KBIS in NOLA for 2013

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Patricia

Since I’ve never before visited New Orleans, I was quite excited when KBIS decided to locate there this year. As a city well-known for the arts, NOLA is a logical place for a trade show that focuses on beautiful design trends in the home. There was a lot to inspire remodelers and kitchen & bath designers at the show. Of course, I spent a lot of time on the exhibit floor and also in seminars. But then I also enjoyed riding the trolleys,  visiting two local plantations, and eating my share of gumbo and jambalaya.

KBIS hosted a Design Studio, but it was quite different from the one I experienced at IBS. The KBIS Design Studio was a small presentation area on the exhibit floor that focused entirely on eight design professionals as they demonstrated some new technology.  The concept, called the QueX Experiential Showroom, helps designers create an interactive showroom that enhances and personalizes their client’s experience. Pictured is Cheryl Kees Clendenon’s presentation of a GenX bath.

Here are few of the product trends I discovered: 1. Creative use of metal and glass 2. Large scale wall cladding in textured wood and ceramics 3. Continued evolution of the touch-free faucet

“Fusion”, the combination of wood and metal in a table leg — by Osborne Wood Products

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hand-forged iron vanity bases –by Urban IronCraft

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Luminati” lighted support brackets –by Federal Brace

 

 

 

 

 

Shower door tempered glass pulls, in a variety of designs –by Glasatti

 

 

 

 

 

Large format ceramic panels, created to look like precious stones –by Fiandre Architectural Surfaces

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carved wood wall panels –by Art for Everyday Architectural Woodcarvings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Deep Nocturne” new black solid surface that is darker and more scratch-resistant. –by Corian

 

 

 

 

 

 

Touch free intelligent faucets. Turn on and off, regulate water flow and temperature setting, all without touching the faucet. –by Cinaton

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here for The Best-Kept Secret of IBS 2013

 

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Best-Kept Secret of IBS 2013

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Patricia

I think one of the best-kept secrets of the 2013 International Builder’s Show (IBS) was the Design Studio. This was a place where designers, architects and land planners could meet and network with builders and manufacturers, as well as attend sessions focused on design. You could tell from the way the room was furnished (clear plastic bar stools, tall blue candlesticks, etc.) that this place was intended to inspire fresh ideas. I recommend you spend some time in Design Studio next year and see for yourself.

Design Studio offered Design Trends Day on Wednesday—a wonderful all day workshop that focused on new trends, products and strategies in the residential building industry. Some of the topics offered were multigenerational living, lighting, kitchen design, color trends, and consumer preferences. Design Studio also offered a tour of the exhibit floor, hosted by a leading architect or designer.

As in past years, I also toured the The New American Home 2013, attended some design trends seminars, and spent a lot of time walking the exhibit floor. Some of my picks for exciting booths at the show this year include:

1. EcoSmart Fire (www.ecosmartfire.com)
I first came across one of EcoSmart Fire’s attractive free-standing pieces at The New American Home 2013, and then later I found their booth. EcoSmart Fire offers a wide variety of eco-friendly, vent-free fireplace solutions that are fueled by bioethanol. This renewable liquid fuel is produced from agricultural by-products and burns with no smoke or sparks.

 

 

 

2. Kohler (www.kohler.com)
Against a bright red background, Kohler showed off the very cool Moxie showerhead with removable wireless speaker. It can be paired with the Bluetooth device of your choice, such as an iPhone or Droid, to enjoy your favorite tunes while in the shower. The magnetic speaker docks securely into place, but can be popped back out again to use separately in your kitchen or outdoor living room—wherever a waterproof speaker might come in handy.

 

 

3. Formica (www.formica.com)
Talking about bright color: to celebrate 100 years in 2013, Formica introduced its delightful Laminate Anniversary Collection. Several new patterns, with delicious color names like Tangelo, Citrus, and Blueberry, are sure to attract Gen Y buyers. The younger set want their kitchen countertops to look very different from what they grew up with, which was typically granite.

