MARKET REPORT: 2019 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show

Posted on April 29, 2019 under Indiana Design

The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) is North America’s largest trade show dedicated to all aspects of kitchen & bath design. With the expansive show floor filled with the freshest designs from over 600 leading brands, it is a one-stop shop providing attendees and exhibitors the ultimate destination to network, exchange ideas and build their businesses. Several Indiana-based design professionals and vendors attended KBIS in March and shared the following insights and favorite finds from the show.

Tech Savvy

The Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery showroom manager, Natalie Gertiser, is eager for many new products to arrive on the showroom floor that were showcased at KBIS. Gertiser says that smart home technology is further making its way into the kitchen and bath through products like Kohler Sensate and DTV Prompt. “Our clients enjoy touch technology in the kitchen and Kohler Sensate takes that convenience to a whole new level with voice-activated controls. Simply tell the faucet if you’d like it on or off and it will act without being touched,” says Gertiser.

Kohler’s DTV Prompt product eliminates the need for handle and knob controls along the shower wall or in a tub. Gertiser explains, “A wall-mounted digital touchscreen allows you to operate the shower and temperature from a sleek and intuitive touch panel. The interface is clean and functionality is precise.”

kohler kitchen & bath industry show — Kohler Sensate voice-activated kitchen faucet in an ombre finish. Available through Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, suite 101.

Culinary Style

Principal designer for Conceptual Kitchens & Millwork, Rob Klein, attended the show alongside his team with a key intent to find vendors and product lines that offered innovative design solutions for his clients. Among his favorite booths were Bertazzoni Appliances, Richelieu hardware, GE Monogram and True Refrigeration.

Klein appreciates the Italian design behind Bertazzoni appliances because they are showpiece appliances at a moderate price point compared to the ultra-luxury brands. He additionally notes the customization options available in finishes through GE Monogram appliances that can add another element of design in a kitchen. “We were pleased to see vendors thinking ahead on concepts like sustainability that are important to our clients. Richelieu Hardware has some great storage products for spice containers that can be refilled which helps to cut waste in meal preparation. We were also excited about many in-door and in-drawer storage designs presented,” says Klein.

Richelieu kitchen & bath industry show — Richelieu featured sleek and functional designs like its Fioro collection of pull-out systems for pantry storage.

Gertiser is also looking forward to offering new introductions from True Refrigeration. “True is a known leader in the commercial appliance industry and is now offering products that are refined for the home with design options like customizable door colors and hardware,” shares Gertiser.

True Fridge Kitchen & Bath Industry Show — True refrigeration available in custom door colors and hardware finishes. Available at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery.

Healthy Home

Designer Adam Gibson of Adam Gibson Design was also at the show. As a proponent of designing and building healthy homes, he noted that several companies have dedicated “makeup air” systems to compensate for tightly-built, energy-efficient homes. Kitchen exhaust fans are becoming more powerful, and in these efficient homes unhealthy living conditions can occur if a house doesn’t have enough leaks around doors, windows, light fixtures and vents. The fan may pull air through a furnace or water heater’s flue or a fireplace, bringing carbon monoxide and other dangerous and noxious gases into the home.

These makeup air systems are electronically triggered when the exhaust fan engages, blowing in fresh air to compensate for the exact amount of air exhausted. Fantech, which has a myriad of systems to address this issue, including filtering and tempering incoming air, and Broan, seem to be leaders in the field. Gibson recognized that many other manufacturers offer passive systems, which merely open a damper to let air into the home when the exhaust fan engages, but he is of the opinion that that they don’t compensate like an electronically-powered system, like these from Fantech and Broan.

It’s always a good day in the design world when top design, functionality and performance intersect. To learn more about the happenings at KBIS 2019, visit the design center showrooms or speak to a kitchen and bath design professional.