Not all materials are created equally, and fashions come and go. So what are the latest material trends when it comes to designing a kitchen or bath? Melania Holiat is director/designer of Trade Mark Design & Build, based in Hawthorne, New Jersey, and is also a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Here she talks about some of the most fashionable materials being offered today.
There are many new up-and-coming materials in the building industry, some of which are just starting to have an impact on the design world; others which have been around for a while but are nonetheless still gaining in popularity. It’s all about getting away from ordinary materials and experimenting with different elements.
Countertops
Some of the newest materials used in making countertops are:
- Bamboo: Becoming more and more popular as it grows fast, looks nice, is durable and sustainable.
- Lava: Fairly new in the marketplace, the lava we use is harvested in France from the mountains there, is cut into slabs and then kiln-dried. Depending on the look that is desired, various glazes can be applied, either glossy or grackle glaze. Interestingly, lava countertops wear just as well as granite countertops, as they have the same type of wear rating.
- Glass: Countertops made from glass are becoming incredibly popular. They are coming out in variety of thicknesses, textures and patterns, and therefore we are not limited to a plain clear generic focal point. We are also able to put things into the glass -Â air bubbles and shells, for example -Â to add interest and texture and create a unique piece.
- Concrete: Also popular material for a countertop as you can put all sorts of things into it, including branches, heirlooms, coins, keys and knickknacks. They are put inside and then sealed with an acrylic coating to maintain their quality. Concrete countertops can either have a matte or a slightly polished finish, and come in a variety of colors. You can go from any color you imagine, and can even do a countertop that integrates into a sink, which means one piece of concrete is molded downwards seamlessly into a sink.
Cabinetry
When it comes to cabinetry, then bamboo, stainless steel and glass are all the most popular when it comes to current trends. High-gloss acrylic is particularly popular, with the trend leaning toward bright, vibrant colors, including crimson, magenta, chartreuse and anything that is nice and bright. These cabinets are often accented with stainless steel panels or sleek black countertops to give a contemporary look and feel to your kitchen.
Flooring
All types of flooring have come back into fashion these days. Recently, many people wanted to a wooden floor in every room of the house, even the kitchen, where it was not always durable. Now we have cork, which is an interesting material, one that is much more versatile than you might think.
Now we are also seeing a lot of tiles that are made to look like wood planks, so you have the durability and maintenance level of a tile, but the look of an actually wood floor. It looks realistic, in part, because it can be bought in the same lengths that wood flooring come in.