 

 

4. KanaStone by Kanaflex (www.kanaflexcorp.com)
KanaStone’s booth beautifully displayed their new flexible stone paneling installed in a kitchen. I couldn’t find much about the material on their website, but their brochure describes KanaStone as a natural stone composite panel that is strong, yet lightweight and flexible—unusual qualities for a stone product. It’s obtained by slicing natural stone, such as marble or granite, and combining it with a lining panel developed by Kanaflex (a company known in the plumbing industry for hoses.) The panels can be used for interior and exterior wall cladding, flooring, cabinets and countertops.

 

5. Resysta (www.resysta.com)
This is another great product that I saw first at The New American Home 2013. Consisting mainly of rice husks, it was developed as a renewable, 100% recyclable material that has the look, feel, and workability of wood, and is also weather and water resistant. It can be used for outdoor decks and exterior wall cladding, as well as for floors and walls in bathrooms and showers, and more. According to the manufacturer, Resysta does not absorb water, so it neither splinters, cracks or swells. It can be glued, sanded, milled, drilled, sawed and colored.

Click here for 6 Major Takeaways from the International Builder’s Show

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6 Major Takeaways: 2013 International Builders’ Show

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Robert

The 2013 IBS was an upbeat show — great for networking and keeping current with the building industry. Here are my six major take-aways:

1. After several years of seeming doldrums, I saw general enthusiasm and optimism all around at the 2013 IBS. As a National Director, I was asked to visit a couple exhibitors and thank them for being at the Show. In both of the booths the exhibitors were enthusiastic about the traffic they were experiencing.

2. A big announcement came out that next year (February 4-9, 2014) the IBS will be co-located with the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS). It’s being billed as “Design and Construction Week,” and they are anticipating as many as 2,000 vendors at this “mega event.” It appears they are trying to get the size of the event back up to what it was several years ago. Co-location should provide considerable savings for attendees, as well as exhibitors. On the other hand, it will certainly limit the number of exhibits and classes that one can visit, with two big shows packed into three days. We also heard that the Surfaces show will be in Las Vegas at the same time on the other end of the Strip at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Remember, you heard it here first!

3. Always a highlight, the Remodelers Central was a wonderful place to take a break, meet with remodelers from around the country, and participate in roundtables to discuss challenges faced in their businesses. The NAHBR staff— Therese Crahan, Nissa Hiatt, and Sheronda Carr—all made everyone who came feel so welcome. It was great to see Bill Shaw, a remodeler from Houston, TX, take over the reigns as Chair of the NAHB Remodelers. It was also fantastic to share some time with our good friend (and social media buddy) Michael Menn, an architect and Design/Build remodeler from Chicago.

4. Leading one of the roundtables and participating in a second one, I found it interesting how often the topic of marketing and branding came up. At one point, in response to the question of whether or not a remodeler should seek outside professional help with their marketing, I had the opportunity to turn the question around. I pointed out how that many of a remodeler’s prospective clients, with some time and effort, could probably do their own remodeling projects. So, what arguments does a remodeler use to convince those prospects to use their professional services instead? For one, the professional invests in training and certifications, so they know how to do the job right. The professional comes to the trade shows for ideas not available to the average DIYer. The professional invests in the right tools. The professional has experience and he has access to a network of others whenever his knowledge runs short. Spoken from a benefits point of view, the professional will get the job  done right the first time. He has a broader perspective than the DIYer. He’ll provide the best value, and often, even save money in the long run. Just as this is true for a remodeling contractor, it also applies to professional marketing. And I am happy that we can not only provide this professionalism for our clients, but we also provide it with a thorough knowledge of the building industry and of their business in particular.

