Top Trends from the 2018 KBIS and IBS Shows

At Metropolitan we strongly agree with the kitchen and bathroom trends seen at the 2018 KBIS & IBS shows. Staying current and ahead of the changes in the industry is essential to our success, and we proudly already feature and incorporate all of the trends listed below!

1. Frameless Takes the Lead

For the first time, frameless construction took the top spot, with 47% of all the kitchens on display using frameless construction.

2. Less and Less Natural Wood

Paint, laminates, and wood-like textured laminates have all pushed wood aside. Wood cabinets with clear or stain finishes use to dominate these displays, but no more. Less than a third of cabinets on display used natural or stained wood for the doors and drawer fronts.

• Of the wood that was on display, maple continues to dominate as the leading species, seen in about 21% of the cabinet

3. Paint is Popular

Painted finishes have simply taken over. About 40% of all of the cabinets on display used painted finishes.

• Sherwin-Williams, said, “Three years ago, 70 percent of cabinets were stained. Now 70 percent are painted.”
• White is still strong in kitchens, accounting for 17%, but shades of gray were almost as popular at 16%, and shades of blue led a growing field of other colors that are making their way into the kitchen.

4. Laminates on the Rise

Led largely by the new sophisticated textured laminates that artfully mimic real wood, laminates are making a comeback. More than 40% of the kitchens on display featured some kind of laminate. Textured laminates accounted for about half of all the laminates shown.

5. Drawer Construction

65% of the kitchens on display featured solid wood drawers.

• One completely dominating trend is the soft-close drawer slide, at more than 92%. Soft close has clearly become an industry standard.

6. Molding

Crown molding remains the most popular molding choice.

7. Accessories

Interior utility hardware options, such as mixer lifts, pantry systems, corner cabinet access systems, recycling and waste centers, and pet feeding drawers were seen more frequently than ever before