Eurocucina 2012 - Guest Post by Cheryl Hamilton-Gray of Hamilton-Gray Design

Cheryl Hamilton-Gray, CKD is one of the top kitchen and bath designers in the country, so when I ran into her last month and she agreed to share her impressions of the massive Eurocucina show she was about to attend in Milan, I was excited beyond measure!  Now that she's back, this Eurocucina veteran generously took the time to write down her thoughts and share her photos with Gold Notes readers.  Here's her take on what’s hot for kitchens from Europe. 


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Finishes


What I saw were predominantly white kitchens in lacquers and laminates mixed with textured rough-sawn woods from gray wash barn-wood tones to chocolate browns. Woods were wire-brushed and rough-sawn, in laminate and natural wood.  Shades of taupe with a mix of whites and woods, and natural walnut solid and veneer still have a strong presence. Unusual kitchen surfaces shown were concrete, chiseled marble, recycled paper and thin porcelain slab. Accent colors were predominantly in the battleship blue family, apple green and red. 

Epitome of textural and color combinations with steel patinated counters and sliding backsplash 

Countertops


Counters were a mixture of materials and sizes, often in the same display. Thick or thin were evident, but rarely an inch and a half standard as in the US. Commonly used were stone slabs in brown and grey tones, very little Carrera or Calcutta marble. Engineered surfaces, glass, stainless and patinated metal counters were popular. I also saw an abundance of white engineered stone counters. 

Variations of counter thicknesses and materials 

Form 


Modular cabinet segments locking into each other on different planes vertically and horizontally were a strong trend. Still exhibiting working and storage stations concealed behind sliding doors along back kitchen wall with island in front. In some cases, the island has countertops that slide over prep or sink area. Along with sliding door applications, bi-fold pocket doors served the same function. When folded, they had a narrow hinged door concealing hardware. A lot of these applications were shown in life style environment displays with family room and dining room décor. 

Interlocking segment components 

Curves are making an appearance but not bold as in circular islands of the past. These are more gentle curves accenting cabinet ends or interior corners. They tend to soften some of the harder materials and finishes used. 

Cabinet curves 

Function 


Cabinet openings are primarily handle-less, accessed through a u-channel, vertical or horizontal cut out or touch-latch. Upper cabinet doors are generally horizontally-stacked and accessed with a remote control. Where hardware is used, it is as exaggerated as jewelry. 

Hardware as jewelry 

Cabinet interiors are gaining importance with contrasting veneer finishes,, glass shelves and drawer sides, even leather-clad shelves. Nearly all interiors are illuminated with LED lighting. An innovation in drawer inserts is a magnetic system where the dividers are easily moved to suit storage applications. 

Leather shelves 

PHOTOS:  All photographs were supplied by Cheryl Hamilton-Gray.


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Cheryl Hamilton-Gray, CKD is an NKBA-certified kitchen and bath designer and the president of Hamilton-Gray Design, Inc. in San Diego's North County.  Her designs have been published in countless magazines and have won numerous awards.  

2012 Trends Post: Faucets and Fixtures (Guest Post by The Home Depot)

What new faucets and fixtures might your kitchen and bath be wearing this year? I asked my former colleagues at The Home Depot, one of the country's largest decorative plumbing retailers, for their insights.

Given their size and market share, what THD buys is a pretty good indicator of mass market trends. No, they're not trendsetters the way a luxury showroom could be -- the way their high-end Expo Design Center once was... sigh.

What they are about is what's here, what's now and what's likeliest to show up in a home near you. Sarah Fishburne, the company's Director of Trend & Design, shared these forecasts for 2012.

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STYLE TRENDS

Rustic and Country

The rustic look is anything but, and it doesn’t have to be limited to country houses. This farmhouse feel gives that nice “down home” look and warms up a kitchen or bathroom. Oil rubbed bronze, chrome and brushed nickel will continue to be popular in the new year.