5. With President Rick Judson now at the helm, the big topic at the Board meeting of the NAHB was whether or not to pass an increase in the dues structure. Over the past few years, as building industry businesses have faced major challenges, the association has experienced a dramatic decline in membership (and dues income). Despite dramatic staff and program cuts, the budget wasn’t balancing. The Board decided that now is the time that we must stay strong as an association and not reduce the effectiveness and business-strengthening tools provided for the members. With the current administration in Washington, NAHB is expecting a veritable new wave of regulation coming — and have already started to experience it — that will make the business of building homes more difficult and more expensive. If the association is not operating at its full strength, the cost and negative impact of excessive regulation on our members and the industry will greatly outweigh the few dollars extra spent on dues.

6. Of course, the Show and Convention wasn’t all work. Patricia had a chance to hang out with Elvis, and we had a good time at the SPIKE party featuring the rock group Cheap Trick. There are benefits to recruiting new association members, in addition to having the satisfaction of knowing that you are strengthening your industry and ensuring the future viability of your business!

Click here for 2012 Remodeling Show in Retrospect

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2012 Remodeling Show in Retrospect

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Robert

Ready for the show to open!

In October I had the opportunity to attend the Remodeling Show in Baltimore, both as an exhibitor and an attendee. At the booth I had great conversations with remodeling contractors from around the country. I was also able to attend a few seminars on marketing topics.

One presentation I attended was on “Demographic Focused Marketing” by Joaquin Erazo, Jr., Senior VP of Marketing with Case Design/Remodeling. Much of the lecture described how a company benefits from profiling in detail the customer they are targeting. The means for doing this are now better than ever with tools available over the internet. Once that customer is profiled, then the entire marketing campaign needs to be focused on reaching those particular customers. He explained how an approach like this can actually save money, because you don’t need to waste resources reaching people other than your ideal target.

Another good point Erazo made related to the creative/design aspect of the marketing campaign. On the screen he displayed a typical marketing postcard featuring a beautiful kitchen. Then he asked the audience of remodeling contractors, first of all: how many of them have talented craftsmen working for them, and then: how many produce high-quality work, and finally: how many achieve outstanding results. On each of these points the entire group raised their hands. He then asked, “So, if this were your marketing postcard, what is there about it that would make a potential client choose you over anyone else in this room?” With that point made, he suggested that the marketer analyze what is uniquely different and strong about your company and create the text and visual imagery around that, even if it doesn’t include a photo of a finished project. That way, you focus the viewer’s attention on what is unique about your company, thus drawing them to you.

I especially resonated with this last suggestion because over the years our designers have often presented unique, eye-catching proposals only to have our clients choose the “safe” direction of looking like everyone else.  Joaquin’s point was that the risk to be taken is what will make the campaign effective.

Sample RT eNewsletter

Back at the booth we met contractors enthused about the quality of our eNewsletter product for the price, or the print newsletter as a way to reach a prospective audience with education about the unique aspects of their services. They saw these as perfect vehicles to apply the targeting principle that Joaquin was advocating.

Sample RT Print Newsletters

Another gratifying experience was with a remodeling contractor who has been in business for 13 years, and has done well. He was excited to realize that we could take the weight off his shoulders in an area where he doesn’t have training and experience. We can, in effect, partner with his business to build his brand in his local area and conduct effective marketing campaigns for him, leaving him to concentrate on the parts of his business where he is strong. And he realized that through the more targeted and effective use of his marketing dollars, it wouldn’t cost any more than what he has been paying.

A highlight of the show for me was when I got into a discussion with Larry Miller, a salesman from Sunspace Sunrooms, in the booth across the aisle from us. I gave him a copy of our booklet, “Five Steps for Building a Better Brand”. After glancing at it, he did a double-take. He asked, “Where did you get this?” I said, “It’s a booklet we produced last year and have been handing it out at our trade shows.” He said, “I picked up a copy last year and now it’s like my “Bible” for marketing.  I keep it at my desk and go through it with all my dealers, because they need to be building their brands. It’s a great resource!” Well, of course, that made our day!

