Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
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30 | Kitchen & Bath Design News December 2014 Most Asked About Products By Kim Berndtson Generating KITCHEN & BATH DESIGN NEWS READERS DETERMINE THE 20 MOST-ASKED-ABOUT PRODUCTS FOR 2014. S pace planning is a critical compo- nent of any good kitchen or bath design. But once a functional layout is created, it's all about choosing the products that will bring the space to life. Throughout the year, Kitchen & Bath Design News reports about hundreds of the latest and greatest product in- novations ofered by kitchen and bath manufacturers, including cabinetry, coun- tertops, appliances, hardware, accessible design and others. At the end of each year, it celebrates products that generated the greatest buzz, as identifed by tallying reader requests throughout the year. As in past years, countertops were hot in 2014…garnering fve of the top 10 spots, and representing an additional fve places in the top 20. Wood, wood-look laminates and quartz were especially popular. Cabi- net accessories, including supports and storage enhancements, also ranked high. KBDN's Top 20 most-asked-about products of the year are ranked here. For additional information about these and other products, visit our Web site: ForResidentialPros.com. 2 (TIE) SOLID HARDWOOD TOPS CaféCountertops provides solid hardwood tops in oversized lengths, including pieces over 16' available in all woods. Fourteen popular woods are ofered, including: Black Walnut, Iroko, African Teak, European Cherry, Wenge and the exclusive dark Chocolate Beech. Select woods are also available in wide plank and endgrain. "There has been a distinct shift away from highly patterned granites to subtler, more refned and elegant materials such as quartz and solid wood," says Sam Rochat, presi- dent, CaféCountertops. "Solid wood is especially desirable because of the warm cheerfulness it adds to what otherwise might be a cold and stark room of white and grey tones. Designers appreciate this, and also the way that color varies slightly from board to board, creating a blend of colors that can bring together fooring, cabinets and other surfaces without being 'matchy.'" Another reason for its popularity is the devel- opment of new oil- and wax-based fnishes. "They ofer the three-part advantage of being moisture resistant and suitable for sink areas, as well as being food-prep safe and also easy to repair so scratches can be easily removed," explains Rochat. "Wood countertops needn't look like soiled old cutting boards!" Circle No. 201 on Product Card IRON CORBELS U r b a n I r o n c r a f t o f f e r s 17"Dx21"Hx2"W iron corbels/brack- ets in select designs. The new size can provide needed support for large counter- top applications. "Iron corbels have become really popular over the last few years," says Justin Hodges, president/designer, Urban Ironcraft. "Not only do they complement wood cabinetry wonderful- ly, they're very easy to install and they're strong when true support is needed. You'll fnd these corbels being used as countertop supports, underneath range hoods, supporting vanity tops, underneath mantles and used as shelf brackets." Urban Ironcraft currently ofers a total of 12 designs, and the iron corbels come in six fnishes and a wide selection of sizes to accommodate varying needs. The brackets are all made in the U.S. and can be customized. Shown above is the Linley bracket in an Old World fnish. Circle No. 200 on Product Card 1 2 (TIE) THIN GLASS LAMINATES Architectural Glass Efects (AGE) has added Thin Glass Lami- nates to its selection of glass products for the home. The new Thin Glass Laminates feature materials captured in glass – rice paper, burlap, cloth and more – to be used as cabinet inserts, backsplashes and table tops. The company notes that any fat material can be customized in the laminate, including comic books, playing cards, leaves and wallpaper. "We took an old process and made it new again by giving customers limitless options," says Cassie Mahadeo, v.p., sales, Architectural Glass Efects. "We can combine colors and tex- tures with diferent thicknesses. Our laminate can be made as thin as 3/16" thick, which makes it a great option for cabinet glass. Being able to make it even thicker makes it a great option for backsplashes. It is a bonus that the glass is safety rated." Circle No. 202 on Product Card