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April 2015 | ForResidentialPros.com | 33 Such a comment is a good place to start, because it reminds us to thor - oughly gather information in our early meetings with clients, so the vision they have in their mind results in real- world environments they will enjoy living in. Use your portfolio, Web sites of respected manufacturers or the photo collection the consumer brings to you so that the images defne the style terms they use. Next, let's recognize an evolving "bridge" between Contemporary and Traditional styling that I've seen here in North America and Europe. In a recent Houzz report on design trends for 2015, the interesting term, "Modern Traditional," was used. The concept makes sense: Clients want neither the streamlined, minimalistic look oftentimes called "Euro Styling," nor highly detailed Traditional rooms. While we all have been honing our de- sign expertise in creating Transitional rooms (a more tailored Traditional room), the concept of Modern Tradi- tional is intriguing. As designer Alexandria Knight of Korts & Knight suggests: "As a designer, I don't want to be limited. I try to incorporate textures, curves and bas-relief doors into our designs. I also try to introduce an eclectic mix of materials, like metal and glass, as well as more interesting structural elements. By paying close attention to these principles, I am able to create more fully developed kitchen plans – no more boring kitchens." In an October, 2014 Traditional Home article, Mick de Giulio of de Giulio Kitchen Design echoed the designer's comments when he said: "Minimalism is going away – people want simple, but not stif and architec- tural. The kitchen is just as functional as before, but people want kitchens that speak to them emotionally. Thir- ty years ago, people were looking at catalog brands of cabinetry to defne their kitchen, today they're open to doing a kitchen that's very unique – and just refecting the client's unique personality." This new definition of Modern Traditional is seen in rustic Contem- porary-themed rooms that feature a clean, simple cabinet layout, but may also feature a very distressed wood fnish on the exterior surfaces – spaces that mix old objects with new materials or feature accents from the industrial world. COLOR TRENDS When it comes to design trends that will impact our work, there are sev- eral forecast trends worth looking at. First, it's always interesting to see what's new from the color world. This past January, with the help of my intern, Mary Slusser from the Philadelphia Art Institute, I re- searched the color world, studying color palettes and predictions from 10 companies and four color asso- ciations. While we've all read that Pantone suggested the new "Color of the Year" was Marsala, let me go beyond this one revelation! An interesting color introduction that I saw in the 2014 San Francisco Showhouse, created by Sarah Reep's team at KraftMaid, was cabinetry in the new tone of "beautiful black." Black was introduced in several of the international exhibitions in January, 2015 as well. Black makes a strong, sleek statement. It's pretty dramatic, but not to be overlooked for the cli- ent who is looking for that something very special. Returning to the world of color ex- perts, after looking at all the palettes available from all of the companies, I found the following common color palettes across all paint brands and color organizations. In an exhibit at the Cologne LivingKitchen Fair, both smooth and rusticated fnishes are combined. Wood is mixed with a gray solid material on the back wall. The island echoes the wood, then introduces a lighter textured surface on the cabinetry. An interesting display! A Contemporary kitchen has an Old World, rustic feel because of the rough- sawn look of the wood cabinetry. In an elegant Transitional bath- room, an old repurposed entry door adds depth and texture to the room. Photo: Courtesy LivingKitchen Exhibition, Cologne Germany Press Office, 2015 Photo: Courtesy LivingKitchen Exhibition, Cologne Germany Press Office, 2015 Photo: Courtesy Real Sliding Hardware, www.realslidinghardware.com, and Start at the Curb