Got our first glimpse of the show last night at the opening party.  I was excited to see so many kitchen and bath exhibits.  It reminded me of KBIS only much hipper.  The opening festivities included dancers, a DJ, hors d’oeuvres stations and a really cool drinks bar featuring Skyy Vodka where I enjoyed a “kitchen sink”.  In case your inquiring minds want to know, this consists of  crushed wild berries, fresh lemon,  X-Rated liqueur (don’t ask) and of course, Skyy Vodka.Let me tell you I have been going on about WHITE but the color of the evening was BLACK.  It was the unspoken uniform and I was sure glad I wasn’t wearing another hue.Today, Friday, was Professional Trade Day and as a member of the Press I was able to take photos of everything.  So far no camera cord has surfaced but my Nikon Coolpix hasn’t run out of steam yet and I can tell you that you have a big treat in store once I’m reunited with “the cord”.Some of the products shown here are only available in Canada but are a precursor of things to come.  Canada, incidentally, has not suffered the same degree of economic hardship that we have in the US.  There is actually a condo building boom  in Toronto with no end of building cranes in sight!  Taste seems to also run a bit more progressive up here.Big trends include use of reclaimed wood, walnut (seen both in contemporary and traditional designs),  creative use of glass and almost always polished chrome as opposed to brushed nickel.  In the days to come I will share the pix and lots more about IDS11.Tonight we will have dinner together and say farewell for now.  Thank you to all the great people of Blanco.  See you back in Florida!Don’t forget to enter your chance to win a free Orgaline drawer organizer by leaving a comment between now and February 15th! Click here to read January 14th post for details.