Can you believe it; 2018 is almost over! We’ve had a crazy third and fourth quarter, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. This year brought many changes and advancements to Kafka, including the introduction of our new specialty building stone series. As we grew and expanded, so did the greater architectural industry. As we head into the new year, we’re looking back at the most popular design trends of 2018 and making predictions as to what will be hot in 2019.
The Biggest Design Trends of 2018-2019
Natural esthetics, sustainability, and eye-catching colors will rule the end of 2018 and the beginning of 2019. These new 2019 design trends span across interior and exterior design, with a little something for everyone. Here are some of the trends that we were happy to embrace in 2018 and a few that we’re looking forward to in 2019. We can’t wait to see what else the new year has in store for us.
Bringing the Outdoors Indoors
Interior designers have begun to focus more on making the interior aspects of their corporate projects more cohesive with the accompanying exterior features of a project. Today, design trends are showing us that people identify having a natural-inspired space helps them to relax and focus. From offices to retail establishments, we predict that designers will continue to hunt for ways to bring the outdoors in when it comes to design in 2019.
A few easy ways that this can be accomplished include using raw materials, such as stone veneers or natural elements like plant life to round out their design aesthetic. Kafka recently introduced many new veneer options to the market, and we’ve already seen these products be used to incorporate a touch of outdoor relaxation into interior spaces. On the whole, we predict that stone veneers and additional natural products will become popular for accent walls, front desks, and interior accents in 2019.
Sustainability
While contractors have been focused on acquiring important credentials such as LEED or SITES certifications for years, the clients behind most builds are now starting to focus on sustainability as well.
In a culture that is constantly looking for ways to innovate when it comes to being eco-friendly, construction and design present many outlets for such pursuits. From zero-emission cars to solar-powered appliances, every aspect of modern life has slowly become greener. And when it comes to 2019 design trends, sustainability will continue to be a hot topic for designers and builders.
At Kafka Granite, we have been offering green alternatives to popular construction and design materials for years. We use a variety of recycled materials, such as rejected toilets and sinks, old electronics glass and mirrors, copper slag, firebrick, and more to create some of our most popular products. These eco-friendly products have already shown immediate results for design professionals across industries. In the past few years, prestigious projects like the revamp of Chicago’s iconic Navy Pier were able to obtain the highly coveted certifications, such as theSITES Gold Certification through GBCI, using our recycled aggregate blends.
Embracing the Pantone Color of the Year
Every year Pantone releases their pick for “Color of the Year.” While in years past this was more of a fun way to kick off the new year, over the years, the selections have gone on the have much more of an impact than just a passing headline.
The yearly Pantone Color of the Year (CoTY) now has far-reaching implications. Everyone from appliance manufacturers to home goods distributors works tirelessly during the weeks that follow the release of the CoTY in December to create products that match the year’s hottest new colors. By February, shoppers can expect to see the year’s color saturating their daily lives. The 2018 Pantone Color of the Year was Ultra Violet. Pantone has already selected 72 colors from eight different color pallets from which they believe the final 2019 Color of the Year will be chosen. Our bet is on something close to fuchsia.
What Trends Would you Like to See Emerge in 2019?
We’re excited to dive into 2019 and see what the interior and exterior design industries have to offer us when it comes to design trends. In the new year, we plan on continuing to unveil new and exciting thin stone veneer. Whether you’re slated to break ground on an interior or exterior project in 2019, know that Kafka Granite is here to fulfill all of your aggregate and veneer needs through new, on-trend products.
