As October is National Kitchen and Bath Month, we wanted to offer this Dropbox folder of images from the sources below in case they would enhance any stories you have planned. Of course, we can also put you in touch with the sources below if you’d like commentary.

Evanston, Ill.-based Morgante Wilson Architects, which specializes in building and renovating architecturally significant residences. Company co-founder Elissa Morgante, AIA, can speak to a variety of kitchen and bath trends, including:

• Timeless white kitchens that are anything but vanilla, achieved by mixing materials, using not-quite-white colors such as grays or treating one section – like the island – separately, as though it’s a piece of antique furniture. A single bold gesture like an eye-catching pattern-tiled backsplash is another way to boost the style factor. (This works in all-white bathrooms too.)
• Individual vanities, installed in separate areas of the bath, an arrangement that allows each person to have their own space while a free-standing tub, make-up vanity or stunning view takes center stage.
• Bathrooms that bring the outdoors in and let Mother Nature do the design work.

Sandya Dandamudi, president of Chicago-based GI Stone, can talk about what natural and fabricated stone designers are using for countertops, backsplashes and flooring, including Dekton, a new engineered stone that is gaining popularity. One trend to watch: using fabricated stone to frame natural stone on islands to create a kitchen showpiece.

Amanda Mason, head of design at Belgravia Group, can offer insight on why luxury appliance brands like Wolf and Sub-Zero are more in-demand than ever in luxury condominium buildings (hint: people are using their kitchens) and the marriage of modern and warm that is appealing to buyers from Chicago to Arizona (and how to achieve it).

Please reach out to Traci Failla or reply to this email if you are interested in more information or scheduling a time to talk to these sources.