flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

16 kitchen and bath design trends for 2014

16 kitchen and bath design trends for 2014

Work on multifamily housing projects? Here are the top kitchen and bath design trends, according to a survey of more than 420 kitchen and bath designers. 


By NKBA | March 27, 2014

When it comes to kitchen and bath design trends for both single-family and multifamily residences, contemporary is in, with clean, minimal lines and little ornamentation.

Universal design amenities and easy-maintenance features are also trending, according to a recent survey of more than 420 kitchen and bath design professionals by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA).

This year, consumers want kitchens that have “simple lines and not as much frou-frou, and are more about good storage and space planning,” summed up one NKBA designer.

Consumers want bathrooms to be “spaces to retreat and relax,” commented one member, “with luxurious details whenever possible.” Another sees “a general move toward simplicity in style, minimal color, but maximizing the features and storage.”

They are also demanding more universal design features. Fifty-seven percent of NKBA designers specified accessible or universal design features in bathrooms in 2013, and 56% incorporated them into kitchens. A majority of respondents anticipate adding more of these features, such as shower benches, comfort-height toilets, and vanities in baths; and microwave drawers and touch-activated or touch-less kitchen faucets in 2014.

The demand for easy maintenance spaces and products is also growing.

 
 

Bathroom design trends
 

1. Beige, bone and gray are hot and getting hotter

Beige and bone color schemes, with white fixtures and polished chrome faucets were popular designs in 2013. Gray, the third most popular color scheme in 2013, will be by far the fastest growing in 2014, according to 58% of designer respondents.
 
Photo Credit:David Bagosy Photography 
 
 
 
 

2. Universal design is becoming more universal

Fifty-seven percent of NKBA respondents specified bathrooms they described as universal design/accessible in 2013. And 60% anticipate doing more in 2014.
 
Photo: Bob Greenspan
 
 
 

3. Soaking tubs are in the spotlight

Fully 64% of NKBA designers specified a soaking tub in a master bath, with 42% expecting that trend to accelerate in 2014.
Preferences lean towards free-standing non-jetted tubs. 
 
Photo credit: Troy Thies
 
 
 

4. Shower seating is here to stay

About a third of designers included lighting in showers; and 70% included benches or seats. Both are expected to increase in 2014.
 
Photo credit: Bernard André Photography
 
 
 

5. Radiant floors may be heating up

Electric radiant floor heating was specified by 55% of respondents and half see it increasing in 2014.
 
Photo credit: Dave Adams Photography
 
 
 

6. Steam showers are gaining steam

Twice as many respondents specified steam showers as whirlpools for master baths in 2013.  Forty-four percent of respondents see the demand for steam showers increasing in 2014.
 
Photo credit: Troy Thies
 
 
 

7. No holding back on no-threshold showers

Approximately half of NKBA respondents specified no-threshold showers, and seven out of 10 expect to do more in 2014.
 
Photo credit:  Jason Karman
 
 
 

8. Comfort is key when it comes to toilets and vanities

Eighty-four percent specified comfort height toilets and 81% comfort height vanities in 2013. Almost two-thirds see them increasing in 2014.
 
Photo credit: PreviewFirst.com
 
 

 

 

 

 

Kitchen Design Trends


9. Granite is on top, but quartz is catching up

Some 70% of respondents see quartz countertops increasing in 2014. At the end of 2013, granite and quartz were almost tied for the top spot in countertop materials, at 91% and 90% respectively.

 
Photo credit: Arnal Photography - Larry Arnal
 
 
 

10. Stainless is timeless

Stainless steel is the most popular sink material with porcelain enamel a distant second. Granite composite, now number three, is expect to grow in 2014.
 
Photo credit: Peter Leach 
 
 
 

11. Pullout faucets still pulling ahead

Pullout faucets will continue to dominate the market in 2014 while touch-activated faucets are expected to grow at the expense of standard faucets. Almost 40% of designers specified water-saving faucets in 2013, and 47% see the market expanding in 2014.
 
Photo credit: Joshua Lawrence
 
 
 

12. Microwave drawers beating out warming drawers

Microwave drawers, convection ovens, and gas cooktops are all poised for growth in 2014, while freestanding microwaves, electric cooktops and warming drawers are predicted to decline.
 
Photo credit: Joshua Lawrence
 
 
 

13. Gray and white are hand-in-hand

Gray will be the fastest growing color scheme in 2014, according to 71% of respondents. It ended 2013 neck-and-neck with whites and off-whites, which are still the most popular overall color scheme.
 
