Day two of the Modenus Blog Tour was opening day for the 51st annual Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS). The Bloggers were given an inside peek into many of the booths at the show and as we toured, trends most certainly did emerge.
"There is a three year lag between Europe and North America when it comes to trends", says Warren Ramsland, President of Top Knobs. Taking that into account, there were many differences between what I saw here and what I witnessed in Italy at Euro Cucina last year. Perhaps the biggest European influence that continues to pick up steam is contemporary design for both the kitchen and bath.
Laminates are enjoying a serge in popularity. This material is more widely used and experimented with by our friends across the pond but we're picking up speed. I was wowed by the offerings at Wilsonart who debuted their "Spirit of Mindfulness" collection of 27 exciting laminate colors and textures. Also introduced were a line of quartz counter tops in a great assortment of neutral, workable hues. By late spring, a selection of 50 patterns will showcase a full range of colors, textures and four structures: Fine and Small Scale, Medium Scale, Large Scale, and Veining and Movement. That is one of the things I love about quartz, the wide variety of pattern, or no pattern at all! I was impressed not only by the innovative product development at Wilsonart but also their philosophy. This press release statement says it all:"Fueled in part by a turbulent economy, today’s more budget-savvy and eco-conscious consumers have responded by making their homes the calm eye in the storm of life. For many, this translates to finding a spirit of mindfulness within themselves and expressing it in their surroundings."
One of the new Wilsonart quartz options showing beautiful veining. Photo courtesy of WilsonartCheck out the Wilsonart Visualizer to help you pick your counter top color. It's easy, fun and very helpfulTechnology is also taking the kitchen and bath world by storm. There were numerous examples but two stood out for me. A company called TechTop took home the Best In Show Award for their counter top charging technology. Simply place your phone, tablet etc. on the counter top and viola' it will charge, no plug-in required. 
This great idea is from LG Hausy, yes it's the same "Life's Good" LG that makes appliances. They make counter tops too. I also loved this Solna articulating faucet by one of my favorite brands, Brizo. How convenient, right?!Fifty Shades of Gray has moved on to what I call "greige". It's the new warm toned beigey-gray which I saw everywhere! Palettes are definitely neutral. A great example is the Tangent collection by Walker Zanger. Love the mid-century inspiration which I also saw a lot of at the show. 
Walker-Zanger deals in tile, marble and stone artistry. Their collections are arguably the most innovative I've seen. Case in point is their Sterling Row collection, inspired by menswear and a favorite at the show. I found it to be extremely sophisticated, eye catching and innovative. The collection was a favorite at the show. 
We saw more of the Sterling Row Collection later on the blog tour in The New American Home, so there's more to come!Perhaps the BIGGEST trend of the show was personalization. I mentioned this in the last post about Thermador but they were not alone. Here are a few more pics highlighting the concept. Frigidaire's SpaceWise Custom Flex refrigerators allow you to totally customize the shelves inside by moving the drawers and shelving to your desired configuration.
How about this great storage system by Rev-A- Shelf? I know we all want this level of organization in our lives, yes? Right now this is a prototype but the response from the industry was good so I think we can expect to see this in the coming year.
Enough for now? Well there's more to come.Up next: KBIS 2015 Part II where I'll tell you about all my great finds for the bath and more.
Blog Tour Preview
As you know, I'll be heading off on Sunday to immerse myself in all the magic of KBIS2015, courtesy of super design site Modenus. This is a HUGE show for our industry and you can be sure I'll be partying taking careful notes and lots of pics to share with my blog peeps! 
I'll be posting recaps here upon my return but if you'd like to follow along in real time please LIKE my new Face Book page, Kitchens for Living or you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram. If you're planning a new kitchen, listen up! We're about to unleash upon you all the latest product and design info you need to plan for your home.
Don't forget to check Modenus to see what all the Blog Tour Bloggers are saying. These pics are a preview of the Blog Tour sponsor line up. That means that you'll be hearing more about this diverse group of industry favorites as I learn about them.
Now if you made it all the way to the end of this blog post, ladies (and certain gents), you shall be rewarded. 
Stay tuned for more about all these brands and more!
