L.A. designers share their favorite 2023 kitchen & bath trends.
If you enjoy roller coasters, the 2020s may just be your decade. It’s certainly been a wild, uncharted ride, collectively lurching us from one unprecedented crisis to another. Uncertainty has become the zeitgeist of our time, and all of us in one way or another are learning to live with the idea that stability is an illusion, and calamity may be waiting just around the corner. Since design trends in our culture often reflect the things happening around us, and how we're feeling...how does our current, unpredictable world manifest itself in the kitchen & bath space?
Start with innovation—technology is playing an increasingly important role in the world of kitchen & bath products. Manufacturers have begun integrating smart features into everything from ranges to refrigerators, which are giving home and business owners more control over their lives. Wellness-related products are also gaining popularity—a healthy body and mind can help minimize anxiety and strengthen coping mechanisms—very important when facing a permacrisis alongside the stresses of everyday life.
As we cross our fingers and optimistically welcome 2023, let's make way for this year's kitchen & bath trends, courtesy of some of L.A.'s top interior designers who have their finger on the pulse of residential and commercial design projects.
Peti Lau
Peti Lau has developed a signature style that she’s coined as AristoFreak™ which celebrates her bold, eccentric and diverse modern tastes. Peti specializes in high-end residential and commercial designs and was named one of L.A.’s Top 25 Designers by The Los Angeles Times. Lau has been featured in CovetED, House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, The Wall Street Journal, HGTV, and more. Her extensive portfolio spans the globe and includes a list of high-profile executives and celebrities.
Peti Lau, Interior Designer at Peti Lau Inc. Photo: Brittany Ambridge
“I am most excited about some of the new smart kitchen appliances that have recently hit the market. I’m obsessed with Gaggenau’s 400 Series Downdraft Ventilation—these are fantastic to install for a kitchen with a large island. Who doesn’t want to show off their cooking skills while entertaining on their kitchen island, known as the heart of the home?
Appliance finishes can turn the kitchen from “wow” to show-stopper. The metal finishes from Fantini’s collection, specifically Matte Gun Metal and Matte British Gold are so sexy!”
Gaggenau Vario 400 Downdraft Ventilation
Gail E. Jamentz
Pasadena-based residential interior designer Gail E. Jamentz, principal of her firm Soul Interiors Design, focuses on designing spaces that enhance one’s physical and mental wellness. She is a UCLA Interior and Environmental Design Program graduate, and an active member of the National Kitchen and Bath Institute (NKBA) and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Her work has been featured in Dwell Magazine, HGTV, Forbes, and Homes & Gardens, among other prestigious publications.
Gail E. Jamentz, Principal at Soul Interiors Design.
“As a designer that focuses on creating healthy interiors that promote mental well-being and physical wellness, I am particularly pleased to see more manufacturers offering a variety of products that support Wellness Design. Wellness Design is a burgeoning global movement that will continue to grow in 2023 as consumers express increased interest in incorporating steam showers, saunas, combi-steam ovens, instant sparkling water faucets, indoor air quality monitors, and low-VOC building materials in their projects. As a trade professional, it is so gratifying to know that we can not only create beautiful spaces, but we can also elevate our client’s well-being through thoughtful design.”
Mr. Steam Linear SteamHead®, iSteam®3 steam shower control and ChromaSteam3® system
Karen Harautuneian
Founder of Hub of the House Studio and co-founder of Hart & Toth Cabinet Co., Interior Designer and Kitchen Specialist Karen Harautuneian, is known for her designs that embody the feeling of a cozy California beach with European influences. Karen is a graduate of the UCLA Architecture & Interior Design Program and currently serves as a member of the California Council for Interior Design. Her work has been recognized in Homes & Gardens, Real Homes Magazine, The Spruce, and Dwell Magazine.
Karen Harautuneian, Interior Designer and Founder of Hub of the House Studio.
“In 2023, you will find designers favoring travertine as the natural stone of choice. Its natural, complex tones blend perfectly with any finish palette. I initially started my career as a commercial interior designer and consistently used travertine from wall cladding to countertops and flooring. It's always exciting when you see trends resurface, especially ones you inherently have a soft spot for!”