Photo credit: Brandon Barré 
 
 
 

14. LEDs outshine incandescents

Whopping increases are expected for LEDs in all types of kitchen lighting this year while incandescents will sharply decline. LEDs already lead the way in general, task and accent lighting. Incandescents are the second most common general kitchen lighting. 
 
Photo credit: Greg Clark
 
 
 

15. Cherry tops the wood types in cabinets

Currently cherry claims the top spot for wood cabinets, maple lands in second place, and alder comes in third. But watch for walnut to grow in 2014. On the way out: oak, hickory, and pine.
 
Photo credit: Peter Rymwid Architectural Photography 
 
 
 

16. Flooring stays steady with wood, ceramic/porcelain 

Wood and ceramic/porcelain tile are expected to continue as the two most popular flooring materials.
 
Photo credit: Bob Narod, Photographer, LLC 

 

Related Stories

| Jan 4, 2011

Product of the Week: Zinc cladding helps border crossing blend in with surroundings

Zinc panels provide natural-looking, durable cladding for an administrative building and toll canopies at the newly expanded Queenstown Plaza U.S.-Canada border crossing at the Niagara Gorge. Toronto’s Moriyama & Teshima Architects chose the zinc alloy panels for their ability to blend with the structures’ scenic surroundings, as well as for their low maintenance and sustainable qualities. The structures incorporate 14,000 sf of Rheinzink’s branded Angled Standing Seam and Reveal Panels in graphite gray.

| Jan 4, 2011

6 green building trends to watch in 2011

According to a report by New York-based JWT Intelligence, there are six key green building trends to watch in 2011, including: 3D printing, biomimicry, and more transparent and accurate green claims.

| Jan 4, 2011

LEED standards under fire in NYC

This year, for the first time, owners of 25,000 commercial properties in New York must report their buildings’ energy use to the city. However, LEED doesn’t measure energy use and costs, something a growing number of engineers, architects, and landlords insist must be done. Their concerns and a general blossoming of environmental awareness have spawned a host of rating systems that could test LEED’s dominance.  

| Jan 4, 2011

LEED 2012: 10 changes you should know about

The USGBC is beginning its review and planning for the next version of LEED—LEED 2012. The draft version of LEED 2012 is currently in the first of at least two public comment periods, and it’s important to take a look at proposed changes to see the direction USGBC is taking, the plans they have for LEED, and—most importantly—how they affect you.

| Jan 4, 2011

California buildings: now even more efficient

New buildings in California must now be more sustainable under the state’s Green Building Standards Code, which took effect with the new year. CALGreen, the first statewide green building code in the country, requires new buildings to be more energy efficient, use less water, and emit fewer pollutants, among many other requirements. And they have the potential to affect LEED ratings.

| Jan 4, 2011

New Years resolutions for architects, urban planners, and real estate developers

Roger K. Lewis, an architect and a professor emeritus of architecture at the University of Maryland, writes in the Washington Post about New Years resolutions he proposes for anyone involved in influencing buildings and cities. Among his proposals: recycle and reuse aging or obsolete buildings instead of demolishing them; amend or eliminate out-of-date, obstructive, and overly complex zoning ordinances; and make all city and suburban streets safe for cyclists and pedestrians.

| Jan 4, 2011

An official bargain, White House loses $79 million in property value

One of the most famous office buildings in the world—and the official the residence of the President of the United States—is now worth only $251.6 million. At the top of the housing boom, the 132-room complex was valued at $331.5 million (still sounds like a bargain), according to Zillow, the online real estate marketplace. That reflects a decline in property value of about 24%.

| Jan 4, 2011

Luxury hotel planned for Palace of Versailles

Want to spend the night at the Palace of Versailles? The Hotel du Grand Controle, a 1680s mansion built on palace grounds for the king's treasurer and vacant since the French Revolution, will soon be turned into a luxury hotel. Versailles is partnering with Belgian hotel company Ivy International to restore the dilapidated estate into a 23-room luxury hotel. Guests can live like a king or queen for a while—and keep their heads.

| Jan 4, 2011

Grubb & Ellis predicts commercial real estate recovery

Grubb & Ellis Company, a leading real estate services and investment firm, released its 2011 Real Estate Forecast, which foresees the start of a slow recovery in the leasing market for all property types in the coming year.

| Jan 4, 2011

Furniture Sustainability Standard - Approved by ANSI and Released for Distribution

BIFMA International recently announced formal American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approval and release of the ANSI/BIFMA e3-2010 Furniture Sustainability Standard. The e3 standard represents a structured methodology to evaluate the "sustainable" attributes of furniture products and constitutes the technical criteria of the level product certification program.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021