Belwith-Keeler® Unveils Spring 2019 Trends
Grandville, MI (November 2018) – Since 1893, the artisans at Belwith-Keeler® have led the trends in hardware design from their Grandville, Michigan workshop. The luxury hardware manufacturer produces custom hardware designs for more than 50 major furniture companies and has brought its trend-leading designs into kitchens, bathrooms and throughout the home for 125 years.
Driving that discovery for the luxury hardware manufacturer is Knikki Grantham, Trend Manager of Belwith-Keeler parent company, Belwith® Products. Her unique role is not only driving the hardware industry, but the furniture and cabinetry industries as a result.
“Design, inspiration and style are blurring the lines that used to define them,” says Grantham, who finds inspiration directly from the fashion runways. She explains how fashion is driving interior design and home décor trends: “As visual creatures, there is a trigger that can be stimulated by the visual connection to a design. No longer do people want to be placed into style buckets, they want to define their own style.”
In fact, the hardware company refers to its designs as ‘cabinet jewelry’, rather than simply hardware. Grantham explains why: ““Hardware is much more than just an afterthought. Just as jewelry completes an outfit or ‘look’, hardware sets the tone and style for a piece or that of a room. That is why we work directly with furniture manufacturers and interior designers to create pieces that meet trends today as well as remain classic for years to come.”
Grantham complies a list of trends seasonally, digging into each to determine their true test of time. For Spring 2019, she’s banking that these trends will make an impact not only for a season, but for years to come:
Textures
“Textures have been around a while but have become more prominent in the kitchen and bath where the palettes have become more subdued,” Grantham shares.
Textured items allow a new dimension to be added to the design element. “In other words, whites can have a pop with a textured tile or hammered sink and hardware.”
Grantham goes on to explain that there is a peacefulness associated with monotones: “The addition of a ‘touch’ element that breaks up the monotony. And it’s achieved best through the hardware that we have our hands on the most.”
Brass and Walnut Move to the Head of the Line
“No more gray!” Grantham declares. “The color gray has run its course in both furniture and kitchen design.”
The return of traditional has brought the insurgence of Walnut to the home furnishings industry and will follow suit into the kitchen and bath. Grantham points out that this is in part from menswear dictated the rise of Brown nearly four years ago. “We could see the trickle into home décor as we developed brass hardware to accompany walnut wood tones for various furniture companies,” says Grantham. “The popularity has increased with so many gold tones available now, but the perfect brass color such as our Brushed Golden Brass has is the perfect accessory for rich deep walnuts in any sheen.”
The New Neutrality
“Sometimes the best accessory is the most minimal accessory that just complements the beauty while not competing with it,” says Grantham.
Since the insurgence of the gray phenomenon, Grantham has spied layers of neutrals throughout the home, especially in the kitchen and bath.
The simplicity of an elegant design can be a neutral in itself, says Grantham: “Not competing with the overall flow of the kitchen and being the ‘just right’ accessory for the cabinetry is just as important as being a statement piece – as long as the general design message is clear.”
Furniture Takes Its Rightful Place: Front and Central
Primarily furnituresqe in appearance, cabinetry is now taking the cue and leaning towards a more distinctive furniture appearance.
But in contrast, Grantham says the hardware is taking a risk, showing its fun and playful side, a divergence from what we come to expect from furniture collections.
“Ring Pulls and T-pulls, backplates and campaign hardware has really made a splash in the kitchen and bath,” Grantham points out. “They add just the right touch to door cabinets and credenza-like pieces.”
Belwith-Keeler Fall Collections
Following Grantham’s trend research, the brand’s fall collection features on-trend pieces inspired by textured details like the Verge collection’s knurled surfaces, Sinclaire collection’s art deco stylings and the glitzy glamour of Chrysalis as well as the regal elegance with minimal opulence found in the Monarch collection.
With more than a dozen new designs released in 2018 alone, including the reintroduction of Vale from the Belwith Products living library – a timeless mid-century design first released in the 1950s and relaunched in honor of the company’s 125th anniversary – Belwith-Keeler offers more than 600 knob and pull choices. The expanded collections come as the brand celebrates parent company Belwith® Products 125th year.
Visit Belwith-Keeler.com to browse the new design selections, or better yet, experience them in-home through the brand’s new sample program, launched earlier this year. Designers and homeowners interested in sampling Belwith-Keeler’s newest product lines can visit www.belwith-keeler.com/pages/try-at-home to submit a request.
Members of the media looking speak with Knikki Grantham, learn more about Belwith-Keeler or to receive images and samples, should contact Kristen Jenkins at kjenkins@stonerbunting.com
About Belwith-Keeler®
Refined in Elegance and built on a rich heritage, Belwith-Keeler crafts luxury decorative cabinet hardware with an expert fit and finish specifically for kitchen and bath showrooms.
Belwith-Keeler is part of the Belwith Products® division brands that include Hickory Hardware®, Keeler® and First Watch® Security. For more information, call 1-877-556-2918 or visit www.belwith-keeler.com.
