I haven’t even finished telling you about all the great products I learned about in New Orleans and it’s time to announce the next great event! If you’ve been a follower of Kitchens for Living for a while, you’ll remember my visit to fashion week in September of 2010 courtesy of Brizo Faucets. They continue to host a select group of design bloggers (known collectively as The Blogger 19) each season, on a trip to the Big Apple. They get to preview what’s in the pipeline for Brizo products AND to attend fashion designer Jason Wu’s runway show. I love fashion, in fact my first career was in fashion merchandising. I find a strong connection between fashion and design and Jason Wu really gets that. He has collaborated with Brizo for many years in a very mutually beneficial relationship. The next great event will be a reunion of Blogger 19 alumni July 16-18 in Memphis. We’ll be taking and exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of both the Brizo factory and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. I'm really looking forward to both. If you’re bored at work and you want to get your inspiration vibe on, check out this video featuring Jason’s latest collection as well as his take on his relationship with Brizo Faucets.
Trend Spotting at KBIS 2013
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! 
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. 
Sliding doorsCabinet doors no longer have to swing out due to new hinging technologies that allow doors to slide. Hafele calls theirs Frontino
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. 
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. 
Look, 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.
This 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 550
In 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
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!
IT'S ALL CREATIVE
One thing I discovered during my Bosch Blanco Bloggers' Retreat is that creativity cannot be contained. It spills out of the box in all sorts of interesting ways. It was a great experience. It's exciting and inspiring to learn about all the products, both the history and origins, as well as the very latest technologies. Most of all, I loved hearing about the design process and how these products come into being. I enjoyed interacting, not only with the creatives at Bosch and Blanco, but also with my peers. Whenever I could, I asked them about their typical days, how they work and what they do in their off time. What I found is that there is no off time for a creative. I should know that, right? I discovered an editor who loves to knit, a kitchen designer who's passion is ballroom dancing and a much admired kitchen blogger who loves to photograph roses. She confesses to having literally thousands of rose photos lurking in her hard drive! The creative process is also a big part of what I learned about during our two days at the BSH Design Center in Irvine, California.
The process of developing new products begins with colored pencils and adventurous minds. The team at Bosch endeavors to achieve just the right combination of precision German engineering and the latest technology to address the needs of the consumer.
Sometimes these needs are apparent but often they can be situations (observed and researched) that we may not even be aware of! This is what makes the folks at Blanco and Bosch such a great team. They have a similar approach which understands that everything's connected in our world and it all informs what we need to function comfortably and efficiently in our homes. Kudos to them and thanks for the memories!
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.
THREE MORE DAYS TO GO!
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| Jason Wu and could it be Vogue editor Anna Wintour? telegraph.co.uk |
When I arrived home on Friday a Fed Ex package awaited. Brizo sent me a beautiful leather luggage tag and catalogs featuring their beautiful plumbing fixtures. Also included was a matching leather document pouch containing information about Jason Wu, fashion designer and Brizo partner. Here is a quote from his bio:
"The Jason Wu Collection is the manifestation of the eclectic and diverse background of its designer Jason Wu. Wu combines modern lifestyle dressing with the spirit of detailing of haute couture in a way that is both innovative and romantically reflective."
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| Very wearable fashions bandelle.com |
He is all about silhouette which makes his vision compatible with a company that produces style in the form of faucets. All faucets yield water. Beyond that it's all design, form, silhouette. I have also browsed a few blogs/sites of my fellow attendees. One of my favorites is www.splendora.com, a blog about culture and style. Everything from home design to make up, a radar for "hip" in all its forms. Stay tuned for more about my journey to Fashion Week with Brizo!