If you would like a copy of our famous booklet, click here and request “5 Steps” in the Comments box!

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RT Marketing inc. Won Three 2012 STARS Awards!

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Patricia

We were blown away this year when we learned of our three NCHBA STARS Awards presented at the 2012 21st Century Building Conference and Expo. Robert, who attended the dinner and awards ceremony, said he was kept very busy—he would no sooner return to his seat than his name was called again! Naturally, the RT Marketing inc. staff is very proud of the awards and appreciative of our clients who selected us for these  exceptional projects.

1. Special Project
Branding Campaign for Glaze Design/Build
Our client, Gene Glaze, has been specializing in upscale residential design/build remodeling for many years. However, he felt his company name (Glaze Construction) and his logo did not sufficiently indicate the type of work he did. Based on surveys of past Glaze Construction customers and market research, RT Marketing inc. developed a cohesive brand identity for the company that included: logo, tag line, corporate colors and fonts, business cards, stationery, envelopes, website, truck signage, job site signs, and an ad for the 2012 Hickory/Catawba Valley HBA Parade of Homes magazine.

2. Best Color Ad — full page or under
Our client, Jesse Smith, wished for the readers of Luxury Homes Quarterly to learn about the high standard of his professional qualifications as a builder and then contact him. For the full page ad, we placed the J Allen Smith Design/Build logo in the most prominent upper left position on a white field, where it will attract the most attention. His contact information is right next to that, in the upper right, where it is easy to find. We designed this ad using a simple, clean architectural style that fits in well with the style of the Luxury Homes Quarterly and bolsters our client’s image.

3. Best Black and White Ad
Our client, Dave McBride, told us that he is now completing remodeling projects for the grandchildren of many of his first customers. We decided to emphasize this fact in his ad, because it indicates the longevity of his business and the high level of satisfaction among his past customers—two very important selling points for him. RT Marketing inc. interviewed Robert Schirmer and a photo shoot of him was arranged in his home that McBride built. Schirmer is one of McBride’s original customers, as well as a prominent citizen and well-loved personality in the Petoskey area.

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Preparing Photos and Artwork for Printing or Web

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Robb

We design and produce a wide variety of marketing pieces — some that are print, some that are electronic. Quite often you want to send us your company logo or photography of your own work to be included on your print newsletter, eNewsletter or website. This is one area that often causes confusion, since you are uncertain which file type or file size to send. This blog should answer many of your questions.

When preparing a photo, scanned image or any type of artwork for publication, there are several factors involved. First consider if your artwork will be printed, used in an email or website, or all of them? The answer to this question will allow you to prepare the files properly and get the best results.

This post will discuss the primary factors of file type, resolution and color settings when prepping for print.

File Types for Printing
Simply stated, TIFF, PSD and EPS file types are usually best for printing, while JPEG, GIF and PNG should be reserved for online usage.
File types for printing and electronic usage

  • TIFF (or TIF) files are the preferred file type for printed artwork because they keep images as close to their original state as digitally possible and allow professional photographers and designers to store information, including print settings, within the photo file.
  • PSD files, Adobe Photoshop Documents, are good for printing and particularly useful in maintaining editing capabilities such as layers, transparency, color information, and resolution.
  • EPS and AI (Adobe Illustrator) files are great for computer illustrations. Often logos are saved as “vector” images in EPS or AI format. Vector images can be re-sized without any loss of quality.
  • JPEG (or JPG) files are not great for printing because they remove some of the pixel information to save space, but subtle changes in color are lost and sharpness suffers. Many digital cameras use JPEG as the standard file type, however, so it may be unavoidable.
    Also remember that your artwork must be created in one of these filetypes originally. Changing a JPEG to a TIFF will not restore the lost information.
  • GIF and PNG filetypes are specifically designed for the web.

