Kitchen & Bath Design News

JUN 2015

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44 | Kitchen & Bath Design News | June 2015 Transitional Kitchen Design too," she adds. And, which way it leans depends upon the undertone and the color. "If it's cooler, it's more contem- porary; warmer is more traditional," she notes. Eversoll considers mixing f lat panel doors with Shaker or simple doors within the same kitchen, and using cleaner fnishes such as painted whites and creams or cleaner linear grained woods for her current take on transitional. "The Shaker door, I think, defnes transitional, because it can go either way and be played up either way, whether more contemporary or not," ofers Bowen. Bowen also thinks that the two- tone kitchen is becoming a popular transitional design trend. "They're continuing to refne this and hone it," she notes. "It's an anything goes era, and that's across the generations." "In a transitional kitchen design, we'll often mix a slab door with some kind of a veneer if we're going to add in wood – such as do a wood ve- neer on a slab, mixed with perhaps a white painted," comments Ott. But, she notes, it's not always white, and her frm has actually done some solid black kitchens. "The center panel is always fat; we never do the raised in a transi- tional, because with a raised it kind of loses its 'transitionalness' to me – it transitions toward traditional," Ott claims. She doesn't use any glazing or distressing for a transitional design, except for the rare brushed glaze in a really light color. Topping cabinets, quartz is the leading material for countertops for this look. "It fts with the transitional theory, I guess, that includes less fuss, less maintenance, cleaner and sleeker," Bowen notes. "Proportion is a big part of tran- sitional design," stresses Eversoll. "Pulling in an organic wood coun- tertop or table adjacent to a clean quartz material brings the modern and soft together." Coordinating with the counter- tops, backsplashes are much cleaner and more subtle than in the earlier incarnations of this style. "Subway tile is quintessentially transitional – 3"x6" subway format – one color, maybe two, in a simple pat- tern, maybe herringbone," says Bowen. Larger format tiles such as glass and marble are a go-to for Eversoll's backsplashes. Mosaics also make the cut, but are more subdued in color for a less busy look. "Again, think clean lines, less fussy. Think blocks of colors – maybe a soft neutral countertop with a more interesting backsplash," she notes. "We still see glass tile for back- splashes, but while back then it was more common to see 1"x1" mosaic, today it's more likely to be very large format tiles with minimal grout lines," reports Ott. Colors are also more monotone throughout the backsplash, she observes. "And, if we're going to do a natural stone, it's usually polished or honed – never tumbled, which was something we still saw back then," adds Ott. "Backsplashes can be honed stone in rectangular or geometric shapes, and sometimes a contrasting grout color can be applied for a linear look in a backsplash," ofers Shababy. Sleek and simple is also the order for appliances. Stainless still reigns for appliances that aren't paneled, al- though more modern white and black glass pieces are gaining interest. "People also want LCD screens, which ofer a very clean look. There are no buttons and knobs to clean around," ofers Ott. The handles are more streamlined, as well. Stainless, nickel and polished chrome are the go-to choices for fau- cets and hardware. Today's version of transitional of- fers a simpler, cleaner design than its predecessor. "This style seems to at- tract experienced homeowners who are transitioning toward a simpler way of living, or homeowners who still respect and enjoy the familiar traditional looks in furnishings but desire a fresh take on kitchen de- sign with less clutter, clean lines and modern innovative appliances," notes Shababy. Dark cabinetry with simple lines, combined with modern-styled fxtures, larger appliances and light, neutral tones in the countertop and backsplash, showcase the transitional design for this kitchen renovation from Studio 76 Kitchens & Baths in Twinsburg, OH. Pop art adds color and personality, while a sleek large island fts the needs of the busy family's lifestyle. Mixing fat-panel doors with Shaker or simpler styles works in transitional kitchens for Brooke Eversoll, CKD, CBD of Bee Studios Design Build Group in St. Petersburg, FL. This kitchen also includes other popular elements, including white and dark cabinets, sleek appliances and hardware, and a neutral mosaic tile backsplash. Photo: Studio 76 Kitchens & Baths Photo: Bee Studios Design Build Group

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