Trend Spotting at KBIS 2013

Show stopping booth by Brizo who introduced their new line of floor mounted tub faucets.The last two days of my exciting visit to New Orleans with the Modenus Blog Tour centered around the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS).  This annual trade show is produced by the National Kitchen & Bath Association which is celebrating 50 years as the industry leader (more on that later).  I love to attend the show as it allows me to see the trends emerging in the American market and keeps me up to date with products and technology.  This year I had an additional behind-the-scenes perspective as a member of the Tour.  We were there for opening day, Friday April 19th and enjoyed a whirlwind tour of products followed by time for solo exploration and networking on Saturday.  Every year has a theme and this year I thought it was particularly appropriate. The show as all about the concept of "evolution".  This is really a common theme across the board as it applies to everything from design and products and how we are evolving the way we do business in 2013.  Here are some of my discoveries:Let there be lightLighting always plays a crucial role in kitchen and bath design but this year it was all about the light within.  Why didn't we think of this before?   LED lights inside cabinetry, particularly closets is a great idea!  My shoes are dying for a home like this. In fact they won't shut up! The interior of this cabinet features LED lighting. No more confusion with navy and black. The look of leatherLeathery textures made a big appearance.  Silestone by Cosentino debuted  their new Suede line of quartz counter tops.  Gator Mills ( a very local Louisiana company)  showed leather (and leather look ) vanities and Richelieu is offering recycled, reconstituted leather veneer.  Silestone's Suede finish blends a honed look with the durability of quartz. Photo by Cosentino. Yes that's REAL alligator in the center. It's by Gator Mills. (This must be their mascot cabinet). Oh and you can get the center door in a variety of leathers. This one retails for about $8,000Reconstituted leather from RichelieuSliding doorsCabinet doors no longer have to swing out due to new hinging technologies that allow doors to slide.  Hafele calls theirs Frontino2013-04-20 12.58.56Frontino sliding doors by Hafele.Glaminates take the stageIt's not your grandma's laminate anymore!  Taking a cue from our friends across the pond, American laminate manufacturer Wilsonart has upped their game introducing two new seamless edge details and increased durability and sustainability. A new no-line edge profile from Wilsonart. Can you tell this is laminate?Wilsonart's high definition laminates are layered for added durability, hard to penetrate wear and scratch scuff resistance. You can also get an integrated sink with your laminate top.Blingy to sculptural When it comes to handles you can go for the bling or the sculptural.  Cabinet hardware manufacturer  Duverre  is all about very artful sculptural shapes and while I saw a lot of matte finishes, very shiny made an appearance too. This faucet by Rohl sports Swarovski crystal handles.    Off Set by Erin Adams for Duverre, The Hardware Co.2013-04-20 13.49.36Look, no hands!Hands free faucet technology has quickly become the norm across the industry and was shown by not only the original, Brizo but also  Rohl, Kohler and Moen and Delta Faucets.2013-04-20 10.41.16This year's best in show award went to Toto for their awesome Neorest 550H toilet.  Believe me when I tell you it can just about do anything but drive you to work!  Stay tuned for an entire post about Toto and the Neorest 550The Best in Show, Toto's Neorest 550HIn a nutshell KBIS2013 was largely about technology and texture.  Cabinet manufacturers are touting what's inside more than ever as they maximize the ease of living in the kitchen.  White cabinets, cleaner lines and pops of natural and engineered wood veneers are strong trends.Next up:  Poggenpohl, the cutting edge in kitchen cabinet design, inside and out