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handles, particularly cove reveal
handles, even on flush cabinetry.
"People are getting more practical,"
she says.
Marie Schwartz, co-owner of an
Eastern design firm, likes the
"homey" look of glass upper cabi-
netry. "It's part of that family feeling,"
she says. And a recessed full-height
cabinet above the sink is "the perfect
spot for glasses," she notes.
Ms. Schwartz points out that while
everyone wants European-style cabi-
nets, none of the actual European
cabinets are custom. "They are all
stock puzzle pieces," she says. On the
other hand, American cabinetry can
be customized with European style,
and quality can be excellent.
Nancy Deptolla, manager of public
relations for
Previous page:
Kohler Co., in
A country
Wisconsin, says,
kitchen
"In remodeling,
emphasizes
people tend to
wood and brick,
put in better
including ceiling
quality items.
beams from
They take more
which drying
of a hand in
flowers hang.
planning, really
Below: The
thinking about
mood is Art
Deco in a
their lifestyle
kitchen with
and what works
many angles.
for them. And

quality is very important."
People are choosing materials that
will provide the greatest convenience.
According to Drew Dutton, residen-
tial marketing manager for DuPont
Corian, "Corian is being used all over
the country at a growing rate because
of its unique performance properties
of both durability and design versa-
tilities."
Corian is a man-made solid surface
material which combines 60 percent
natural minerals with high-perform-
ance acrylics. Formerly, it came in on-
ly a few colors, but has now ex-
panded to some 15 colors. It does not
come cheap, though. While not as ex-
pensive to use on a kitchen counter-
top as granite, it costs far more than
laminates. For example, a $2,000 Cor-
ian island countertop costs about
$400 in a laminate. Of course, the
look is definitely not the same.
Countertops, along with appliances
and faucets, are where people are ad-
ding color to the kitchen. Corian has
just introduced a new white, called
Glacier White, but many people are
breaking up the white horizon with
splashes of color, note many
designers, who are adding granite-
topped islands in Blue Bahia (royal
blue speckled with white), Jacaranda
(swirling from peach to mint), Paradise
(violet with hints
of cream and
black) and Blue
"They
Pearl.
come off gor-
geous in white
kitchens," en-
thuses one de-
signer. Other
people love the
drama of Andes
or Absolute
Black, or of Sar-
dinian White
(black
and
peach speckles
on a white
background).
Appliance
manufacturers
have responded
to the popular-

ity of white by introducing white-
fronted appliances. For the high-end
cook, General Electric (GE) has
developed a white-on-white line of
built-in appliances called Monogram.
Hotpoint has created a line of white
appliances with sleek contemporary
graphics. The refrigerators, freezers,
ovens, microwaves, and induction,
gas, electric and solid disc cooktops
are white, with white control panels,
handles and trim — a very
sophisticated look. Many people
carry through the look of their cab-
inets with panels on the front of built-
in refrigerators such as Subzero and
Thermador.
The trend in high-end projects is to
very elaborate, restaurant-quality ap-
pliances — everything from stoves
and refrigerators to dishwashers and
garbage disposals. To display what
this portion of the public wants, one
company plans on installing a $9,000
gas range in one of its showrooms.
Faucets and sink accessories can
complete the monochromatic look or
add a splash of color. For example,
Kohler Co. has cutting boards and
coated wire-rim baskets in a variety
of colors that are contoured to fit in-
to the sink basin. In addition,
sprayers, faucets and dispensers (for
hot water, lotion and soap) are
available in colors and different
finishes.
Faucets come in contemporary and
traditional styling. "Although con-
temporary styling is more popular on
the coasts," says Ms. Deptolla, of
Kohler, "there is a strong interest in
traditionally-styled faucets for remod-
eling and restoration." Popular now
are traditional faucets with six-prong
`candles, white porcelain handles and
goose-neck spouts. Popular among
contemporary faucets are those fea-
turing brightly colored enamels and
finishes.
Colored sinks are also growing in
popularity. Of the bold colors Kohler
makes in sinks, black is the most pop-
ular, often for black-and-white
kitchens.
People with Corian countertops
Continued on Page 28

