Seabaugh Interiors Kitchens
07
Feb

Kitchen Trends from KBIS 2020

So, what’s new in the Kitchen Arena? I spent several days at the end of January in Las Vegas at the Kitchen and Bath/ International Builders Shows. These shows offer me the opportunity to speak to the makers, engineers and sales reps in order to better understand how to specify the right product for you. This business is ever changing and these shows provide me with the opportunity to dive deep into construction, technology and kitchen and bath design.

Here’s a quick recap:

Appliances. Yes, we are ever so slowly moving away from the All White Stainless Steel kitchen. Every major appliance company continues to expand their color offerings. We saw everything from pale pink to dark teal and even printed metal! My Instagram photo of the printed stove was controversial. Whether you are a fan or not, I applaud the innovation. As we stay in our homes longer, the idea of adding a colorful appliance is gaining ground.  Commercial grade appliances continue to dominate with the addition of a nice selection of ‘minis’ at 24″, which are super exciting. It’s starting to dawn on companies that many people live in apartments or want a small 2nd kitchen in the basement or parent-in-law suite. High end 24″ appliances are perfect for these smaller spaces.

Countertop offerings are substantial in both quartz and large format porcelain. Companies continue to innovate with realistic looking stone-like slabs. Movement is key and we love the multi-hued neutral palettes offered. Combinations of warm and cool tones on soft white look beautiful and fresh. Tip: If you have a kitchen short on natural light, bits of sparkle in your quartz will project light throughout your kitchen for you.

Tile and Color Options fall into 2 categories. Blue and green tones are found throughout the show. Watery finishes in tile continue to dominate and we saw lots of new 4″ square additions. This shape is so old school that it looks completely new.  The other prevalent color category is black and white. Matte black finishes are all over countertop and tile introductions and they look very, very cool. However, a note of caution because matte black shows oil- fingerprints, olive oil, soap residue. If you are bothered by ‘smears’ on surfaces, you might not enjoy a matte finish. Mixing matte black with white offers contrast and brightness. Large (6″)  hexagon tiles are another cool shape that is having a moment. So, yes, subway rectangles which have been everywhere, will slowly fade for now.