Hot Trends Make a Big Splash at KBIS 2014
As many of you know, the Kitchen and Bath masses gathered in Las Vegas February 4-6 for their annual pilgrimage to KBIS, the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show. This year the event was part of Design & Construction Week, a new concept, merging KBIS with IBS, the International Builder’s Show. As a result, it was bigger and better than ever. Let’s hope that what happened there does NOT stay there !
Maybe I should limit that to kitchen and bath industry products and trends ;) Uber interior design resource Modenus hosted their latest Blogtour group who covered the event in a big way! You can get the entire scoop here.So what is trending, you may ask? Here’s the latest scoop from Kitchen & Bath Design News and KBIS co-sponsors, the National Kitchen & Bath Association:
Let there be light. Yes we’re used to lights in the refrigerator but now we’re adding LED lighting to cabinetry as well.
Make that matte. Last year I noticed a growing interest in matte finishes and it’s even more so this year. One such surface is the new Dekton by Cosentino. It's an ultra compact surface including quartz, porcelain and glass. This makes it perfect for both indoor and outdoor use, even better than quartz as it's UV resistant and can withstand extreme heat.
Keep it simple. NKBA President John Petrie, CMKBDT tells us, "while transitional styles are still number one, we see kitchen design trending more contemporary this year, with clean , simple lines: less clutter and little ornamentation".Quartz rocks, especially if it’s patterned! Homeowners have discovered quartz but they're not willing to give up the pattern and movement found in natural stone products like granite and marble. New finishes by Cambria let you have the best of both worlds.
Cambria's Waterstone Collection captures the depth and beauty of marble and granite while offering the superior strength and performance of quartz. (Here's something for you "traditionalists", they clearly didn't get the message about contemporary in this kitchen!)Gadgets, gadgets, gadgets, We may like our cabinetry look pared down but gimme the gadgets! Technology reigns, ie anything touch operated or digital.
The new Temp20 Technology by Delta Faucets boasts a digital temperature display that saves you the shock or injury from water that's not the temperature you were expecting. When the temperature is less than 80 degrees the LED display will glow blue. It's magenta from 80-110 and red when it's above that. You can get this feature on your Delta faucet this spring.
A bath to come home to, trends in the bathroom focus on customization and spa ambiance. In the high end markets, free standing tubs are all the rage. They are functional and sculptural at the same time. We are also understanding the benefits of hydrotherapy as in soaking tubs and steam baths.Additional features you may want to include in your new kitchens and baths include the following:-Induction cooktops (and now ranges too!)-Steam ovens-French-door refrigerators (duh, I think we all know that already!)-Bottom freezer drawers (ditto of above)-Touch activated faucets-Electronic (no touch) faucets-LED lighting-Charging stations-Pet stationsI believe all of the above are here to stay, at least in the foreseeable future, and the technology will only get better.
Ancient Elements Create Artful Counters
I’m in love. Let me back up a moment. You all know how I like quartz counter tops and I will continue to sing their praises BUT this is LOVE. You're looking at a “petrified wood ammonite counter top”, made from natural wood turned to stone, over time, and ammonite shells. These components are fit together and formed into a slab using clear resins.
These fossils are sourced in Madagascar. The material is 3cm (1 3/16”), polished or honed and you can find this glorious slab at Stone Gallery Miami.
Slabs are approximately 110” by 65” and will run you in the neighborhood of $14,000. This is a quintessential example of Kitchen Art with a capital "A"!
The above slab contains amethyst from Brazil. If you spec this $19,000 slab don't even think about not back lighting it. This example is showing the slab illuminated to highlight the natural color. All these slabs are solid 3cm material, no veneer here.Stone Gallery specializes in the most beautiful granites and marbles and it’s not all 14K a slab! Their showroom is located here in West Palm Beach but they have a brand new location in Miami. See the Kitchens for Living Local Resources Section for further info.
Tip #4: Granite or Quartz?
The last few posts we have been exploring the big questions I get from clients who are in the market for a new kitchen. Today we are up to #4, and it's a biggie. What counter top should we get? Counter tops are a main component of the kitchen. They have to look right but more importantly they must stand up to daily use. During the 50s, 60s and 70s , other than the odd wood or tile counter top, most of us had laminate counters. Formica ruled the roost. To be fair, laminates have come a long way and are quite popular in Europe. They are not as indestructible as granite or quartz but the price is right. Truth be told, back in the day, it was not unheard of to have a laminate top last 30 years or more!