Resolution for Printing
Low Res Pixelated ImageArtwork to be printed in a magazine, brochure or other high-quality color document should be no less than 300 dots per inch (dpi). If your images are coming from a professional photographer, make sure they provide you with files that are this resolution or more at its final printing size. In other words, if your image will be printed at 8″ X 10″, it needs to be 300+ dpi at that size. On the other hand, if you are printing the same image at 4″ X 5″ then you could get away with your 8″ X 10″ at only 150 dpi. Also a 4″ X 5″ at 600 dpi can be printed at 8″ X 10″ adequately.

If you are scanning or creating your own digital files using a program such as Photoshop, make sure your file setting is 300 dpi or greater.

Color Settings for Printing
Most documents printed in color will use 4-color process, especially ones that include photographs because this process can produce natural looking colors. If you intend on printing a one or two color piece, without any photos you might consider solid or spot color but otherwise anticipate 4-color process.
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black separations4-color process, as you would expect, uses four colors (cyan, magenta, yellow and black or CMYK) in different dot patterns to create the illusion of nearly every color in the spectrum.

When preparing your artwork for 4-color printing, make sure the color setting is CMYK unless the print company has instructed you otherwise.

Let’s Sum It Up
Think about the file type, resolution and color options when preparing files for print but realize you will probably follow the same rules most of the time. In general, artwork for color documents should be 300 dpi, in TIFFs format and CMYK color.

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Grab New Business Opportunities

Posted on August 7, 2012 by Patricia

Successful builders today are keeping up with trends and changing their strategies in order to attract new customers. Some remodelers, who in the past specialized in large additions, now are finding these types of projects to be few and far between in today’s tighter economy. I often suggest that our clients not limit their scope of work to what they have always done, but rather branch out and grab some of the new opportunities available.

What are some of those opportunities?

1. Livable Homes

The US Census Bureau reported in 2010 that the number of people age 65 and over has reached an all-time high of 40.3 million. Many people are looking for ways to make their existing homes more accessible. NAHB offers Aging-in-Place certification, while NARI offers Universal Design Professional certification. If you have not yet taken classes to get certified, now is the time to do so. If you have received your certification, start marketing it heavily.  With the proper training and credentials, you can present yourself as the expert.

Gen-Boomer Kitchen
Photo: C. 2011 James F. Wilson/Courtesy Builder magazine.

Keep in mind that Boomers avoid thinking of themselves as “aging”, so a better term to use  when talking to Boomers might be “livability”. You will be helping them make their homes more convenient — more livable –  for their elderly parents who may be coming to live with them or for their grandchildren when they come visit.

I often write articles in the RT newsletters about livable homes and Universal Design. The accompanying photos of beautiful projects demonstrate to newsletter readers that accessible design doesn’t have to be institutional in appearance. One of our subscribers has frequently thanked me for those articles, since they have been instrumental in helping his remodeling company move into the burgeoning accessible design market.

2. New Generations and New Ethnic Groups

If you have always done remodeling work for English-speaking professionals in their mid-50s, perhaps you should consider expanding and reaching out into some additional demographics. It may take some adjustment in your marketing efforts, but there is work to be found if you learn how to present yourself. Homeowners in their 30s and 40s think about their needs from a different perspective than the generation before them. Sometimes it’s because of their experiences growing up, or it may be because of the social/economic environment they now find themselves in.

Gen-Y Interior
Photo: C. 2011 James F. Wilson/Courtesy Builder magazine.

Hispanic homeowners usually come from a different culture than your Anglo customers, so their desires for their homes are going to differ as well. You may need to add a Spanish-speaking sales person to your staff in order to connect. You can learn a lot about how to approach these potential customers and others by attending seminars at IBS and KBIS.  For example, Maxine Lauer, CEO of Sphere Trending, gave a fascinating presentation at KBIS 2012 in which she identified consumer habits in four specific age groups. 

3. New Popular Projects

Even though consumers are building fewer large additions to their homes than ten years ago, that doesn’t mean they aren’t  remodeling. There are some very popular remodeling projects going on right now, but perhaps your customers aren’t aware that you are interested and qualified to complete those.

