The Best of KBIS 2016

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 accessibleTile 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

ARCHITECT OF THE STARS STILL SHINES

I admit it.  I'm an NPR junkie.  From Morning Edition to All Things Considered in the afternoon.  I get my daily dose of news, arts and culture from Public Radio, mostly while I'm on the road.  Once in a while it's really really good.  That happened  this week.  I caught a story (here) about an architect who I'd never heard of,  Paul R. Williams.Perhaps if you live in, or have lived in, Los Angeles you have.  His work is not only notable and impressive but his story is also inspiring and intriguing to say the least.  Mr. Williams was black and he was an architect at a time when those two just did not go together.  In fact he was the first member of the AIA (American Institute of Architects) west of the Mississippi.  His grand daughter Karen Hudson has recently written a beautiful book, Paul R. Williams: Classic Hollywood Style   , about his life and projects replete with  foreword by reigning Hollywood design diva Kelly Wearstler.In one word Williams' style could be described as "diverse" or maybe "eclectic".  In any case, his work appears in both commercial structures such as The Beverly Hills Hotel as well as in around 2000 homes in and around the Los Angeles area.His designs range from Spanish Colonial Revival and English Tudor to Mid-Century Modern.  Known for spectacular entryways and grand curving staircases, the single element present in all his work was a unparalleled  attention to detail, whether he was designing a Hollywood mansion or a housing project.    Williams was born in Los Angeles in 1894, orphaned by the age of 4, he was a product of his inherent positive out look on life as well as a bit of luck.  Although one could argue that he created much of that luck himself.Williams is often referred to as the architect of the stars and he was.  He designed homes for Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Frank Sinatra and Cary Grant among others. The irony is that at this time, early to mid-century, he was prohibited by law from even staying overnight in many of the neighborhoods he worked in.  In his mind, he felt his designs were opening the doors for future generations.  Williams developed a handy knack for rendering upside down.  This was so, being a black man,  he could sit across rather than next to prospective clients!  Despite these hardships he left his mark and he left his gifts as a legacy and reminder of how anything is possible. 

Add Wearstler Hollywood Kitchen Design Appeal

Mixed Materials are featured in this design by Wearstler's protoge Lara Fishman

Did you happen to catch this morning's CBS Morning story on Hollywood designer Kelly Wearstler? She is described as the "new Dorothy Draper", the original Hollywood Design Diva.   Wearstler sports a theatric edgy personal style that flows into her work as an interior designer. There it is again, fashion informing design and vice versa.  Wearstler shared 6 tips on kitchen design with Food & Wine magazine.

A kitchen carved in stone by Kelly Wearstler

Be bold with white.  Yes, she is partial to the cooler sleeker finishes such as stone, marble and stainless steel.  White works with these materials to create a clean open sensibility.  Plus, let's face it, for those of us in Florida, white will always have a place.  Play with color and pattern. This is a great way to personalize your space and make it your own.  How about a punch of red with that white?  Open up cabinets.  Open book cases and glass doors are a great way to break up what can be a monotony of cabinet doors.  Consider using mirrored glass for a Hollywood look.  

Mixed materials, glass doors and chandelier light fixture in Gwenyth Paltrow's kitchen by Kelly Wearstler

Mix materials.  I'm often asked if it's OK to mix materials in the kitchen.  The answer is yes!  My advice is to include one unifying element such as color or texture.  Use pendant lighting.  If you're up for the drama, this lighting option is the way to go, just like jewelry for the kitchen. Gotta have a chandelier, daaahling!  Last but not least, hide those paper towels.  They are a glamor killer.   

Paper towel solution is handy and hidden

How do you add drama to your kitchen?