather and suede are on the rise in
stone and quartz.
"Improvements in technology have allowed us to create surfaces
that offer a beautiful matte ﬁnish without jeopardizing performance and
risking staining," said Marquez.
Laminates also have leapt forward in the ﬁnish department. Stone
slabs are digitally scanned, picking up all of their natural attributes.
"Going back 10 years, whatever you saw in the 2- by 3-in. sample chip
is basically what you saw across the whole countertop," said Teresa Gentile, marketing manager at Arborite. "Now we are able to offer designs
that capture the essence of the stone or wood grains, and they are true
to scale."
A ﬁnish is added to the printed laminate, "which adds to the realism
and gives it another dimension," noted Gentile. "It makes it look less like
your mother's kitchen from the 70s."
Texture is making a play in backsplashes as well.

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K BB

September 2014 / www.kbbonline.com / The Ofﬁcial Sponsor of KBIS www.kbis.com

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KBB - September 2014

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