Gen-X In-law Apartment
Photo: C. 2011 James F. Wilson/Courtesy Builder magazine.

One of the most popular projects currently is creating an outdoor living space. In a way, these outdoor rooms are similar to an addition in that they increase livable space for the homeowner, but for a less costly expenditure. Another favorite project is transforming part of the home into a separate living suite that can be used to house an au pair, or perhaps an adult child who returned home after college. The  American Institute of Architects (AIA) gives quarterly reports on consumer trends through their Home Design Trends Survey.

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50 Staging Ideas

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Erica

As you may have read in my blog article “Get the Look,” I talked about staging a recently built or remodeled room for photographs. Below are some ideas of items you can use to stage a home, but remember not to go overboard as it will clutter the room and cause distraction.

Kitchens/Dining Rooms: Kitchen Staging Idea - Fruit in Jars
1. Bowl or jars of fruit
2. Set the table as if a meal is about to be served
3. Place a wine bottle and wine glasses next to each other
4. Cookbooks on the shelf
5. Pot or teapot on the stove
6. Display unique plates or stemware
7. Put a newspaper along with coffee cups and saucers near the coffee maker
8. Knife block set
9. Matching jars with raw noodles or baking ingredients such as flour and sugar
10. Olive oil bottles near stove
11. Open cabinets and pull out drawers to show unique organization features

Bathrooms:
12. Hang towels over racks or tubs
13. Put nice looking shampoo bottles in shower
14. Wicker baskets
15. Matching soap and toothbrush holder
16. Bath mat or rug on floor
17. Robe hanging up with slippers below
18. Loofah in shower
19. Potpourri
20. Decorative tissue box holders

Bedrooms:
21. Alarm clock
22. Make bed up with blankets, dust ruffle, and decorative pillows

Living Rooms:Staging Ideas - Living Room
23. Throw blankets and pillows on the couches or chairs
24. Books on the coffee table – try one open
25. Turn on fireplace
26. Wall Clock
27. Lean a mirror above the fireplace on the mantle.

Craft Room:
28. Sewing machine
29. Wrapping paper
30. Paint
31. Yarn

Mudroom:
32. Coat rack
33. Pair of rain boots beside door
34. Dog leash
35. Umbrella/ umbrella holder
36. Welcome mat

Laundry Room:
37. Folded towels on top of dryer
38. Matching hampers

Deck/Patio:
39. Table and Chairs
40. Pitcher of lemonade and glasses
41. Flower Boxes
42. Portable fire pit

Home Office:Staging Ideas - Home Office
43. Laptop on desk
44. Pencil/pen holder
45. File organizer

Options for Any Room:
46. Flowers or plants
47. Wall art
48. Candles
49. Storage Bins
50. Lamps

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Tour of LuxeHome at the Merchandise Mart

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Patricia

I’m always impressed when I see the Chicago Merchandise Mart. It is an enormous Art Deco structure, built in 1931 by Marshall Field & Co. to house its wholesale showrooms and manufacturing facilities. At that time, the building was the world’s largest, containing over four million square feet of floor space.

During KBIS 2012, I took the opportunity of touring LuxeHome, located on the first floor of the Merchandise Mart. LuxeHome describes itself as “the world’s largest collection of premier boutiques for home building and renovation.”  It is open to the public, offering homeowners and trade professionals access to a wide variety of luxury products for the home, all in one convenient location. I allowed an entire day for the tour and still saw only a small portion of what LuxeHome has to offer—which included its wonderful 2012 DreamHome. Here is just a sampling from the boutiques:

 

 

Poggenpohl introduced it’s new ARTESIO kitchen concept in walnut veneer, designed in collaboration with architect and designer Hadi Teherani. The concept is seeking to build a visual bridge between cooking and living by including all three dimensions: from the floor and walls right through to the ceiling. The wall units are wired for lighting and electricity, so the kitchen may be placed without concern for the existing wiring. I really liked the 5″ high wall louvers that allow shelves to be placed and then adjusted when desired.
Ernestomeda Chicago announced its Emetrica Kitchen cabinets with an impressive display. This elegant cabinet line is exceedingly minimal and discreet. The horizontal grip grooves and the handles on the cupboards blend in so completely with the rest of the furnishings, I had to examine the cabinets closely first, before I could see how to open them.

