Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2016 - 14

Trends

More than Storage
Cabinetry takes on new
roles in the kitchen

I

N THE KITCHEN, CABINETRY HAS ALWAYS TAKEN

THE LEAD in the style,
palette and atmosphere of the design.
Today, homeowners look to cabinetry
to also organize busy
homes and make cooking and entertaining simpler. Cabinet manufacturers have responded by
innovating and customizing cabinetry to fit particular lifestyles.
"Since cabinetry is so versatile and functional,
while also aesthetically beautiful, I see a conversion in how homeowners are using it more readily and in diverse spaces to maximize storage,
hold items at their point-of-use and facilitate
everyday chores," said designer Amy Ahearn of
Williamsburg, Va.-based Tidewater Designs
LLC. "Cabinetry has evolved into the go-to stylish solution for a more organized lifestyle. It is
completely customizable and will adapt to any
user's specific tastes, wishes and requirements."

Clients are leaning toward a simpler style, with
an emphasis on material and functionality. According to Jeff Eichenseer, marketing director
at Conestoga Wood Specialties, alternative materials like high-gloss and textured surfaces are
fueling the resurgence of contemporary design
in a transitional market.
"That being said, the lines have become blurred,
and it's now commonplace for designers to go
outside them to use every tool at their disposal -
combining different styles and sometimes even
different brands within a kitchen," he said, adding that the Shaker style stays strong because of
its adaptability into distinct styles and additional
detailing, like framing beads or edges. "Even traditional and transitional have blended together
- yesterday's Shaker-style door is the foundation
for today's transitional cabinetry."
As a step ahead of the classic Shaker, flatpaneled doors and minimal lines are growing in
demand. This look more often frequents urban
areas with limited storage, but it can be traditional,
transitional or contemporary.With its clean-lined
appeal, the flat-panel cabinet uses neutral colors to
blend in or natural wood to stand out.
"In New York, people are trying to bring in the
natural elements of the outside into the home,"
said Lothar Birkenfeld, a designer at ALNO USA

ABOVE With the popularity of

painted cabinets, CANYON
CREEK has added a highdensity fiberboard (HDF) option
for its flat-panel door style,
Copenhagen. Shown here are
the Millennia frameless/Cophenhagen & Valley Forge door
styles in HDF and maple.

RIGHT The Fineline drawer
organization system from
CONESTOGA is designed
to store utensils and cutlery.
The storage unit is available in
birch and walnut and in multiple sizes and configurations.

BY ERINN WALDO

14

Kitchen & Bath Business / FEB.-MARCH 2016 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official sponsor of KBIS (KBIS.com)

Photograph Illustration by TKTKTKTKTK

FOR EVERY TASTE
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Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2016

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