Condo dwellers can rejoice that most noteworthy trends seen at the Kitchen and Bath Show in Orlando, Fla. — multi-tasking sink systems, narrow-width and smart-enabled appliances, new and interesting finishes, colourful accessories, and attractive storage units — are all available in small space options.
The Chef Center from Swiss kitchen manufacturer Franke , for example, is a sink system that includes removable glass cutting boards, roll-up mats, compost bins, colanders and a sink grid that quickly and effectively doubles working area.
Liebherr ’s 24-inch stainless tower is designed for condominiums, small urban dwellings and galley kitchens. Standout features include LED lighting and a ventilation system the company says extends the shelf life of food as much as three times longer than conventional refrigerators. A small space bonus — it’s also extremely quiet. Bosch’s 24-inch wall oven is one of the many smart appliances now on the market: it’s WiFi connected through an app that allows the user to remotely control the unit and has 11 standard settings to reduce guess work.
Storage for wine, kitchen gear, and accessories continue to draw attention. Designed and manufactured in Canada, Liquid Systems’ wine storage units fit in just about any unused corner of a small kitchen and are available in 12 colours of aluminum held by stainless steel hardware.
Quebec-based Miralis just launched a contemporary glass cabinetry line called Curio that offers highly configurable display space for both curated collections and everyday kitchenware. With cleverly concealed hinges and integrated LED lighting, it’s a sleek and sensible use of space.
Good design is being increasingly applied to historically overlooked accessories. Kohler , for example, will release a line of trash cans with a space-saving slim profile, and which come in matte stainless steel and matte black stainless steel, making them a nice punctuation point to appliances.
Coloured kitchenware is another emerging trend. An easy way to introduce it will be Le Creuset’s individual stoneware cocottes in a floral shape, along with coffee cups and appetizer pates in soft, ombre pastels (coming in April).
DXV’s Modulus collection does for the small-space bath what Franke does for the kitchen counter. The collection of bath fixtures, faucets, furniture (in gorgeous natural oak veneers) and accessories can be endlessly customized to optimize space, with co-ordinating accessory trays that can be stowed in a matching wall-mounted vanity. For a quick bathroom fix, there are any number of easy-to-install, affordable shower heads designed to create a spa-like experience. Delta’s In2ition two-in-one showerhead, for example, delivers great overhead spray and a hand unit, useful for bathing pets and kids and for washing out the shower.
Gold finishes are increasingly being seen in both kitchens and bath. Moen , example, introduced a new brushed gold finish, available in contemporary and traditional designs. Concerned that gold won’t mix with chrome or other finishes? Don’t worry – mixing metals is now not only acceptable, it’s considered downright chic, especially when paired with black or navy!
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