Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
Issue link: http://kitchenbathdesign.epubxp.com/i/660670
LORI CARROLL, NCIDQ, ASID, IIDA LORI CARROLL & ASSOCIATES • TUCSON, AZ TOP DESIGN TRENDS Textural elements — "Because of the environment around us, my clients like textural elements, especially in backsplashes and cabinetry. I do a lot of custom cabinetry and sometimes I'll incorporate sandblasted or textured cabinetry. People here love it! It's very tactile and really makes a statement." Glass — "Another element I use a lot is glass. It adds such a fresh style. My clients will ask to include it in upper cabinet doors, as countertops, etc. I also sometimes use textures and patterns to give it interest." Copper — "We've seen brushed nickel, chrome and stainless for a while, but now copper is making a comeback. It creates a vivid touch of sophistication in plumbing and lighting fxtures as well as hardware." REGIONALLY DEFINING TREND Outdoor entertaining — "We have such beautiful weather in Arizona most of the time. Even if it's cool, having the ability to barbecue in the winter is a special element you fnd here." DESIGN INFLUENCES Environment — "The grandeur of the high Sonoran Desert drives much of our design…the giant saguaro cactus, lush vegetation and massive granite outcroppings all create such a mystique in the desert with natural tones and textures. Designs here incorporate native materials and rustic nuanc- es…shapes, colors and textures…they all create a fuidity and visual uniformity with indoor/outdoor elements. Simple, natural forms with sharp, clean lines and a sleek sophisticated style are perfect for the desert lifestyle." DESIGN INFLUENCES Young demographics — "This is a 'younger' city that is grow- ing so fast. People are moving in from everywhere. The Front Range, especially, has a lot of tech industry as well as young people moving in. As a result, we're seeing a lot of lofts and a downtown, urban feel." GARY WHITE, CMKBD, CID KITCHEN & BATH DESIGN • NEWPORT BEACH, CA TOP DESIGN TRENDS Dark cabinetry — "We have had an overnight switch to dark cabinets…very dark. It doesn't seem to matter about type of wood; they can be painted or glazed as long as they are dark." Male infuence — "We're seeing a male infuence in the kitch- en, where men are making more purchase decisions, espe- cially for appliances such as ranges, which are also now being designed with men in mind." Greater focus on lighting — "I have noticed more attention being paid to lighting, and since I like lighting to look natural, most of my designs feature at least a half a dozen diferent light sources. LED isn't the answer to everything, so I like to include halogen and fuorescent lights as well, which can be bright and dimmable. "I'm also seeing more decorative fxtures over islands. I also like to 'hide' lights, so I build them into softs, cabinets, skylights and cofers. My dimmable fuorescent systems sit on top of open cabinets and they give enough light to illuminate an entire room." REGIONALLY DEFINING TREND More modern design styles — "My clients are switching to more modern styles, which is very regional. Orange County is an island between Los Angeles and San Diego, which both have very strong contemporary bases, as does San Francisco. But we have been very, very traditional until recently." DESIGN INFLUENCES Resale values — "Ever since the recession, which was actually a depression here, p eople haven't been spending money like they did before, even though Orange County is a very wealthy county." This powder room showcases several trends Lori Carroll identifes for her region. Copper is represented in the light fxtures as well as in the wall of padded vinyl in a variety of depths and colors, while textured glass is featured in the doors at the room's entrance. Lori Carroll's clients often ask her to design spaces for outdoor entertaining that take advantage of Arizona's warm cli- mate and beautiful scenery, as seen in this outdoor space she designed in conjunction with architect Marc Soloway, builder Brad Wachs of Wachs Construc- tion, landscape architect Paul Serra and pool builder Cimarron Pools. Photo: William Lesch, Lesch Photography Photo: William Lesch, Lesch Photography April 2016 • KitchenBathDesign.com 39 REGIONAL DESIGN TRENDS