Kitchen & Bath Business - January 2021 - 23

tops and backsplashes, lighter colors won the
day, preferred by 58%, while quartz remains the
overwhelming material choice for the next three
years, chosen by 78% of those surveyed, followed
by quartzite, at 29%.
Use of technology in the kitchen continues to
grow.Topping the list for near-term implementation are dedicated areas for mobile device/laptop
charging and viewing (63%), technology with
seamless video communication (49%) and emergency refrigerator power sources (49%). Various
detectors - for floods, electric power failures and
gas leaks - were also high on the list, as were voiceactivated lighting controls.
Turning to kitchen cabinets and storage, 69%
expect full-painted wood to be the most popular
door-facing material, followed by full wood grain,
at 52%. Flat-panel/slab-topped cabinet door
styles are at 78%, with recessed panel at 65%. The
preferred tone/color is light, at 70%, with the clear
majority (68%), opting for a different color on the
island. Storage options for the next few years were
evenly split, with sections of floor-to-ceiling and
walk-in pantries each at 45%, and deeper, lower
cabinets and fewer upper cabinets just a few percentage points behind.
Kitchen flooring materials for the near future
were led by hardwood/engineered wood (50%),
with luxury vinyl wood plank (39%) and ceramic/
porcelain tile (30%) rounding out the top three.

ABOVE Italian marble makes a

statement in this kitchen designed by Madeleine Sloback.
Photographer: Amanda Oster

For appliances, French-door refrigerators that are flush, fully integrated or
built in are expected to be the most popular over the next three years. Although stainless was the number one choice for finishes, matching cabinet
face finishes are a close second.
Standard-door dishwashers will still be dominant, with 70% of respondents believing these will top all others. Two-door dishwashers (36%) and
two dishwashers (33%) are far behind. For cooktop appliances, gas and
induction are neck-and-neck, at 47% and 44%, respectively, with the latter
expected to replace traditional electric. For cooking configuration, six in 10
expect separate oven and cooktop units to be most popular, while 40% lean
toward a range. It's no contest for size and finish, as standard 30-in. stainless
units are expected to dominate. Regular stainless (74%) holds a comfortable
edge over black stainless (39%).
THE NEW EN SUITE BATHROOM: SMART AND SPA-LIKE

The latest trends in primary bathroom design reveal larger layouts, clean,
calming minimalist styles, a plethora of sensors and controls - and a few
surprises along the way.
One of the key takeaways from the study regarding primary bathrooms
could be summed up in one brief phrase: " Smart, natural and functional. "
Nearly half the respondents identified low-flow toilets as a smart feature for the
next few years, with 44% mentioning smart bidet toilet seats and 23% apiece
for wall-hung lavatories with pipe protection and adjustable-height toilets.
The study also revealed that the average primary bathroom spend over
the past year was between $20,000 and $30,0000, with two-thirds of the
finished projects showing an increase in size over the previous layout. The
most popular anticipated option for layout change, cited by 60% of pros, is to
remove bathtubs to increase the size of the shower.
This is followed by taking down walls and connecting to a closet or dressing
area,at 40% apiece.In open-ended comments,one respondent noted, " Clients are

Kitchen & Bath Business - January 2021

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