Publication Date:
Thu, 2013-02-14 15:48
Article Image:
Photo courtesy of Timeline Renovations, Maspeth, N.Y.
Each year, the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) surveys its members to identify the latest design and specification trends in kitchen and bath design. This year, more than 300 NKBA member-designers participated in the 2013 NKBA Design Trends Survey [1], reporting the materials, product types, and styles that they specified in their kitchen and bath designs over the final three months of 2012.
While broad trends won’t be evident in every local market, the following are the top overall trends that emerged for bathrooms across the United States and Canada. Note the first three can apply to kitchens as well.
Shades of gray
Shades of gray in bathroom remodels have risen from 12 percent to 56 percent since 2010, according to NKBA [1]. Whites and off-whites remain the top color schemes of bathrooms, used in 71 percent, respectively, an increase of 6 percentage points over the past year. Beiges and bones remain the second most popular color scheme, followed by grays and then browns. Browns are slightly in decline, falling from 39 percent in 2012 to 35 percent this year, but sepia tones rose from 11 percent to 18 percent.
Quartz
Quartz was the second most popular counter-surface material used in baths last year. This year, it has significantly narrowed the gap with granite, increasing from 53 percent to 65 percent, according to NKBA [1]. Meanwhile, granite held steady in 2013, with 71 percent usage. Marble still remains a popular bathroom vanity-top material, only moderately dipping in popularity from 46 percent in 2010 to 39 percent this year.
Photo courtesy of NKBA [2].
Transitional styles
In 2012, the popularity of transitional style — a seamless blend of traditional and contemporary — exceeded that of its traditional counterpart, which had been the clear topper in 2010 and 2011. In the latest survey, transitional styles in the bathroom are still positioned No. 1, currently used by 61 percent of NKBA-member designers, according to NKBA [1].
Photo courtesy of NKBA [2].
Ceramic/porcelain tiles
Ceramic or porcelain tile flooring has been in slight decline over the past two years; but it remains the most popular of all materials, specified by 83 percent of the survey participants this year — down from 93 percent in 2011, according to NKBA [1]. Natural stone tiles have also declined since 2011, dropping from 77 percent to 59 percent in 2012, and to 57 percent this year. However, they have been the second most popular type of flooring used since 2011.
Undermount sink
Undermounts are in slight decline this year, dropping from 94 percent in 2012 to 87 percent, according to NKBA [1]. But here again, they remain the most specified type of lavoratory sink — not just in the latest poll, but over the past three years. Integrated sink/tops have seen modest growth, increasing from 35 percent in 2012 to 41 percent currently.
