Same Difference

While it may be true that an outdoor kitchen might not be as smart in Anchorage as it would be in Amarillo, designers nevertheless are reporting much the same overall trends emerging from coast-to-coast: contemporary and transitional styles are hot and getting hotter. While the economy has shown everyone a noticeable dip in business, green products and the need for expanded product offerings are the order of the day no matter where you are designing.

“In the past, the Midwest was much more conservative and had a strong Prairie School Design aesthetic,” reports Ellen Cheever, CMKBD, ASID, CAPS, principal of Wilmington, DE-based Ellen Cheever & Associates. “The South was very formal, traditional. Only the coasts boasted much contemporary design.”

Cheever says that there has been a marked shift toward a range of contemporary and transitional styles over the past decade. “I’m seeing it throughout the U.S. now.”

“We are seeing a lot of contemporary ‘Island’ design,” says Tiare Noelani Cowan, CKD, v.p. of Honolulu, HI-based Archipelago Hawaii. “Our clients seek a sense of place with being Tommy Bahama-kitschy.” She sees her clients becoming more daring in their color and material selections.

“We serve high- and medium-end projects in the Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and Phoenix areas,” says Dana Finch Hayes, president of Scottsdale, AZ-based Kitchens Southwest. “While in some areas traditional inset, white painted cabinetry remains strong, we’re seeing a strong move for contemporary looks and green materials.”

Rebecca Reynolds, managing partner of New Canaan Kitchens of New Canaan, CT sees her market as affected by the existing style of homes in the area. “We are a bedroom community of New York City. The design styles we are producing, typically, are traditional or transitional, because most of the homes in the area are built that way. People here are sometimes too afraid to be bold or unique, or to experiment with new ideas, especially color.”

“Design trends here are getting more sleek and modern,” says Jill Y. Dybdahl, owner of Dybdahl’s Class Kitchens in Middleton, WI, a suburb of Madison. Her thoughts seem to buck the old notion of midwestern traditional design, thanks to the not-so-subtle hand of globalization. “Our market has expanded and drawn new resident transplants from all over the world. With them, they are bringing more transitional and contemporary tastes.”

All Over the Map

Versatility has been the key to success for many of these firms, though, and being able to serve the range of styles a market demands is paramount, designers agree.

Cheever notes that even though contemporary is on the rise, it is a unique blend of European contemporary – with a touch of red, white and blue.

“Contemporary is much ‘warmer’ here in the States than it is in Europe – woods used more than colored synthetic surfaces as cabinet finish materials, for example. Stones and tiles are more often added in, and there is certainly more contrast in color than the monochromatic western European look,” she reports.

Cheever sees contemporary styles appealing more to younger consumers because the look is perceived as easier to live with and maintain.

Dybdahl agrees, “Gen-Xers are looking for simple, clean lines, in part to break away from the traditional style that they grew up with.” Because of their exposure to design, culture and art from around the world in the Age of Information, this generation brings “knowledge and sensitivity to eco-friendly products.

“Ironically, the once-traditional baby boomers are aging and desiring designs with easier maintenance and cleaner lines as well. The signs here point toward the growth of contemporary,” she adds.

“Clients here are getting more daring as far as color is concerned,” says Cowan. “I think HGTV has helped with that.”