Remember those "Boomerang" Formica counter tops? If not, then you might find one now in a Mid-Century Modern style kitchen of 2013.
Today my clients know about granite but what's this quartz all about ? Here's what I tell them: If you love the uniqueness and natural variations of granite then it's the top for you. If you can't stand that and you prefer consistent color and/or pattern then quartz is for you. Quartz is man-made and is about 93% quartz with the other 7% being the resins that hold it all together. Performance wise you can't do better than quartz. It is non-pourous, very hard, heat resistant and does not require maintenance. When it comes to price, at least in Florida, the price is comparable to granite. Both materials are generally available in 2cm or 3cm material. 2cm is about 3/4" thick. You can use it like that if you like the thin look but typically it gets doubled up to give you your 1 1/2" standard counter top thickness. If you're planning a matching backsplash this is a good option since it can be 3/4". Yes, the counter edge will have a seam in the middle but if your fabricator is worth his salt, you shouldn't really notice it. A 3cm thickness will give you 1 1/4" thick counter top with no seam but it makes for a very thick back splash which may not leave you enough room for your faucet. My favorite brands for quartz are Cambria because of the color selection and because all the colors are the same price. That makes it easy! Cambria is also made in the USA. I also love Silestone which can be a little more expensive but is cutting edge when it comes to new textures and technologies. Silestone is made in Spain and features their trademark Microban which enhances the antibacterial nature of quartz even more. Granite can come from South America, Mexico, Europe and even India. If opting for granite you'll need to make a trip to the yard to select your slabs since they vary so much. If you need help deciding you know where to find me!
Next up: Tip #5: Glass Doors, Solid Doors or Open Shelves?
Cosentino: Leading Innovator of Quartz Surfacing
As a kitchen designer, quartz has been my long time favorite choice for kitchen counter tops. The reasons include durability, ease of maintenance and all the available choices for color and visual texture. Cosentino, maker of Silestone as well as other new counter top products, is the world’s largest manufacturer of natural quartz. I love the fact that Silestone is nonporous- so it doesn’t require sealers. It’s also incredibly hard and stronger than granite. This makes it naturally scratch, stain and scorch resistant. One thing that really sets Silestone apart from their competitors is their use of Microban. Since 2005, Silestone® has incorporated Microban® antibacterial technology to give extra hygiene protection and they are the first quartz kitchen worktop in the world to use it.
Silestone also boasts the largest color selection (70+) in natural quartz. My term “visual texture” refers to the different looks you can get varying from large particles, reminiscent of granite, to totally solid blocks of color which are perfect for more contemporary applications. Thickness varies from 1.2cm to 3cm with 15 edge detail choices. "Suede" is a new matte finish that is smooth to the touch, giving the surface a softer, velvety appearance with little reflection, like honed marble without the upkeep.Silestone comes with a 15 year transferable warranty so if you buy a house with Silestone tops already installed, you’re covered. One interesting bit of trivia I learned is that Silestone is used in such places at The Tower of London and the Bellagio in Las Vegas!
Cosentino isn’t just about Silestone, they are also the makers of ECO. We spent a great day with the folks from Cosentino as a part of the Modenus Blog Tour. We traveled to the, Katrina devastated, Lower Ninth Ward and saw ECO, on site, as a part of the "Make It Right" project. Cosentino has partnered with the "Make It Right" foundation which is dedicated to building 150 affordable green, storm resistant homes to enable families to return to the area. Click here to read my post about the "Make It Right" project.ECO is a green counter top choice made of recycled and natural materials including glass, mirror, porcelain, industrial furnace residuals, quartz, stone scrap and corn oil- quite the recipe! It has much the same properties as Silestone, as far as non-porousness and durability, and is available in 14 colors. (Photo at the top of this post is ECO in a color called Grey Moss)Cosentino also had a lot to offer at KBIS2013 where we were able to preview new colors, featuring the movement and graining of natural stone, coming out later this yearThey also presented the highly anticipated new ultra-compact surface Dekton for the first time in North America. This is an entirely new product which can be used for interior as well as exterior applications. It's UV resistant and will come in extra large and extra thin slabs. Cosentino products are produced in Almeria, Spain and distributed globally.Next up: We're heading back to the bath for a peek at what's new at Toto!