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When Michelle Power designed the kitchen in her new home-the last home she and her husband plan to
build-she had two priorities: convenience and contemporary style.
She considered the lessons learned from previous houses, conducted hours of Internet research and
asked countless questions of her contractor. The end result is a custom kitchen uniquely suited to her
family's needs.
To accomplish the contemporary look, Power chose maple cabinets with satin nickel hardware in a
"quasi-contemporary style," one she and her husband, who prefers a more traditional look, could agree on.
The compromise between contemporary and traditional is a burgeoning trend in kitchen design,
according to Traci Kloos, design manager for KraftMaid Cabinetry Inc.
"The dominant style of cabinetry used to be Old World with heavy ornamentation. In the last five years,
we've seen a cleaner, more modern, contemporary design," Kloos says. "I think there's been a shift away
from the excess of years past. People want to declutter and define their space."
The shift toward simplicity isn't just in cabinet style, Kloos says, but in the function of the kitchen itself.
Power chose cabinetry solutions that would maximize storage and minimize clutter. Pullout drawers in
various shapes and sizes keep counters clear while ensuring frequently used items are readily available.
The trash can is hidden in a pullout drawer. Cookie sheets stand in a vertically divided cabinet near the
oven. The cook top is flanked with pullout spice rack cabinets, pots and pans stored beneath.
The increasing need for storage stems from consumers' busy lifestyles, according to Paul Radoy,
design services manager for Merillat Industries, a national cabinet manufacturer.
"Added storage features in a kitchen create a more functional space and improve time usage by making
items easier to find," Radoy says. "Even though rollout trays have been around for several years, they still
have a 'wow' factor with consumers." Tilt-out sink trays and slide-out wastebaskets are also popular, he
adds.
Custom and semi-custom cabinetry allows homeowners to create work space that is not only functional,
but reflects the personality and lifestyle of their family.
"When designing your kitchen, go with something you really love. People use catalogs and magazines to
get ideas, but you should come up with a room that reflects your uniqueness. Don't make your choices
based on resale value," Kloos says. "Let the kitchen reflect the style of the home."
To make her kitchen unique, Power incorporated glass cabinet doors, crown molding and under-cabinet
lighting. The variety of available accessories, in addition to cabinet colors, styles and hardware options,
creates a seemingly endless combination of looks to choose from.
Maple is the most popular wood at the moment, a shift from oak, which previously dominated the
industry, according to Kloos. Glaze finishes are also growing in popularity. She says dark finishes were all
the rage, but light cabinets are making a comeback.
"For every trend, there's a counter-trend. Dark has been popular for a long time, but now we're seeing
lighter tones, even shades of white, gaining popularity," Kloos says. Satin nickel and brushed aluminum are
popular hardware choices, she adds.
When choosing hardware, Kloos suggests thinking of it as jewelry for the cabinet. It should blend with
the color of the cabinet, and be appropriate in size and scale to the door.
Here are nine easy tips to create an affordable, custom cabinetry look (Courtesy of Aristokraft
Cabinetry):
build-she had two priorities: convenience and contemporary style.
She considered the lessons learned from previous houses, conducted hours of Internet research and
asked countless questions of her contractor. The end result is a custom kitchen uniquely suited to her
family's needs.
To accomplish the contemporary look, Power chose maple cabinets with satin nickel hardware in a
"quasi-contemporary style," one she and her husband, who prefers a more traditional look, could agree on.
The compromise between contemporary and traditional is a burgeoning trend in kitchen design,
according to Traci Kloos, design manager for KraftMaid Cabinetry Inc.
"The dominant style of cabinetry used to be Old World with heavy ornamentation. In the last five years,
we've seen a cleaner, more modern, contemporary design," Kloos says. "I think there's been a shift away
from the excess of years past. People want to declutter and define their space."
The shift toward simplicity isn't just in cabinet style, Kloos says, but in the function of the kitchen itself.
