Editor's Top 10 Home Products of 2019

by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for The House Designers®

If you need some finishing ideas for your home, check out what caught our eyes this year! We saw all sorts of lovely products introduced in 2019, including things you'll appreciate for their aesthetics and in terms of practicality. It's the perfect time to start thinking about what you want to specify for your new home in the upcoming building season—see what strikes your fancy, too!

Durable Quartz Countertops in Natural Stone Looks

Every kitchen needs a durable work surface, and pretty much every homeowner wants it to be beautiful. The newest quartz countertops available from Wilsonart definitely serve the call! Quartz is extremely hard and non-porous, and that means it checks all the boxes—it's impact-, scratch-, and stain-resistant. It's very low-maintenance and outperforms natural stone across the board. So, if you yearn for veining, neutral shades, and authentic color variation, see the latest nature-inspired quartz alternatives! In light, dark, and medium-tone looks, you'll find slabs complementary to your design.

Model: Wilsonart® Quartz in Enchanted Rock | Contact for a Quote

A Sleek Door with Convenient Internal Blinds

Doorlites help brighten your interior, but depending on your surroundings, they can leave you feeling exposed. Now, Therma-Tru's® EnLiten™ flush-glazed internal blinds allow you to take in natural light and close it off at will on Smooth-Star® doors. Perfect for around the whole exterior, these entries contain cordless blinds sandwiched between panes of tempered glass. With a gear-pulley operating system that opens, closes, raises, and lowers the blinds by moving a single tab up and down the side of the lite, this elegant solution is safe for kids and pets, and keeps dust off the blinds, too!

Model: Therma-Tru® Smooth-Star® 8' Full Lite EnLiten™ Flush-Glazed Entry Door with Internal Blinds | Contact for a Quote

Garage Doors in a Tropical Louver Look

Finding the perfect garage door style can really tie together and define an exterior design, so we love to see more options come to market! Clopay® expanded their line of Canyon Ridge® faux wood garage doors again this year for something novel—shutter-style louver doors. The slats are molded at a fixed angle to keep the elements out, and the composite material won't rot, warp, or crack despite its wood looks. They suit everything from historical colonials, to sunny beach houses, to even mid-century modern homes!

Model: Clopay® Canyon Ridge® Collection Limited Edition Series - Louver Designs | Contact for a Quote

An Oven with Interchangeable Cooking Attachments

If you want to do more with your oven, look into the new models KitchenAid® is offering! The Smart Oven+ comes in single and double wall ovens to fit the space you have, and it works with three interchangeable attachments to expand the cooking possibilities within the appliance. With a specialized steamer, grill, and baking stone, you can tackle all sorts of recipes very precisely, and without crowding the stovetop or taking it outside. Of course, the oven also bakes and broils as usual, too! [Select attachments ship separately; see kitchenaid.com/redeem for more details.]

Model: KitchenAid® Smart Oven+ 30" Double Oven with Powered Attachments and Black Stainless PrintShield™ Finish | $4,799.00 MSRP

Statement Farmhouse Sinks with Unique Finishes

There's nothing quite like a farmhouse sink—also known as an apron-front sink—to give a kitchen a nice homey feel. But this traditional option needn't be boring! Signature Hardware® gives you tons of options ranging from the classic white enamel cast iron look, to fireclay, to marble, to metals like stainless steel, bronze, and copper. Whether you're looking for a smooth, fluted, or patterned apron, they have you covered. We especially love this new sleek gunmetal finish—it's a lovely and unexpected contemporary touch!

Model: Signature Hardware® 33" Atlas Stainless Steel Farmhouse Sink with a Curved Apron in Gunmetal Black Finish | $949.00 MSRP

Nifty Murphy Beds for Multifunctional Spaces

Who doesn't love having flexible space? Whether you need an office, game room, or playroom, finishing it with a hidden bed will allow it to double as a guest bedroom seamlessly! Closet Factory can help optimize any part of your home with customized built-ins and organizational systems, but we especially like how they can integrate Murphy beds—of any size—practically anywhere, and concealed within the style of cabinetry you choose. The results can be simple or luxurious in their own right, and we could see these beds used to maximize space in any bedroom in the house!

Model: Closet Factory Custom Office/Guest Solution with a Murphy Bed | Contact for a Quote

Durable & Comfortable Wood-Look Tile Flooring

Everybody knows tile is ideal for flooring because it's hardy and easy to clean, but it can give bare feet a shock. The Alterna line from Armstrong® Flooring offers all the best things about tile, but with a couple perks homeowners will appreciate—it's engineered to retain warmth and absorb sound! Suitable for any part of the house, extremely scratch- and stain-resistant, and available in wood and stone looks, it makes a great choice in terms of practicality and aesthetics!

Model: Armstrong Flooring Established Goodness Engineered Tile in Province Grove Color | Contact for a Quote

A Patterned Pop to Personalize Your Spaces

Many don't think to use wallpaper these days, but this design medium is still going strong! If you might be in the market, WallpaperDirect™ has thousands of patterns ranging from simple to luxe, in every color and multiple textures, so you can make your interior as unique as you want. Perhaps you like geometric looks, floral motifs, or expansive scenes? They have it all! You'll find options perfect for niche spaces as well as main living quarters, curated from designers all around the world, so see what catches your eye.

Model: Pomona by Galerie in Green from WallpaperDirect™ | $111.00 per Double Roll

Stylish & Sustainably Produced Furniture

It can be difficult to choose furniture based on style, and it's much harder when you start looking for a good choice for the environment and your own health, too. Luckily, Epoch Design® fits the whole bill! This company produces heirloom-quality bedroom sets, bookcases, desks, coffee tables, mirrors, and media consoles using responsibly sourced lumber, low-VOC glues, and lead-free finishes. Need traditional or contemporary pieces? You have plenty of options that'll never go out of fashion. Plus, they offer free, eco-conscious shipping to anywhere in the contiguous United States!

Model: Epoch Design® Niko Bamboo Media Console | $1,349.00 MSRP

The Perfect Paint Palette for a Calmer Interior

Serene yet revitalizing, green hues are loved by many yet often overlooked by homeowners when they select interior colors. That's why we were excited to see the 2020 Color Trends recently released by BEHR®, with Back to Nature designated as their Color of the Year! This adaptable shade of green pairs beautifully with the nature-inspired neutrals and other pops of color in this collection. If you're looking for something else, check out how these other hues complement each other to create a variety of palettes inspired by our world.

Model: BEHR® 2020 Color of the Year, Back to Nature S340-4 | Price Varies by Product Selected

Editor's Top 10 Home Products of 2019

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