TEMPLE, Texas, Feb. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With existing home inventory predicted to remain low in 2024, many home buyers are choosing to purchase new construction or instead electing to remodel their current home. Either option takes homeowners on a design journey with an array of endless selections and choices as they look to create a home that reflects their taste and lifestyle. Wilsonart, a world-leading engineered surfaces company, has unveiled four new home surface trends that are sure to inspire and bring beauty and function to any new or existing space.

“Surface selections are perhaps one of the most important design choices you make in a home because they can be absolutely transformative,” said Danielle Mikesell, global vice president of marketing and design at Wilsonart. “As we continue to balance work, play and relaxation at home, it’s important that our surfaces seamlessly blend performance and style. From keeping it light and bright to turning up the intensity with moody hues or embracing woodgrains in unexpected ways, this year’s surface trends create spaces that embody both form and function.”

Wilsonart conducted research with both design and industry experts as well as homeowners to compile its 2024 forecast. The four surface trends expected to make an impact include:

1.   Light & Bright

In the ever-evolving realm of design, the Light & Bright trend emerges as a captivating focal point, seizing the spotlight and celebrating the timeless allure of white tones. This trend promises to redefine the aesthetic landscape with fresh and bright designs that not only captivate the eye but also elevate the overall ambiance. Modern interiors that embrace the warmth of white tones transform into ideal blank canvases, offering limitless possibilities for creative expression.

In the kitchen and bath, white continues to lead as the top choice for styling, and modern countertops in the Light & Bright space are often sleek and slim. In backsplashes, traditional tile is giving way to the more contemporary choice of slab which provides a seamless look and an avenue to introduce statement colors into living spaces. ¹ THINSCAPE^® Performance Tops, Wilsonart^® Quartz, Wilsonart^® Solid Surface and Wilsonart^® High Pressure Laminate (HPL) offer an array of marble and natural stone looks that are perfect for achieving this modern backsplash or countertop. The enduring popularity of white designs also transcends to bathroom showers, vanity tops and sinks. A selection of Wilsonart designs that embody the Light & Bright trend include:

• Wilsonart^® HPL Borghini Marble in a new honed Fieldstone finish
• Wilsonart^® THINSCAPE^® Calcutta Blanc
• Wilsonart^® Solid Surface Calacatta Perlato
• Wilsonart^® Quartz Calacatta Volegno
• Wetwall^™ Bathroom Wall Panels Tuscany Marble
  

2.   Crafted Calm

Crafted Calm is a soft, warm, comforting interpretation of casual living and will be seen in homes that prioritize well-being and tranquility. Connecting with nature through design is an essential element of the Crafted Calm trend, and the wellness kitchen is at the center of that connection. Here, look to countertop designs that feature warming hues – trending towards cozy neutrals that inspire a sense of welcome, and pair these surfaces with rich woodgrain looks in cabinetry. As Crafted Calm moves throughout the home, functional hallways and open storage adorned with aesthetic surfaces make it easier for homeowners to reduce clutter and turn practicality into beauty.

Crafted Calm brings a sense of relaxation and harmony to residential spaces, creating havens that prioritize both comfort and style. Wilsonart offers these engineered surfaces that can help create the perfectly Crafted Calm home:

• Wilsonart^® HPL Roca Bosco
• Wilsonart Woodgrains^™ Walnut Heights
• Ultra-matte. Ultra-Luxe. Traceless^™ by Wilsonart^® Feather Velvet
• Wilsonart^® Quartz Mehndi
• Wetwall^™ Waterproof Wall Panels Torrone Marble
  

3.   Fresh Heritage

The new Fresh Heritage trend draws inspiration from the historic English countryside and features traditional woodgrain styling, neutral tones and polished rooms that feel lived-in and loved. It's a journey into the past with a contemporary twist, adding modern design elements through textures, niche spaces, and contrasting stone and wood colors.

