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.

Ever Wonder Where a Delta or Brizo Faucet Comes From?

Is this some cutting edge art installation?  Although it's beautiful, it's not!  What you see  is a PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) chamber at the Delta Faucet Plant in Jackson, Tennessee.

Delta's trademark  BRILLIANCE  anti-tarnish finish is applied here, not only adding color but providing heavy duty abrasion resistance to their faucets.This was just one of the things I learned about on day two of the Brizo Blogger 19 Reunion.  (Click here to read about day one at St. Jude's) I always love to visit plants and factories because it gives me so much more information to help my clients make the right choices for there home.

American manufacturing is alive and well at Delta Faucet Company which also produces the luxury line of Brizo Faucets.  The plant, located in Jackson, Tennessee is about midway between Memphis and Nashville.  They employ around 900 workers operating in about 600,000 square feet.

What impressed me was the level of quality control I saw.  Everything was oriented towards helping employees to make the best products as safely and efficiently as possible.  There's a lot of creative machining and engineering going on but it's not all automated.  This factory is very people focussed.  Each faucet is actually hand made and 100% of product is tested before being sent out into the world.Delta and Brizo faucets are also known for their  trademarked DIAMOND SEAL technology.  This is the little mechanism inside that dictates water flow and temperature.  Yes, there are actually diamonds in there!  Diamonds lubricate moving parts without need for lubricants.  This eliminates even trace amounts of  lead.  What this means for the consumer is that a Delta or Brizo faucet is safe and durable lasting up to 5 million uses – up to 10 times longer than the industry standard!Last but not least we can't leave the factory without mentioning what I consider to be the Delta Brizo crowning glory, the trademarked Brizo SMARTTOUCH technology.  In Delta products it's called TOUCH20. All SmartTouch/Touch20 (touch on, touch off ) products undergo extensive testing.  Yes, every single one!  In addition my favorite, the Brizo Odin electronic lavatory faucet now sports SMARTTOUCH PLUS technology which means it can also be used totally hands free.Back at the hotel we were able to preview top secret products in development as well as the new line of Brizo freestanding tub fillers.  We also learned that all "touch technology" is not created equal and were able to experiment with a wide variety of products, many of which use the infrared method that we frequently see in public bathrooms.  In my opinion there was a big difference between how these products function compared to the Delta products which function using the static electricity we carry in our bodies!  The human body conducts electricity.  The surface of the faucet conducts that energy activating a solenoid (on/off switch) under the sink. The result seems to be much more dependable.  I tested Moen, Kholer and Hansgrohe, so basically all price points.  Though none were perfect, to me the most expensive Hansgrohe was the worst!We ended the day with a demonstration of the newest showering phenomenon, H20KINETICS.  Wow!  It's a very wet, very satisfying shower with LESS water.  Check it out.  The H20KINETICS shower on the left as seen with an infrared light vs. a typical sprinkling showerhead.  You can see the strands of water seem turbo charged!I want to thank Brizo for a most amazing experience.  It's always great to connect with people I am proud to call my peers and to learn a great deal in the process. 

TOTO, Total Luxury with a Conscience

There's nothing more luxurious than a TOTO toilet.  There, I said it.  Even the "design civilians" know about the TOTO toilet with tush cleaning features but since learning about this amazing company, in depth, I have begun to notice that TOTO toilets are literally everywhere!  When you visit restaurants, airports, hotels and any number of commercial locations, check the toilet.  It's probably TOTO.  There's a good reason for that.  Their products start with really listening to people and discovering what they need.  They call it "People First Innovation".TOTO is the world’s largest plumbing products manufacturer offering a complete line of commercial and residential decorative plumbing fixtures including, not only toilets but showers, faucets, lavatories and more. They're at the top because they achieve a seamless integration of performance, conservation, technology and innovation.  No small order and they've been doing it for over 90 years.  TOTO was founded in Japan in 1917 and continues to be a global company with TOTO USA headquarters and state-of-art plant located in Morrow Georgia.We both know a TOTO product is an investment so let me tell you what you're paying for.  Countless layers and hours of research and development are spent which results in superb performance and products that are environmentally responsible.  Quality and worry-free fixtures  translate into money savings and, even better, peace of mind.  I'm not joking when I say research.  While on the Modenus Blog Tour, I spoke with Lenora Campos, TOTO PR guru, who explained that TOTO studies, in depth, every possible type of matter that is likely to end up in the bowl.  They are intrepid.   TOTO's Dual-Max® flushing system, found on several of their most popular High Efficiency Toilets, offers the option of a 1.6 gallon flush or 0.9 gallon flush based upon need.  I've heard consumers complain about the inefficiency of the one gallon flush.  My answer to that is that quality varies in all products.  The one gallon flush is not going away and I can tell you with TOTO it's a win-win concept.  Even the materials used help conserve your time and water.  SanaGloss® ceramic glaze - prevents debris, mold from sticking to ceramic surfaces, leading to fewer chemicals and less water in cleaning.In addition to the famous NEOREST toilet, TOTO also makes what they call a Washlet toilet seat which offers the  same personal cleaning system that uses warm, aerated water to clean (similar to a bidet) and can fit right onto your existing bowl.  All you need is an electrical outlet in the vicinity.  Still not sure?  You can actually try one out for yourself at a number of establishments.  Click here to see where they are.I was able to view many of the TOTO products at the recent Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) last month.  The product selection extends beyond their famous toilets.  I loved the Rain Showerheads.  Not only are they lovely to look at but somehow they are able to make less water feel like more! The Wyeth Collection  also embodies TOTO's People First Innovation philosophy.  A part of that is it's extreme "environmentally friendliness".  It consumes only 1.5 gallons of water per minute without sacrificing an ounce of performance.  The transitional design is also the product of consumer research.  This look will be at home in a variety of decors.   Wyeth tub and shower faucets are also available. Click here to visit TOTO's comprehensive website where you can see the many features and technologies they incorporate into their products.           

