Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
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From exotic woods, eco-friendly glass tile and calming quartz designs to bright colors and textures that focus on authenticity, today's countertop and backsplash designs are all about ofering a personal touch. BY JANICE COSTA The Personal Touch hen it comes to what's trending in countertop and backsplash designs, it's all about the personal touch. Designing for the next owner is out – rather, today's consumers want to make a personal statement about who they are and what they love, whether with color, texture, material choices or eco sensibilities. Clean looks remain hot, with shades of white and grey in high demand, but color and even some metallic hints are also seeing increased interest. And, while countertops and backsplashes often act as visual focal points for the space, that doesn't mean that it's all about aesthetics. In today's hard-working homes, beauty needs to run more than just surface deep, as today's consumers want multipurpose surfaces that are not only beautiful, but also durable and easy to clean. This month, KBDN looks at a selection of countertop and backsplash designs that showcase some of the hottest design trends right now. GOING EXOTIC While Lea McDonough of the Hampton, VA-based Classic Cabinets of Virginia sees a variety of countertop products trending right now, sometimes a really special project requires a collection of unique materials. In the case of this exotic mixed wood island top, a simple chopping board became a jumping-of point for what would become a one-of-a-kind design. McDonough explains, "My cus- tomer has several homes – from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic (my area), and over to Texas. She has a lot of experience renovating properties and working on new construction projects herself. She and I both share an eclectic style and love for all diferent types of materials. We were chatting in my showroom where I had a sampling of wood counter tops…we were both admiring all the diferent colors and how we could see them 'all' in her kitchen." Part of being a successful designer means being able to see something that doesn't yet exist, and convey that vision to W A custom wood island top created by The Southside Woodshop and blending diferent exotic woods adds wow power to this kitchen, designed by Lea McDonough. Photo: Michael Dragon, Dragon Studio 46 Kitchen & Bath Design News • March 2016 COUNTERTOP SHOWCASE