As we move toward Fall Market, one theme is clear: cabinetry is no longer background—it’s the performance furniture of the home. From High Point to real-client projects, the most compelling spaces marry function-first planning with confident, character-rich finishes.
This month, we’re diving into 5 ways we’re seeing this shift in real-time and what you can expect to see in on the horizon.
Inside Our NKBA x Cosentino Broad Hall Project: A Kitchen That Performs
For NKBA x Cosentino’s new Broad Hall space, our inspiration was to show how cabinetry can work far beyond the kitchen while standing up to the design rigor of High Point Market. The Fabuwood kitchen vignette proves what happens when accessory planning is done right: every drawer, pullout, and shelf has a purpose—delivering that “everything in its place” calm we all crave.
Palette & Partners: Custom Sherwin-Williams Hunt Club cabinetry pairs seamlessly with walnut and glass-door display storage. We layered Cosentino Silestone Versailles Ivory countertops, matte black plumbing fixtures from Blanco, Kichler lighting, and custom-colored appliances with copper accents to create a look that’s aspirational and market-worthy.
Beyond the Kitchen: We also designed an atelier in Fabuwood Desert Oak for the Cosentino area—tucked under Broad Hall’s grand stair—to show how smart cabinetry can live in every room (and every nook) of the home.
Our new POV? Cabinetry isn’t just storage anymore—it’s performance furniture for the home.
Our Take on “Controversial Kitchen Trends”
Secretly Loving:
BOLD COLOR
Deep greens, saturated blues, even soft blush. With Fabuwood’s Designer Collection and curated finishes, color becomes livable, not loud.
Ready To Retire:
Appliance Garages
Don’t get me wrong: when done right, Appliance Garages can be fabulous space savers. When done wrong, they can eat counter space and visual flow. Today’s solutions integrate appliances seamlessly.
Misunderstood (But Great):
Two-tone cabinetry
Walnut bases with a painted perimeter create warmth, balance, and depth—when thoughtfully composed.
Deserves More Attention:
Display storage
Open shelves and glass fronts, paired with smart accessories, turn collections into curated storytelling without clutter.
Micro-Moves Shaping the Kitchen as We Design for KBIS
Small details are doing big work right now—elevating function and feel:
Distinct Edge Profiles
When it comes to countertops, think refined, tailored silhouettes and take note that bullnose is making a comeback.
Integrated Sink drains
Milled into the countertop for a clean, pro-grade look, nothing says “luxury” more than a design detail that makes cooking and cleaning a breeze.
Sculleries & Butler's Pantries
These behind-the-scenes spaces allow us to offload workflow and mess, keeping the kitchen more refined when hosting.
Pot Rails as Backsplash
Built-in plate racks, and shelf railings that blend display and utility provide a storage opportunity and character through thoughtful styling.
What to keep in mind: These touches add architecture, rhythm, and rhythm to everyday tasks—hallmarks of elevated living.
As We Look to 2026, Color Gets “Turned Up”
Expect color to go from accent to architecture.
Color blocking: Experiment using blocks of color across planes such as cabinets, walls and even ceilings.
Furniture “drenched” in a single hue: Pick any hue but beige for a sculptural, gallery-ready effect throughout your furniture selections.
Unexpected pops: Saturated color in secondary moments—inside drawers, appliance interiors, niche shelves—are where delight will meet design.
How to translate this: Pair a saturated cabinet color with a calm, textural counter; add warm metals; then repeat the hue once more via stools, art, or textiles for cohesion.
Your Designer Checklist: How Bring It Home
- Start with accessory planning, such as dividers, organizers, pullouts, before finishes.
- Choose a hero color and repeat it twice in smaller hits.
- Mix wood warmth, such as walnut with performance surfaces, such as Cosentino’ s Silestone or Dekton and quiet metals in tones of matte black and copper.
- Use display storage purposefully—curate, don’t crowd.
- Add one micro-move such as a countertop edge detail, plate rack or pot rail to give the space its unique signature.
If you’re heading to High Point, come see how these ideas come to life in Broad Hall. And if you’re planning a project now, consider this your roadmap to a kitchen—and a home—that’s both beautiful and brilliantly useful.
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