Hardware Market Spotlights Simplicity, Personalization, Accessibility

 While sleek and simple styles continue to dominate the decorative hardware market, consumers are also demanding offerings that allow them to personalize their spaces while better accessing hidden corners and hard-to-reach areas.Additionally, the green trend continues to play a role in design trends, with a growing interest in natural materials such as bamboo and glass.Below are some of the hottest trends in decorative and functional hardware.

• Style wise, sleek and simply styles continue to dominate the decorative hardware market, with gimmicky hardware of the past being replaced with more classic, enduring designs.
• While hardware is less ornate than in years past, the desire for something rare or unusual is on the rise, as consumers increasingly use hardware to personalize their spaces. For that reason, custom pieces are gaining in popularity.
• In decorative hardware, polished chrome, satin nickel and polished nickel continue to be strong sellers, while gold tones and muted dark bronzes are also gaining in popularity. There's also an upsurge in using polished finishes to create a more formal feeling in the home.
• The interest in all things green has led to a growth in demand for hardware made from natural materials, such as leather, bamboo and glass.
• A growing trend toward simpler, knob-less cabinetry in the kitchen had increased interest in everything from touch latches to elaborate electronically operated drawer systems. In functional hardware, there's a growing expectation among homeowners that cabinetry will include elements such as soft-close.
• With more consumers working within the existing footprint of their kitchen rather than expanding, there's a greater need for hardware that maximizes access to hidden corners, upper and base cabinets and otherwise difficult-to-get-to storage spaces.

This article was provided by Kitchen & Bath Design Newswww.kitchenbathdesign.com