Larger, bridge style faucets add an interesting, yet professional look to the room, and also look very proportional when put in kitchens with many appliances.

Clean-lined Bridgeford faucet by Grohe is on trend for 2012

Transitional Lines

While this style never really went away, it is finding its way into many more design trends lately. This look, like the rustic country, is all about subtlety. Streamlined and clean lines are the forefront of this trend, and unique shapes such as modified squares help add a soft touch to the room.

Pfister's Pasadena in new Midnight Chrome finish exemplifies affordable transitional style
(FYI, they dropped the Price from their name)

In addition to adding new looks to your house, consider function. A few simple changes can go a long way toward making your life easier.


FUNCTIONALITY TRENDS

Spot Resist Technology

Nothing worse than fingerprints all over your new faucets! Moen’s new Spot Resist technology makes it so that your faucets stay looking new by resisting water spots or fingerprints, and wipes down easy for simple maintenance.

Moen's pull-down Solidad faucet sports contemporary style and a new Spot Resist finish

One Touch Technology

For those with sanitation in mind, this trend is for you. The last thing you want your fixture to become is a breeding ground for bacteria and germs. Delta's Touch 2O technology only requires a quick tap of the wrist or forearm to activate.

Turn on Delta's sleek Pilar pull-down faucet with just a tap

WaterSense

WaterSense technology helps you save up to 32 percent water use without taking any hits to performance. All bathroom sink faucets carried at The Home Depot are now WaterSense certified.

Kohler's high performance Cimmaron now comes in a WaterSense-rated 1.28 GPF model

[JG Note: WaterSense is a government program much like EnergyStar. When a major retailer like THD embraces it, you know a trend has taken hold! WaterSense is also available in select showerheads and 1.28 gallons per flush (GPF) toilets that go even further than the current 1.6 GPF standard.]

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You might also enjoy the 2012 Trends Color guest post by Sherwin-Williams.

Guest post by the Kitchen Mogul: Three favorites from the UK

Last January, I had the opportunity to visit my first European kitchen show and it was a revelation! There were so many styles, trends and technologies that we don’t yet have in the States.

That got me thinking that a thrilling “threesome” could come from a blogger from “across the pond.” Happily, the Kitchen Mogul agreed to be that voice from afar. Here are his favorite UK trends this season.


Shelves and voids

Uniform lines and clinical finishes are not as interesting as they used to be so, increasingly, European kitchens have become riddled with nooks and voids. These open spaces create aesthetic interest for the viewer and help layer the design.

The use of open shelving has also been influential in blurring the boundaries between kitchen and living space, allowing the kitchen to become personalised with familiar objects and photos. These elements dilute the kitchen look and allow the user to introduce sentiment into the environment and establish personal comfort within this functional space.

An Ewe Kitchen

The Contemporary Classic Kitchen

In ancient times, conflict between two opposing kingdoms was resolved though personal union; you know how the story goes! So it is interesting to see the emergence of the Contemporary Classic Kitchen. This hybrid design embraces the precise lines and asymmetrical geometry of contemporary kitchen design, but also harnesses the warmth and longevity of traditional textures and door profiles. This particular concept helps to resolve the age old predicament of having a trendy kitchen for now that will provide fashionable reassurance into the future. The Mogul predicts that this will become an increasingly powerful trend!

An MVK Italia Kitchen

The Shape Shifter

The modern kitchen has been released from its architectural confines and has now been accepted as the functional centre piece of our homes. With the popularity of open plan living, it is important that the modern kitchen displays versatility, allowing the user to physically and emotionally interact with the space.

The level of transformation can be quite extreme, with some designs coming complete with fully-automated moving parts to move the kitchen from a standby to an in-use position. Other methods are quite subtle with designers using only lighting to change how the kitchen is perceived. Having the ability to shift between states of use can help to enhance the surrounding architecture and add to the overall users experience.

A Linea Quattro kitchen