I went to a regional kitchen show on Tuesday and part of Wednesday in Pennsylvania. I go to this show every year. It's small, very small, but I always find some interesting materials or products, and information from seminars, so I go (to the crummy hotel room in King of Prussia, PA.)
In terms of trends, what I saw was DARK cabinetry, whether it be black (lots of black!) or very dark brown wood finishes. I saw some white, but not much, but that doesn't mean anything. I did see some exotic wood door samples and displays, clearly a trend for some time now.
I saw beautiful wood countertops in a good selection of woods that were very impressive, including bamboo and lyptus, among others. I also saw a great soapstone display and had a good refresher conversation about soapstone. It's soft, yet non porous. And, it's all about regular oiling, to maintain an even patina (the positive word for wear marks!)
One booth I almost missed was a tiny booth showing Sirius hoods that I have used before. They just came out with a great hood for a small application. The hood is 24" wide. Great for apartment or small kitchens.
And, the very best part of the show was that I got to meet Erinn from The Happy Living Blog! I knew she lived in the area near the show, and I sent her an email and asked if she was free, and to my delight, she was. We had dinner together and had such a really nice visit.
Try it...if you know a blogging buddy may be in a particular area you are visiting, take a chance and make the effort to meet. It's well worth it. Erinn is an architect, so we talked shop for quite awhile (we both agreed it's great to have allied professionals actually talk to one another!) and had an all around good time.
