Bam! Another show is in the books and although it's been a busy week "back at the ranch", I've been dying to share my finds with you right here on Artful Kitchens.Las Vegas was host to three days of networking and education for the best of the Kitchen & Bath industry. As a member of the Kitchen & Bath Business Magazine's Advisory Board, I had the pleasure of appearing on the KBIS Next stage as a part of the panel discussion entitled Trials & Tribulations-Solutions to Your Biggest Kitchen & Bath Challenges. It was an exciting exchange of ideas between both the pros on the panel as well as a savvy and engaged audience. I also had the opportunity to spend some time in the Las Vegas I like best, off the strip! I hiked in the Red Rock Canyon and visited my friends at Retro Vegas on Main Street. My digs for this trip were with my dear pals Karen, Barry & Wink. They live in a midcentury modern gem that, rumor has it, was briefly home to Lucille Ball! They are avid Airbnb'ers and wonderful hosts. Check it out if you find yourself in Vegas. This location is so convenient to the Convention center I could walk, which I did, once. Mostly I Ubered. Enough walking happens on the show floor! So without further ado, here's my recap of the biggest and most notable trends and products that caught my eye at KBIS2016. ColorWhite still reigns. In fact paint giants Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams have both selected shades of white as their color of the year. You know I am a huge white fan. It is always the best backdrop for art and design. It also continues to be the favorite cabinet color in my area. Remember white is not just white, there are an infinite number of varieties you can have fun with. If you need more punch in your kitchen you could find some great options at the big show. I saw bright saturated colors in several appliance brands including Bertonazzi, Viking and BlueStar which offers 750 colors! Grey has not left the stage. The newest versions are warm, venturing into taupe territory. Textured wood grains such as cerused oak are really popular. Wood-Mode showed both traditional and contemporary versions of ribbon Mahogany. The Perfect TouchTouch latch technology was EVERYWHERE! If you prefer a sleek, uninterrupted look for your cabinets and appliances this is for you, a gentle nudge will open your cabinets. This is nothing new but it's taken off. I also loved the button that allows you to close this cabinet when you're done without resorting to dangerous acrobatics (I'm short).Feeling BrassyActually brass, copper, bronze and myriad versions are hot for plumbing fixtures and hardware. My favorites were the new BauHaus inspired Litze collection by Brizo Faucets. and Kallista's Vir Stil collection.Not Your Grandma's CorianIf you're like me Corian has been dead to you since about 1998. That sentiment has now ended in my book. I saw a 2"thick sleek contemporary version of Corian that was perfectly at home in The New American Home. The other exciting thing I saw in counter tops was this quartz by Silestone. Yes, it's GOLD! I just wish the photo could capture it's sparkly beauty.Thrills from ThermadorAppliance brand Thermador held a press conference on the show floor to introduce a couple of impressive new products, the 60" pro range available with steam and a double oven featuring steam and convection. These are firsts in the industry.Organize ItJust when I thought we had it all the category of organization it goes to the next level. There was a great representation of brands ranging from Hafele to Rev-A-Shelf to Hardware Resources but Glideware is taking the market by storm. If you've got a mess lurking somewhere I guarantee there's a way to make it neat and accessible Tile StyleMy two tile favorites were Michael Berman's Collection from Walker Zanger and, of course, Ann Sacks who are featuring a new line by L.A. design maven Kelly Wearstler. Love!I can IKONIf you read my blog you know I love me my Silgranit sinks, meet IKON the apron front version which easily works in any style kitchen from Traditional to Contemporary. Their Artona faucet perfectly complements the Silgranit sink.Stikwood Rocks!

Stikwood’s line of lightweight, real-wood planking offers designers and DIYers a peel-and-stick solution to achieve that perfect, sought-after blend of rustic and modern. It can be used on walls and ceilings and comes in tons of colors, even prints! I'm thinking this could be great on the back of a kitchen island.

Believe me, all this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. There was so much more to see and learn about at KBIS 2016. Check out this year's winners of Best of KBIS for more info and of course if you'd like any more info on what you see here email me at artfulkitchensbyglo@gmail.com

I certainly had a great time experiencing the luxury and glitz of the Las Vegas strip with my recent Blog Tour Modenus adventure, but there is another Las Vegas where regular people live, love, work and play. I was fortunate enough to get a couple days of Vegas from a different perspective. Big “thank you” shout out to Karen and Barry!You can find great food off “the strip”. For example brunch at Makers & Finders was tasty, fresh and very creative.Another fun place to visit is the Downtown Container Park. Comprised entirely of old shipping containers, you will find some fun bars, restaurants and a generally happy place to hang out and people watch. I can attest to the barbecue scrumptiousness at Big Ern's! The park is located in "old" Vegas on Fremont Street which dates back to 1905 and was the first paved street in Las Vegas in 1925. Main Street, Las Vegas is a treasure trove of mid century magic! This is no surprise as Vegas was ground zero for the “Rat Pack” of the 1950s, nearby Palm Springs was a mid century mecca and let’s not forget Liberace! Prices are reasonable to boot. If you have a yen for this style I suggest you hook up a UHaul and head west! Here are some of the shops I discovered.First stop after lunch was the fabulous fifties Stevotomic Store. Stevo is a mid century inspired metal artist creating wall art, clocks, bar decor, home accessories and aerial sculptures. He also takes custom work on request. His work is very inventive and reasonably priced. Down the street from Stevotomic's you will find Retro Vegas, a treasure trove of fifties fab! Talking to owner, Bill Johnson, I learned that due to tax purposes many movies are filmed in Nevada and when producers are looking for mid century sets guess where they go? That's right, Retro Vegas. This pink kitchen has been in a few films. Before we leave Main Street I must tell you about Kate. Kate Aldrich is the proprietress of Patina Decor, a wonderland specializing in vintage home, lighting, accessories and even apparel.Little known fact, my degree is in Merchandising and I can tell you this shop takes that concept to a new level. At Patina I meandered through a series of perfectly appointed vignettes. Products are combined to enhance each other which perfectly sets the mood. All I needed was a smoldering cigarette and a martini to complete the experience!If you take the time to explore Vegas off the strip you can find many mid century gems. Some are well loved and taken care of and some are diamonds in the rough, yet to be recognized. This lovely example is where I had the pleasure of staying off the strip. Fifties icon Tony Curtis once said, “If you know how to live in Vegas you can have the best time.” I think he's right. Just remember to be intrepid in your travels. Follow the paths not already trampled by the masses and you will find so much more!Continue the conversation on FaceBook...

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