 

 

 

de Giulio kitchen design unveiled Metal Boy, a freestanding cabinet designed by Mick de Giulio as an alternative to the traditional pot rack. Cookware is stored in a highly-functional enclosed space, illuminated with LEDs. I was really taken with this absolutely gorgeous cabinet, crafted in distressed nickel silver, polished stainless steel, ebonized walnut and glass.

 

 

 

Hastings Tile & Bath’s entire showroom is filled with exciting new contemporary bath products, from its new line of ceramic basins, to the Hastings Bamboo collection, to the newest Sonia collections.

 

 

 

 

Ann Sacks products were featured in the Kohler booth at KBIS, but its showroom at LuxeHome had so much more on display. The incredible new tile collections are all about unique textures and shimmering glazes.  Here are two examples:

 

The Ogassian line of ceramic tile by Daniel Ogassian — the example here is named “Japanese Geo.” Just stunning!

 

The Shagreen line of tile, composed of the spine and skin of a stingray bordered in bone and featuring a spine marking called a “star.” This is one tile you have to touch!

 

 

 

A big thank you goes out to Natalie Campbell and Sophia Lapat, PR reps for LuxeHome. They provided a wonderful tour, helping me cover more ground than I could have on my own. They also introduced me to the various showroom reps, making it much easier to get all my questions answered.

See my posts about Trade Shows, IBS 2012, ADHDS 2012, KBIS 2012 (part 1), and KBIS 2012 (part 2.)

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New Products That Caught My Eye at KBIS (part 2)

Posted on July 13, 2012 by Patricia

I was encouraged by KBIS this year partly because of the number of completely new and creative products that were on display. It demonstrated to me that energy and enthusiasm have returned to the kitchen and bath industry, after a couple rather quiet years. Here are just a few of the new products that caught my eye:

Oios Metals presented their newest collection of vanities and countertops. These singular pieces are made to order in the USA from 98% recycled steel, with a variety of finishes available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keeler unveiled a beautiful line of architectural door hardware equipped with SecuRemote technology. This system utilizes Bluetooth and smartphone technology to control the door locks…your smart phone doubles as your house key.

 

 

 

Häfele introduced innovative Frontino hardware that allows sliding doors to operate on a single track, making it possible for the doors to sit flush when closed. This hardware provides both a sleek look to the cabinet, as well as space savings over a hinged door that opens outward. A cabinet with a sliding door offers a great Universal Design solution as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Fleurco displayed the Alessa acrylic shower base that includes a bench. A convenient storage area under the bench is perfect for keeping shampoo and soap at hand.

 

 

 

Keeler also showcased Light Integrated Trim (LIT), a unique modular lighting strip system. Designed for multiple indoor and outdoor applications, it provides functional and decorative illumination with LEDs. (Belwith displayed an LIT prototype last year.)

 

 

Rohl exhibited an elegant stainless copper plated kitchen sink for the luxury market. Constructed of commercial grade stainless steel, the sink carries an insulating undercoat that reduces splash-back sound.

 

 

I especially want to thank Lisa Koskela, Design Manager at Belwith-Keeler, for all the time she spent in the booth answering my questions. She was a gracious host and is obviously a very talented individual.

 

 

 

 

Next up: LuxeHome at the Chicago Merchandise Mart.

See my posts about Trade Shows, IBS 2012, ADHDS 2012, and KBIS 2012 (part 1.)

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