Kitchen & Bath Business - November/December 2016 - 17

Trends

FILLING LIGHTING NEEDS

Similar design ideas are used in lighting both the
kitchen and bath, but the placement of lighting
is different.
"Kitchens must have good lighting to aid in the
preparation of foods, and bathrooms need good
lighting for personal grooming,"said Jeffrey Dross,
corporate director of education and industry trends
for Kichler Lighting. "[Because both rooms host
activities that are highly visual,] they are very alike,
but how that lighting is delivered is very different."
Three levels/areas of lighting should be used
in the kitchen and bath. In both rooms, ceilingmounted or recessed lighting overhead is needed
for general illumination. In the bathroom, a fixture
above the mirror or sconces on either side provide
task lighting for the vanity, and the shower/tub
area should have ceiling lighting focused on slippery areas for safety. For the kitchen, undercabinet
strip lighting illuminates the darkness beneath the
cabinetry, and hanging or pendant lighting usually
is above an island or eating/prep area for decorative and functional use.
"In the bath, it's more about creating a refuge,
and softer mood lighting has a place - as long
as there's ample lighting over a vanity," said David Martin, design team leader at Hubbardton
Forge."But the kitchen is the showroom for many
homes, where people invest in beautiful countertops, high-tech appliances and the fixtures that tie
it all together, so simply going with task lighting
sells the visual aesthetics short."

ABOVE LUXXU presents a light

fi ture with the lamorous
loo of a waterfall in this round
suspension lamp t s a circular
creation made with old
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fine tu es of ri ed lass
esi ned y FLOS
ARCHITECTURAL, the un

BELOW

nin
a net uspended
is compati le as a system
and as a sin le li ht he
suspended housin includes
an inte rated
li ht, which
creates a warm and uni ue
effect inear
and accent
fi tures can e e chan ed
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tools, connectin automati
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"Warmer metals have gained momentum this
year," said David Peek, director of product development for Progress Lighting. "From appliances
to hardware to light fixtures, brass and gold tones
are making their mark."
Oil-rubbed bronze, a stalwart finish that has
survived more than a decade with certain sectors, has begun exiting the scene. Chrome and
polished nickel took over, but recently matte black
has been popping up as an unexpected alternative. Gold - and especially rose-gold - have also
gained in recognition, adding to the trending
warm metals.
"Not only are finishes heating up, but the freedom to mix different metals is gaining in popularity,"added Peek."Gone are the days where one finish characterizes the entire house or even a single
room, and instead consumers can feel free to mix
and match metallic tones."
Mixing and matching makes up the contemporary styling of today's designs. According to
Dross, this style can be linked to life transitions in
boomers and millennials. Boomers are moving to
smaller homes and then adopting a more minimalist interior environment to suit the home's size,
and a millennial's new home is organically more
contemporary to fit their modern tastes.
"Of course, trends in America are never absolute," he continued. "A sector of the population,
especially Gen X, remains committed to traditional looks. They are alike in their abandonment
of oil-rubbed bronze, but the replacement is a
more traditional burnished or natural brass and/
or a painted metallic gold/silver blend.These new
colors look especially exciting on vintage industrial
and simplified traditional designs."

NORA LIGHTING adds the

o alt lic , a versatile
downli ht with
interchan ea le, snap on
trims, to its current o alt
eries he trims are offered
in a wide array of desi ns to
suit any installation site and
clic into place on the
en ine for an application
specific finish

esi ned y atteo olini,
the noo family of pendants
from GLOBAL LIGHTING
pays homa e to the ancient
chandeliers ornamentin
aro ue palaces he pendant
is availa le in lac uered
aluminum in oth lac and
white finishes and in small and
lar e confi urations

he new adiant collection
y LEGRAND comprised of
switches, wall plates, outlets,
dimmers and home automation
controls eliminates unsi htly
screws, offers a clean low profile
desi n and is availa le in one
an to si an confi urations
in a curated ran e of tasteful
colors and finishes

CHANGING PREFERENCES

With lighting arguably being the jewelry of the
home, the trends change as often as fashion does.
One of the most obvious examples is the popularity of certain finishes on light fixtures.

17
Kitchen & Bath Business - November/December 2016

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