Google searches for “English country kitchens” have jumped 144%. ² Large, statement-making islands are a hallmark of a Fresh Heritage luxury transitional kitchen, but traditional design elements must be combined with contemporary functionality.¹ “Even in a heritage-inspired home, surface resilience is expected. That’s why we developed innovative AEON^™ Technology transforming ordinary surfaces into stronger, more durable engineered surfaces with extraordinary performance for high-traffic, high-use spaces – all while invisibly protecting your beautiful designs long into the future,” explained Mikesell.

Cabinet and furniture finishes are another essential design element of a Fresh Heritage home, particularly when they offer expressive texture or invite touch. The LUJO^® Collection from Wilsonart^® Thermally Fused Laminate (TFL) offers a luxury matte Silken Wood finish that is a premium example of a surface that can add revolutionary texture to any home. Additional Wilsonart designs that embody the Fresh Heritage trend include:

• Wilsonart^® HPL Aluma Marble
• Wilsonart^® Solid Surface Carrara Emporio
• Wilsonart^® Quartz Verde Peak
• The LUJO^® Collection Granville Cherry and Anderson Cherry
• Wetwall^™ Darlington Cherry
  

4.   Dark & Moody Luxe

The Dark & Moody Luxe trend invites us to turn down color and dial-up the intensity with dramatic color contrasts that convey a deep sense of luxury. Saturated hues like blacks, brown-blacks, and deep blues and greens reclaim their place in our homes, creating a heightened sense of sophistication. Embracing the desire to 'escape at home,' this trend introduces exotic wood accent walls, bold open storage, and industrial surfaces that redefine functionality with distinctive, home-defining details.

In a Dark & Moody Luxe space, surfaces with a modern ultra-matte finish such as Traceless™ stand as a stunning addition that invites touch and absorbs light, creating a luxurious and sensory-rich atmosphere. The innovative surface provides a sophisticated solution with a sustainable approach that’s ideal for high-touch applications in kitchens and baths like cabinets, tabletops and countertops, while adding depth and dimension to the environment. An on-trend option like the Wetwall™ Waterproof Wall Panel System makes it easy to transform bathrooms and create spa-worthy retreats that deliver high-end designs without disruptive demolitions. Ideal for shower walls, bath surrounds, accent walls and cladding, the stylish and practical Wetwall system offers designs with dark veining and a bold appearance, perfectly suited for the Dark & Moody Luxe trend.

The Dark & Moody Luxe trend also invites you to add luxury where it’s least expected. “The luxe entry and pantry are here. These spaces are no longer an afterthought – they serve as multi-functional extensions of a luxury home,” added Mikesell. Dark & Moody Luxe-inspired designs from Wilsonart include:

• Wilsonart^® THINSCAPE^® Pietra Noir
• Wilsonart^® Quartz Nova Serrana in a new Natural Matte finish
• The LUJO^® Collection Kinglake
• Traceless^™ by Wilsonart^® Midnight Velvet
• Wetwall^™ Calacatta Statuario
  

For those looking to give their home a fresh look for the new year, Wilsonart offers residential inspiration encapsulating these top trends. For more kitchen, bath and design inspiration, visit www.wilsonart.com.

1 – 2024 NKBA Kitchen Trends Report
2 – Magnet, 2
3 – Sphere Trending

About Wilsonart
Whatever vision you see, Wilsonart, a world-leading engineered surfaces company, can deliver with surfaces you love and service you can count on, backed by people who care. The Company manufactures and distributes High Pressure Laminate, Coordinated TFL and Edgeband, Quartz, Solid Surface, Epoxy, and other decorative engineered surfaces for use in the office, education, healthcare, residential, hospitality, and retail markets. Operating under the Wilsonart^®, Arborite^®, Bushboard, Durcon^®, KML, Laminart^®, Mermaid^™, Polyrey^®, Ralph Wilson^®, Resopal^®, Shore^®, Technistone^®, and Wetwall^™ brands, the Company continuously redefines decorative surfaces through improved performance and award-winning designs. For more information, visit www.wilsonart.com.

Contact:
Kate Kremin
L.C. Williams & Associates
kkremin@lcwa.com 
(312) 565-4611

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5ebe6d4b-7316-4007-9461-6c953dbb2b54