5 bathroom design trends for 2012

3. Solid surfaces

A year ago, the use of solid surfaces was a key trend in the kitchen; this year, it’s an even stronger trend, and one that impacts both the kitchen and the bathroom. In the NKBA’s 2011 Design Trends Survey, the use of solid surfaces in the kitchen jumped from 11 percent to 26 percent from the year earlier. This year, that number has increased again, as solid surfaces have been specified recently by 30 percent of designers for use in kitchens. At the same time, while granite and quartz continue to be the clear  No. 1 and No. 2 choices, their popularity has waned just slightly, with granite falling from 91 percent to 87 percent and quartz declining just a bit from 71 percent to 69 percent.

The same pattern holds true in newly remodeled bathrooms, as solid surfaces have over the past year risen from 26 percent to 34 percent, as granite has fallen from 84 percent to 71 percent. Quartz’s popularity has dipped over that time from 56 percent to 53 percent. Marble is currently the third most popular vanity top material at 41 percent, up 3 percent from a year ago. Also notable is the use of glass vanity tops, which has more than doubled over the past two years, from 5 percent heading into 2010 to 11 percent today, according to NKBA.

Source: NKBA         Photo: Cosentino/courtesy of NKBA