Award-winning designs show what's hot in the kitchen

Posted June 15, 2014 5:45 am

By Margaret Ely, The Washington Post

This contemporary kitchen by Tim Scott of XTC Design won third place in the 2014 NKBA Design Competition's small-kitchen category. National Kitchen and Bath Association

Simple, clean and minimal.

Contemporary kitchen design is in for 2014, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association's latest style report. The association asked 420 designers what they predict homeowners will want in their kitchens this year. The resounding answer was a space with less ornamentation, simple style and neutral colors.

Designers also say useful features that blend in seamlessly with the design (such as pull-out and touch-activated faucets) are more in demand than ever.

Here is a roundup of what to expect this year.

• Style: 62 percent of designers said contemporary will be the fastest-growing kitchen style in 2014.

• Color scheme: Nearly three-quarters of respondents said gray will dominate. Whites and off-whites will remain popular, however, and were the dominant colors designers saw in kitchens last year.

• Cabinets: White was No. 1 in 2013, but many designers believe its reign is over. Expect darker woods to grow in popularity this year. Glass doors will continue to be popular.

• Countertops: 70 percent of designers see quartz growing in popularity, topping granite.

• Backsplashes: Glass, already a widely used backsplash tile, is expected to grow even more popular.

• Flooring: Wood is expected to continue to be the No. 1 flooring material in 2014. Ceramic/porcelain tile came in second.

• Sinks: Stainless steel was No. 1 last year, but expect to see more composite granite. Composite granite uses a mix of granite stone dust and acrylic resins. Speaking of sinks, pull-out faucets continue to be popular, with touch-activated faucets becoming more common.

• Appliances: Designers expect to see more microwave drawers in 2014.

Wood floors will remain No. 1, designers said. Pictured here is the second-place medium-size kitchen, by Lauren Levant Bland of Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen and Bath. National Kitchen and Bath Association

Pull-out faucets will remain popular this year. Pictured here is the second-place winner in the large-kitchen category by Claire Reimann of Jason Good Custom Cabinet. Joshua Lawrence/National Kitchen and Bath Association

This contemporary kitchen won second place in the NKBA Design Competition's small-kitchen category. It was designed by German Brun of Den Architecture. Greg Clark/National Kitchen and Bath Association

Gray color schemes will dominate in 2014 kitchen design. Pictured here is the 2014 NKBA Design Competition winner in the "before-and-after" category. Jozef Jurcisin/National Kitchen and Bath Association

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