The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) is the leading kitchen and bath trade show in North America. All the best brands bring their latest designs, trends and technology. Every year we look forward to sending a few of our designers to the show to report back on their favorite new products. This year J.D. and Lori traveled to Orlando and came back with some new inspiration.
How did this year’s show compare to past years?
J.D.- This year a few manufacturers that are mainstays, such as Delta, Brizo and Top Knobs, pulled out of the show. With Covid we noticed fewer receptions and events. The attendance seemed to be similar to prior years though.
What was the most innovative new product?
J.D.- Moen had a handle free faucet design where you simply wave your hand for hot or cold. Burner hot pads were an amazing innovation as you place a burner (similar to a rubber hot pad) anywhere you want on the countertop and it works like a traditional induction burner.
Lori- The Pitt Cooking system really impressed us both. The versatility was amazing! You could customize the number of burners and the sizes. They sat on top of the countertop which really gave you flexibility in designing the cabinet width.
What new products are you most looking forward to using in future projects?
J.D.- Kohler and Elkay both had some wonderful new prostyle workstation sinks. Mixed finishes were all the rage in faucets and hardware, which will be fun to work with. In appliances we saw many fun new finishes from Monogram, such as Black Stainless and Champagne. As well as designer handles in Brass with leather or Black Stainless with leather. JennAir had a beautiful leather refrigerator panel. U Line, Decor, Viking and Cafe had many playful colors!
Lori- To see the full range of the European appliances was really nice! We just installed Fulgor (from Italy) in a client’s home and they are expected to make a big impact here in the states as they expand their offerings to the US market.
Who was your favorite speaker? And what did they talk about?
J.D.- We took a tour of the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) new construction home and remodeled home. The tour speakers took us through the latest building products and trends. It is really amazing how they accomplish a carbon neutral footprint, especially in remodeling.
Lori- At Kohler, they really emphasized the healing properties of water. As we learn to add “self-care” to our daily routines, it is a literal reminder to “wash away” your daily stress!
What style of design is forecasted to be trending soon?
J.D.- There was a strong influence of warm neutrals and tones that play well with warm grays or modern beiges. We saw black and white palettes coming on strong. Lastly, in modern design, we saw warm amber stain wood tones. In countertops, concrete textures were still hot but we noticed a growth in terrazzo looks. Mixed metals and mixed materials were all the rage. Especially faucets with inlays of wood, stone, leather accents and overall mass customization.
Lori- The 70’s were back, baby! The warm neutrals with pops of natural textures and some fun colors were all over the place! We saw some 70’s influences in the design shapes as well. There were lots of elongated ovals. And really stunning designs in black and white that had that retro vintage look, but with modernity to it. Small hex in daisy patterns but interpreted with a cheeky sense of humor!
Who had the most creative booth?
J.D.- Monogram by far. (See collage above)
Lori- I loved the Monogram booth too! They had two complete spaces, a “coastal” vibe and a “mountain” vibe. While each one was very different, neither was “theme-y” but they both had an elegant casualness to them. Very inviting spaces!