WHAT'S HOT IN THE CABINET INDUSTRY

Cabinetry Factory regularly tracks the latest cabinetry trends to ensure we have our finger on the pulse of the industry. White shaker style cabinets seem to be a staple the last few years, but check out what else is hot in cabinets:

Cabinet Color

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home, and people want their heart to have some style. Traditional wood tones for cabinets are out, and mixed materials are in, especially among millennial homebuyers. Sherwin Williams recently released its Kitchen Cabinet color card, here's what the company had to say:

• Paint vs. Stain - painted finishes have overtaken stained cabinets with whites and grays continuing to be the most sought-after
• The island - as the gathering place for entertaining, a kitchen island is a great place for a pop of color
• Two-tone - tuxedo cabinets have grown in popularity in recent years as a way to add visual interest
• Cabinet styles - shaker continues to be the leading cabinet style with hardware trending towards a more European look - straight, clean lines
• Hidden appliances - home buyers want the minimalist look. This means toe kick drawers and floor to ceiling cabinets that conceal appliances

Technology

It's no surprise that home remodeling is on the rise among millennials according to the 2017 Houzz & Home Survey. It only makes sense that kitchen and bath design professionals adapt their business practices to serve their younger audience through technology.

One trend that will continue to grow and make an impact on the cabinet industry is augmented reality. With new apps like those being released by Apple, it is easier than ever for people to see how a specific piece of cabinetry will fit and look in their homes. This type of technology will continue to change the way cabinet companies interact with customers.

According to recent research from Kitchen & Bath Design News and the Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence, technology enables clients to visualize the kitchen and bath projects they're considering and it also enables greater efficiency in business operations, saves time and allows for more effective communication with clients, suppliers and subcontractors.

Survey respondents reported their most-utilized technology tools are smart phones (82.7%), company website (77.1%), laptop computers (68.7%), design software (67.3%) and social media (62.7%).

Other commonly used digital tools include tablets, cloud-based storage, contact/email management software and business/design apps.

According to the survey, technology tools are used most frequently in the following areas:

• Project drawings or designs (71.1%)
• Product ordering (62%)
• Sales or marketing (55.6%)
• Client presentations (50%)

Cabinet hardware

Kitchens today trend toward clean lines and more simple designs, and with fewer wall cabinets and more drawers, the call is increasing for hardware to be more functional. Hardware should minimize noise while making use of every square inch of space. Here are some of the hottest trends in hardware right now according to the Kitchen and Bath Design News:

• Personalization - hardware should offer a stylish appearance but also must provide enough flexibility to allow for customization of storage to work for the specifics of how the space is used
• Flexible and accessible as lift doors and sideway/hideaway systems that promote the "invisible kitchen" look grow in popularity
• Higher capacity slides that offer smooth and seamless operation
• Soft close - this feature is quickly becoming a necessity rather than a luxury
• Champagne finish continues to be in demand for interior hardware, but there is a growing interest in titanium for products like hinges with a dark bronze look that allows it to blend with darker cabinets

​According to Woodworking Network, trends are also leaning towards no-hardware, push cabinets. This fits right in with the tendency towards clean lines and simple designs.