Want to get a look at some of the hottest new kitchen and bath designs? Talk with expert designers? Ask questions in a fun, no-pressure environment?

Then stop by Markraft Cabinets’ booths at the annual WILMA Expo, set for 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2 at the Wilmington Convention Center, 515 Nutt St. Parking is available in the attached deck. Markraft will be in booths 403 and 404, almost exactly in the center of the exhibit hall.

On your visit, expect to see the most popular trends for 2018, among them, contrasting colors - often dominant grays highlighted with accents in deep, rich alternative colors, said Markraft designer Kevin Briggs.

“Gray is kind of the new white,” Kevin said about a current trend. New is the use of warmer gray tones. And wood tones, with visible grain, are sometimes incorporated as a second color.

“Cherry is suddenly coming back,” Kevin noted.

Alternatively, some homeowners are choosing often dark or primary solid colors as accents. Kevin is currently working on a kitchen that has mostly white cabinets, with a navy accent on the island and butler’s pantry.

Variety in texture is also an option. A cabinet surface material called textured Melamine, already popular in Europe, is starting to trend in the United States, Kevin explained.

Melamine can look like natural wood - one variety mimics barn boards - or like painted wood, with hints of grain under solid colors. Either way, Melamine cabinets are easy to clean and tougher than natural wood.

Speaking of clean lines and easy-cleaning, the simplest cabinet door styles are by far the most popular, Kevin said.
The unadorned Shaker style is still going strong, and even buyers who want a fancier look are choosing minimal styles with just a little extra detail on the door to deliver a modern look. And fewer carved or molded details mean less nooks and crannies to catch dirt.

Kevin said many of the leading 2018 trends can be summed up as “transitional” - a hybrid between traditional and contemporary looks.

Another trend to look for is the exploding popularity of quartz countertops, which, Kevin said, has become “very good at mimicking natural stone, like marble.”

A manufactured product, a quartz counter can cost a bit more than some natural granites (though much less than some high-end stone surfaces) but requires less maintenance.

A dramatic new way to use these unique countertop materials is with a “waterfall end” to a kitchen island. The countertop material drops to the floor to form one or more sides of the structure. Stone with natural-look grain patterns can be “book-matched,” Kevin said, so the pattern repeats in mirror images.

Then there are the new concrete countertops, some of which will be displayed at the expo.

“Each piece is unique, a work of art,” Kevin said.

Manufactured to the customer’s specifications, these slabs can be made in any color and can incorporate elements like colored stones or glass chips. One popular choice called “Low Tide” is made with oyster shells and beach sand.
Because so many patterns and colors are possible, Kevin said it puts a personal touch in your kitchen.

Another trend Kevin is starting to see is in cabinet hardware finishes.

While stainless steel and satin-finish nickel are still popular, gold tones and gunmetal are beginning to make an appearance, too.

For advance peeks at the hottest new kitchen trends, and to meet our professional designers, visit our expo booths or Markraft’s Design Center. Designers consult by appointment, but visitors are welcome to browse the showroom. The Design Center is open from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday - Friday, at 2705 Castle Creek Lane, just off Castle Hayne Road.