Realtors should be in the know about the latest trends in kitchen and bath design. After all, aren't kitchens and baths the most closely scrutinized rooms by buyers?

"Style, technology, art, finishes and a multitude of product choices are giving today’s consumer and their designers the ability to create unique kitchen and bath designs at affordable prices," says Michael Davis, president of Capital Distributing, Inc.. "Out with old boring kitchens and baths, and let fun and creativity be the new standard in our homes!"

Davis and Capital's design muse Helene Terry, senior design consultant and manager of cabinets and design, just returned from the 2004 NKBA Kitchen and Bath Show in Chicago a couple of weeks ago. Not only did they learn a lot, but they already know what customers are responding to. Capital has just built a brand new kitchen showroom in Dallas using new materials, appliances and finishes as designed by Terry.

"Four contrasting themes at the Kitchen and Bath Show were obvious this year," says Terry, senior design consultant and manager of cabinets and design for Capital, "European style, Asian technology, American product improvements, and the enormous number of choices available to the consumer and their designer today."

European textures, materials, engineering and designs displayed at the Paris and German shows the last few years have now come to the U.S., says Terry. From artisan styling to Italian designs to German-quality engineered products to the old world luxury of French and English cooking appliances, the European influence is pervasive.

"The Asian technology approach to kitchen and bath products was apparent with TV/Internet screens in refrigerator doors and prototypes of microwave oven drawer units," says Davis. "So far the majority of Asian appliances have been limited to laundry, refrigerators and microwave ovens. Numerous Asian manufacturers introduced knock-off designs of American and European kitchen and bath products.

Meanwhile, North American manufacturers have broadened their product lines, changed styling and improved technology due to increased competition from local and overseas manufacturers. Every manufacturer, notes Terry, has increased the number of models and improved the styles of their products due to the pressure of competition.