Hold Everything: Cabinet and Counter-top Trends

The sophisticated kitchen is full of sensory pleasures: fresh fruit and flowers, grand windows, and an introduction of fine art and antiques. As the space becomes more personalized, standard cabinets look pretty sterile. This season's new designs for cabinetry make storage space as aesthetic as it is necessary.

The strongest kitchen trend is cabinetry that looks more like furniture. Hutches are quickly replacing cabinets, but built-ins are also being styled to resemble fine furniture. Carved mouldings take their place above refrigerators and hoods - large and more detailed in rustic kitchens, narrower and more simple in modern styles. Furniture feet are common on storage cabinets, too. Hand-carved doors don't just cover cabinet shelves, custom cabinet doors are applied to dishwashers to fully integrate the appliances. Glazed finishes on natural or stained wood speak to the popular Old World style, and are completed with elaborate iron hardware, often with (intentional) rust finishes.

For more modern kitchens, the stark all-white kitchen is finally on the out list. Very light woods - maple and birch - and very dark woods still look modern, without looking cold. Though a little pricey, exotic dark wood and zebrawood veneers are hot. Backlit glass panel doors are also stylish, as long as you actually want to show off what's behind them. Cohesive dishware sets look great, but mismatched coffee mugs and Pop Tart boxes not so much. Rippled, ribbed, and frosted artisan glass panels are cool and leave a little to the imagination. When in doubt, choose simple flat panel doors. The right hardware will create an edge. Opt for sleek vertical handles in stainless steel or brushed nickel. To soften the contemporary look, choose Shaker-style cabinets with smooth panels.

Country style doesn't mean gingham and stenciled ducks anymore. There are two distinct cottage looks at play: French Country and Traditional New England, with a few overlapping elements, but none of them too cutesy. New England style cabinetry looks at home in a seaside cottage. The finishes are light or painted off white, distressed as if weather-beaten. Large crown moulding is popular, as well as antique brass or porcelain hardware. The French Country style is more that of a well-heeled country manor. These finishes - camel, beige, sage - also have a worn, rubbed through look. Shirred fabric may replace inset glass in cabinet doors.

There are a few new features that are at home with in any kitchen. Home cooks are choosing pulls instead of knobs for cabinets. In addition to an easier grip, there's one less thing to get an apron caught up on. As more wall space is being devoted to windows, designers are adding additional drawer space for storage. Organizational dividers conserve space, including deep drawers with partitions for plates. More, and more substantial, pullout shelves are being added. Recycling centers with easy-access ports are built right into islands. Chefs' chopping block countertops offer convenience, and pull-out workspaces offer elbow room.

New designs allow cabinetry to express your style with as much flair as any work of art.