Travertine Kitchen Island, by architecture firm Ontwerpbureau Dries De Malsche. Photo: Piet-Albert Goethals
Marbé Briceno
Interior Designer Marbé Briceno Velázquez was born in Venezuela, raised in Miami, and now embraces Los Angeles as her home. After working with acclaimed architecture firms in Miami and L.A. for several years, Marbé founded her own studio in 2017, and became well known for her distinct, cultivated taste for high quality and impeccable craft. Marbé is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the 2022-23 president-elect of the Pasadena Chapter. She also belongs to the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), the Institute of Classic Architecture & Arts (ICAA), and The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (NKBA|KBIS).
Marbé Briceno, Designer and Owner at Marbé Designs Inc.
“In the case of bathrooms, I like to design a vacation experience with the amenities found in 5-star hotels, incorporating steam rooms, Jacuzzis, aromatherapy, and more. Why not throw in a kitchenette or wine fridge? This way my clients can de-stress after an intense day, and enjoy the sauna with the wine at hand.”
TOTO Flotation Tub with Zero Dimension®
Michelle Blemel
Pasadena-based owner and Principal Designer at Amberleaf Inc., Michelle Blemel has over 25 years of experience in all phases of design and project management. She received her Associate's Degree in Interior Design from the Colorado Institute of Art and continued her education at Parsons School of Design in Paris and Los Angeles. Known for her creative approach to customized design and use of color, Michelle has distinguished herself as a creative problem solver, providing innovative solutions to tough design questions.
Michelle Blemel, Principal Designer at Amberleaf, Inc.
“In 2023 we’re going to see a trend of appliances with Smart Connected Technology in the kitchen. An increasing number of clients are requesting kitchen appliances that help make their life easier—coffee makers that remember your perfect cup, stoves with built-in cameras that can identify your ingredients and help prepare the perfect gourmet meal, even wifi-enabled ovens that let you preheat, adjust the time, and apps that allow you to turn on and turn off the device from a remote location.”
Bosch 500 Series Wall Oven and Built-in Coffee Machine with Home Connect features
Elaine Morrison
L.A. award-winning Kitchen & Bath Designer Elaine Morrison defines a “successful project” as one that blends a client’s personality and lifestyle, with a great design concept that meets their budget. From small residential makeovers to major structural 20,000-square-foot projects, she brings her detail-oriented expertise of 40 years in the interior design field to creatively manage each project from start to completion. She is an allied member of the (NKBA) National Kitchen & Bath Association and the (ASID) American Society of Interior Designers.
From designing, drafting, space planning, appliance shopping, slab countertops, tiles, floor coverings, fabrics, fixtures, and furniture styling, Morrison has distinguished herself as a gifted designer in the L.A. community.
www.elainemorrisoninteriors.net
Elaine Morrison, Interior Designer and Founder of Elaine Morrison Interiors.
"Making great coffee is not rocket science, especially with the Wolf Coffee Maker System that makes a great brew, simple. The majority of my clients ask for a built-in Coffee System with their kitchen remodel—they love the touch screen, the self-cleaning feature, and that it doesn’t require a plumbed waterline that saves them the costs that come with running a waterline to the desired placement of the system. Whether you need it for your morning brew, or entertaining guests with different palates, there are a number of settings on Wolf’s Coffee Maker System to satisfy every coffee connoisseur.”
Wolf Built-In Coffee Maker System
Jeanne Chung
Named as KBB’s (Kitchen & Bath Business) 2022 Person of the Year for shaping the Pasadena design community, Principal Interior Designer Jeanne Chung of Jeanne K Chung Inc. is admired for an eclectic design aesthetic that bridges classic design principles with a modern twist. Through Chung’s design firm, Cozy Stylish Chic, and her design blog, retail space, and showroom, Jeanne has become recognized as a tastemaker in the industry and frequently collaborates with established brands like Monogram. Chung sits on the Advisory Board of the Design Influencers Conference, was a member of the Monogram Design Council and Plum Wine Heroes Council for 2021, and was named a Global Connect Advisor for the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) for 2021-2022.
Jeanne Chung, Founder and Principal Designer at Jeanne K Chung Inc.
“Being an avid coffee drinker, I am most excited about the at-home coffee and drinks bar trend. The coffee bars we have recently designed include both countertop and built-in coffee machines, and column or under-counter refrigeration to store the variety of milk used—half and half, whole, oat milk, and additional beverages. Decorative metal shelving above the counter is also imperative to lighten up the space. This trend provides a fun styling opportunity where we can incorporate accessories to give personality to a space.”
Bar by Jeanne Chung built with Sub-Zero refrigeration appliances in Pasadena, CA. Photo: Dylan J. Riley
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