It was an exciting (and exhausting!) week at KBIS showcasing our amazing new products at our giant booth. We loved seeing those of you who were able to come and say hello in person, and we also had a chance to be inspired by design and products in other booths, too! We gathered just a few of our favorites to share with you…both the what and the why!
Appliances
What: Smeg + Dolce and Gabbana appliance collaborations:
Why it’s a fave:
Whitney (our marketing copywriter): “Smeg and Dolce & Gabbana did a collab last year that Suzanne featured in her 5 faves of KBIS & IBS post, and this year they’ve done it again with a range, hood, and refrigerator combination inspired by their Italian roots: I loved the bright color and intricate patterns! And since very few can afford the 5-figure price tag on that hand-painted refrigerator, they’re also introducing a small appliance line that’s a liiiittle more affordable!” Full info and product list here.
Along the same language of inspiring color, Annie Madden found this collection of ranges from Fulgor – Milan, Italy:
Bold, customized color kits on a sleek professional range is a great way to make a statement in a classic white kitchen.
And coming in strong again this year, this industrial look from True, with more subdued tones of color and those awesome barrel-style surface hinges:
Another of my favs as I’ve mentioned in 2019 Trends is the new Cafe series of appliances allowing you to choose the finish on your handles and appliance front color. Playing off of this, the Cafe booth within G.E. had the best interactive feature I saw in a display, and designers were lining up to get into the mix of their “DIY” story-boarding:
And from a technology point of view, Gail Schwartz found this gas burner setup blended into a stone surface. Talk about the lap of luxury!
Bath:
What: Kohler’s color maximalist bathroom vignette
Kohler Dutchmaster Midnight Floral on Carillon(R) Rectangle Wading Pool (R) Vessel Bathroom Sink with Artifacts (R) Bathroom Sink Spout with Column Design; Artifacts(R) Freestanding Bath in Black Plum with Ball-and-Claw Feet and Vintage(R) Pop-Up Bath Drain
Why it’s a fave:
Whitney: “I just LOVE the boldness of the purple with the deep blacks and contrasting lilac. It’s intense and a little crazy, but just so rich–it feels very luxurious and artistic!”
tile
What: Somer Tile’s 2019 Showcase
Why it’s a fave:
Whitney: “There was really something for everyone! I almost thought the blue-and-white starburst tiles were wallpaper at first glance since they were so matte. I was especially intrigued by the bottom right tiles–they look so much like distressed wood and I love the geometric shapes.” 
Gail thought it would be great to design a bathroom around this pop-art theme!
And Annie was inspired by designs found in Sicis booth:
Mosaics are always great, but when thoughtfully designed into ombre and dimensional designs, you get into an entriely new level of sophistication.
And painted glass was another grand statement on utilizing surfaces in different ways. Loving the backlit “boutique” feel on this!
wood
What: Stikwood’s preview of a new plank shape
Why it’s a fave:
Whitney: “I did a double take when I saw this because it’s clearly individual planks, but instead of straight lines, the planks have a wavy shape. According to a Stikwood staffer, this brand new shape is launching for both wall panels and flooring. The pieces apparently are marked and assembled like a puzzle. I like how the new shape captures the free-flowing, natural lines of growing trees in a subtle and artistic way.
hardware
As you know, this topic can be kind of like finding a needle in a haystack! But I found a few pieces that struck a chord on a scale of uniqueness and style.
- Belwith just released this designer series called Cullet in a few shapes and finishes:
I love how the pattern and dimensional contrasting texture add just enough detail to set it apart from a typical square tube pull. - Amerock’s newest collection, Carrione, was shown in our Coastal Luxe kitchen in Brushed Nickel. What a gorgeous design showing a 3D geometrical carving in a classic marble material. HOT STUFF!!
Carrione on Peppercorn quarter sawn oak
Carrione on Dusk Classic paint
Carrione on Dusk Classic paint - I also found some pretty unique treasures in the Schaub & Emtek spaces. Loving the shape of the Urban Modern collection!
Emtek
Emtek – Urban Modern
Schaub
Emtek – Urban Modern
Schaub
Emtek - And this new series from Atlas looks quite similar to one of our own displays! I like the light industrial look with a slight twist (or should I say turn!).
- And of course, we couldn’t complete a show without Restoration Hardware! In this design, we used the Lambeth Knurled collection in lacquered burnished brass on our Modern Farmhouse kitchen. Note the doors below the farm sink are using a robe hook as a knob!
Industrial:
As you may be noticing, industrial details are popping up in many designs – from Farmhouse to Contemporary – and we saw a bit of that in the John Boos display of carts and tables:
And in Element Designs display of curio-style shelving:
COLOR:
In closing, I think it’s fair to say that color was abounding at KBIS this year. You can see it in the images above as well as a few more snapshots below. Color is trending in many different surfaces and materials and I think there is sure to be the right fit of color for everyone in 2019!
Thank you for your post. I was at the show and saw many of the same things, but it’s always fun to see what others saw that I missed. There’s just so much to see. The show is invigorating and exhausting all at the same time.