BALIZA, A NEW TWIST ON TRADITION

I grew up in South Florida, never more than minutes away from the beach.  The lighthouse is not only a symbol of tradition, where in days gone by it was a way shower and lifesaver for those at sea, but for me it also stands for Dad.  My dad taught me how to swim, snorkel and generally love the ocean when I was a wee girl.  As a Navy veteran who spent many days at sea, you could say he became a connoisseur of lighthouses.  Today he makes them with his hands and if you're lucky enough to be a friend or relative you will have one gracing your yard with its soft illumination.Well apparently I'm not the only one thinking about lighthouses.  On a trip to Portugal Judd Lord, Director of Industrial Design at Brizo, found the inspiration for the Baliza faucet.  You guessed it, lighthouses!   To him the lighthouse exemplifies all that is timeless and traditional.  I love the idea of using a familiar object in a new and innovative way.Check out this video to see what Baliza is all about. Now I'm going to the beach!

ONE SEXY FAUCET

I know my last post was all about the plumbing but I'm not done yet.  As I peruse my ever growing roster of press releases this little tidbit caught my eye.  It's a sleek beautiful sexy faucet with one hell of a marketing strategy.The new Salome faucet by Riobel is going to be unleashed upon an unsuspecting public on June 7th at Koko Bar and Restaurant in Montreal, should you be in the area.  What makes it so special you ask?  Check it out.  Need I say more? I just love it when art history intersects with design.  I think it just adds a whole other layer. Yes it's all about the looks, you know a faucet can never be too thin or rich expensive, which I'm sure it is.  The marketing brilliance is in the name and inspiration for this design.  She's (yes this faucet is a girl) called Salome' after the work of Aubrey Beardsley, the 19th century bad boy famous for his erotic Art Noveau illustrations.  Here's what Riobel has to say in their press release:

"In Harmony with this (Art Noveau) artistic concept, the faucets of Riobel’s SALOMÉ Collection are based on the aesthetics of curved lines. Due to their round profile and arched shape, Salomé products exude finesse, refinement and elegance.Turning on a SALOMÉ faucet is reminiscent of an exotic cascading waterfall, deep in the forest where all is pure, a significant aspect of these wall-mounted fixtures."  So I lied when I said it's all about the looks.  This water-as-in-nature concept seems like a great way to tame the stress and put a little Zen in your life.

                                                                        

NATURE OF BATHROOM LUXURY

Today "call of nature" takes on an entirely new meaning when it comes to bathroom design.    As the Green Movement gains momentum, we turn our attention towards nature and the beauty of organic elements.  Nowhere is that more appropriate than in the bath, today's sanctuary, a place to get away from it all.  Two products that stand out to me in this regard is the Vesi Channel Faucet by Brizo and the beautiful vanities at Stone Forest.The Vesi Channel Faucet by Brizo, inspired by a real life experience of nature takes it to the next level.  Check out this brief video featuring Judd Lord (badass name and creative hot guy all in one), Director of Industrial Design for Brizo.Stone Forest, based in New Mexico, has been crafting design elements for kitchens, baths and landscaping since 1989.   For the most part, the lines are straight and simple allowing the natural beauty of  the material to take center stage.                                          Check out their website as well for a whole lot more natural goodness!