Power chose cabinetry solutions that would maximize storage and minimize clutter. Pullout drawers in
various shapes and sizes keep counters clear while ensuring frequently used items are readily available.
The trash can is hidden in a pullout drawer. Cookie sheets stand in a vertically divided cabinet near the
oven. The cook top is flanked with pullout spice rack cabinets, pots and pans stored beneath.
The increasing need for storage stems from consumers' busy lifestyles, according to Paul Radoy,
design services manager for Merillat Industries, a national cabinet manufacturer.
"Added storage features in a kitchen create a more functional space and improve time usage by making
items easier to find," Radoy says. "Even though rollout trays have been around for several years, they still
have a 'wow' factor with consumers." Tilt-out sink trays and slide-out wastebaskets are also popular, he
adds.
Custom and semi-custom cabinetry allows homeowners to create work space that is not only functional,
but reflects the personality and lifestyle of their family.
"When designing your kitchen, go with something you really love. People use catalogs and magazines to
get ideas, but you should come up with a room that reflects your uniqueness. Don't make your choices
based on resale value," Kloos says. "Let the kitchen reflect the style of the home."
To make her kitchen unique, Power incorporated glass cabinet doors, crown molding and under-cabinet
lighting. The variety of available accessories, in addition to cabinet colors, styles and hardware options,
creates a seemingly endless combination of looks to choose from.
Maple is the most popular wood at the moment, a shift from oak, which previously dominated the
industry, according to Kloos. Glaze finishes are also growing in popularity. She says dark finishes were all
the rage, but light cabinets are making a comeback.
"For every trend, there's a counter-trend. Dark has been popular for a long time, but now we're seeing
lighter tones, even shades of white, gaining popularity," Kloos says. Satin nickel and brushed aluminum are
popular hardware choices, she adds.
When choosing hardware, Kloos suggests thinking of it as jewelry for the cabinet. It should blend with
the color of the cabinet, and be appropriate in size and scale to the door.
Here are nine easy tips to create an affordable, custom cabinetry look (Courtesy of Aristokraft
Cabinetry):
- Decorative glass. Break up the monotony of solid wood with glass-front doors. It adds a touch of
translucency and puts beautiful stemware and valuable china in the spotlight. - Ceiling-high cabinets. For a look of floor-to-ceiling grandeur, forgo 30-inch or 36-inch cabinets and
choose ceiling-high cabinets to draw eyes upward, while creating additional storage. - "Invisible" appliances. A growing trend in cabinetry is to hide appliances behind fitted wood panels.
To achieve this look without having to purchase custom appliances, install precut appliance panels
on the refrigerator, dishwasher and other appliance doors. - Custom-look stove hoods. Install a beautiful wooden stove hood to match the kitchen cabinetry and
create a focal point for the room. - Handsome hardware. It's the little details that can give a kitchen a custom feel. Upgrade cabinet
hardware from basic wood or brass knobs to a more intricate bronze, nickel or pewter style. - Accent the positive. Save expensive surfacing like granite for the center island, where durability is
critical, and use more affordable options like laminate on the rest of the kitchen countertops. It's OK
to mix finishes and materials as long as the colors coordinate. - Furniture-like looks. A hot new look in kitchen cabinetry is furniture-like design. Create this look by
embellishing cabinets with tapered legs, a rich finish or decorative split turnings to blend with
furnishings. - Transition beyond the kitchen. Extend the furniture look with pieces that look like custom furniture but
are actually optional built-in upgrades to the home. Modular entertainment centers, hutches, wet bars
and desks extend the look of the kitchen into other areas of the home, such as the family room. - Personalize with paint. Don't be afraid of color. A trendy paint color is an inexpensive way to add
spice and warmth to kitchens or family rooms. Complete the look with coordinating accessories.
| Written by Lori Harlan. All Rights Reserved. Published June 2008 by The Homesteader - York County & Lancaster County, South Carolina, Edition. |
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