With the unabashed fascination of the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in London Friday, it’s no surprise Americans are also looking overseas for inspiration for their kitchens. Jennifer Foresman, senior manager of trend and design for The Home Depot, travels the world in search of the products and trends that will take hold in the U.S. She shared her insights with several hundreds attendees at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas last week.
What’s Hot From Europe
Exotic wood cabinets with sleek laminate inserts that soften modern designs.
Exotic wood cabinets, like elm and Indian apple, dressed with a natural finish to let the wood’s beauty shine. These woods also offer “an exotic look without an exotic price tag.”
Cabinets made of oak, which Foresman said is “cool” again.
Painted cabinets in gray, taupe, and soft brown. Foresman highlighted lines from Decora and KraftMaid in gray and Martha Stewart in light yellow. But she noted: “White is by far the No. 1 color we see.”
Shaker doors with rounded fronts for an updated look.
Islands or other work spaces created from furniture pieces.
Flush-mounted appliances.
TVs fully integrated into cabinet doors, vent hoods, ice makers, and other appliances. “Everything is being built for the iPod generation,” Foresman said, showing off a Jenn-Air refrigerator with a touch screen.
Wireless connectivity so that homeowners can remotely log into their appliances from anywhere to start the washer or dishwasher, for example, during off-peak-power times.
Induction cooktops that are fully integrated into the countertop or that feature cooking elements that span the entire cooktop.
Vent hoods that are brightly colored or dressed in glass and that feature the latest LED lighting technologies. “They are becoming a show piece in the kitchen,” the Home Depot manager said.
