KBIS 2011 Kitchens

I always like to walk the kitchen and bath show and take pictures of the kitchen displays. Having just been at IMM Cologne in January, the kitchen designs were dramatically different at KBIS and I MUST gather together the images I have of full size kitchen displays from the IMM Cologne show.

There is much more detail in the KBIS kitchens (that is not a positive or negative, it's in the eye of the beholder.) The first image is from an Italian manufacturer and all others are American manufacturers - the style contrast is clear!

My opinion: in some cases, more is not better. Restraint is a good thing...less is more and all that. We also need to remember that we will have reactions to these different styles and there is a kitchen design for everyone, just like there is a guy for every girl and vice versa. Enjoy!

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KBIS 2011 Decorative Details

I'm sitting at the gate waiting for a flight delayed quite a few hours. Let's take a look at random, decorative details in no order, seen at KBIS, for no reason other than I have time for a free form "gorgeous" fix.

Below, hardware from Schaub

Below, Calacatta marble from Italy Formica

Below, a fabulous sink by Thompson Traders

 Below, beautiful stools with no name at the Kallista booth

KBIS 2011 - Kitchen Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas

Merrilat KitchenFresh from walking the show floor of KBIS (Kitchen Bath Industry Show) held in Las Vegas, following is an overview of my impressions of what's new, what's trending and why. 

THE SHOW FLOOR

The kitchen and bath show (KBIS) was smaller than last year, three years after the financial crisis, which was quite surprising to me and to other veteran industry attendees I spoke to. Those who attended their first, second, or even third KBIS, have no concept of how different a show KBIS has become since before 2009 (I've gone for about 20 years now.) To see the show even smaller this year, and the booths stretched out (wider aisles, etc.)  within the exhibit hall to achieve a perceived "fit", was obvious and a bit disconcerting, 3 years after 2008. 

Exhibit booths for major brands were drastically smaller, in probably all cases, often with little adornment (thank you Formica for a smallish but fabulously designed booth.) And, countless major national brands simply disappeared from the show floor this year. KBIS is a shadow of the show it used to be. The show program (a sort of soft cover book of conference schedules and exhibitor list) tells the story too -geez, was it small!!

That said, I would never not go. It (the basis of the show) is my world, the one I reside in every day. How can I not go? So, I go, and I'm still genuinely very excited to attend every year. Good for those companies who did display...I assume due to the show's size, they had quality visitors to their booths.

NEWS FROM THE KITCHEN AND BATH SHOW

Without further ado, here are the major trend messages observed from the show floor! Visual examples will be forthcoming in future posts.

It's all about BROWN undertones - the whole spectrum from light, mid tones to coffee - brown finishes and often gray browns (more brown than gray) dominate cabinetry, new countertop introductions, tile, more. Black, at least in cabinetry, and white (as always), are in the mix....black as the new (yet classic) neutral for cabinetry?

Transitional cabinet door styles, the shaker door in various forms, and the soft modern style or a more simple traditional theme, was a focus for the kitchen and bath

Technology focused on quiet, soft, easy access, ergonomic design solutions for cabinetry

Multimedia - products mixing disparate materials for a fresh design statement...the theory that interesting texture can be a small price to pay here and there in the context of the cost of a whole kitchen remodel

Sinks - seamless integrated sinks and countertop solutions and sinks designed to perform multiple functions including doubling as counter space

Budget - Many manufacturers introduced a lower priced line or moved/modified existing products into a lower price point to provide expanded choices to their customers. Even luxury brands such as Artistic Tile, Corian, Dacor and others have discovered and introduced new ways to make their products affordable. This is an across the board trend and seen in product design with a focus on style, durability and longevity.

Tile - Tile is getting smaller and longer lengths in many cases with newly introduced high def imaging to create a truly authentic look. Many/varied glass accents. Tile continues its style story in the kitchen with softer/simple, often mosaic, designs that encompass expanded areas in the kitchen beyond the backsplash for a look that flows (example, surrounding a window to the ceiling)

Lighting innovations continue to focus on led and substitutes were shown for the typical incandescent light bulb design but with energy efficiency built in. Task and accent lighting keeps getting smaller and more flexible in terms of installation and design (lighted tile in a backsplash anyone?) even color of lighting available.

Cabinet hardware is focusing on additional warm finishes and styles with more visual weight to make a statement (bang for the buck theory and a good one). More soft modern styles and styles which are very modern, projecting significantly off the cabinet for its own statement, are trending. I also observed this in Germany in January at IMM Cologne.

Green - An effort to "go green" but not as prominant an effort as I've seen previously

Color - I did see quite a few products of neutral shades which had a soft green undertone, sort of a gray green. Otherwise, color, in its bold form, was hard to find! I observed it in pockets, certainly not as a dominant theme at the show.

Innovation? Not so terribly much this year as compared to other years. More repositioning/tightening of existing product lines and thinking more creatively in terms of budget products...which of course, is good news to many, many Americans, making the kitchen design process fun again for lower budgets.

This is my preliminary (but well thought through) report. After looking more closely at my 800 images, I may add additional thoughts. More to come!!

KBCULTURE 2011 Awards - Bornholm Kitchen Wins Cabinet Category

We are so honored to have won KBCULTURE 2011 Award for the Cabinet category!  Thank you, Leslie & Mervyn!  We feel humbled to have been considered amongst such an esteemed group of products and companies and are very appreciative of this prestigious recognition.  

The award criteria evaluates commitment toward innovative thinking and design from the smallest aesthetic detail to the larger scope of the product's position in the overall market landscape.  Of course, all of the entrants have taken huge strides in these areas and we look forward to spec'ing many of these products in future jobs.  

  

KBIS 2011 - Kitchen and Bath Industry Show

KBIS 2011, the trade show for all products related to the world of kitchens and baths, begins next week from April 26-29 in Las Vegas. As always, and as for the past, approximately, past 20 years, I will be there again, enthusiastically, to:

• scour the show floor
• spot trends
• discover new products
• meet friends!
• attend fabulous events
• gather tons of information

 Already, pre show, I can share a few choice sneak peeks of products that will debut at KBIS. Here we go!

New Ravenna Mosaics promises to have stunning new collections of tile! 

Below - Seemingly, authenticity is redefined in this new collection by Giovanni Barbieri. It immediately reminds me of this post on antique floors from Spain I wrote for thekitchn. 

Below - A NEW product to the kitchen world, the introduction of a glass kitchen sink by JSG Oceana. I've got to take a look at this, especially to touch it, feel it, see it in action. It is said not to scratch or stain. Made in USA!

Below -  Hafele, an incredible company with some of the most innovative products for kitchen and bath, introduces the LOOX LED System. Think "plug and play", think "easy" solutions where multiple products work together for lighting design flexibility. I KNOW lighting information often begets a groan...in this case, all you have to do is to look for color coded products which all work together.

I am so ready for Vegas!!!! So much more to come!

Introducing Kelly to "The Kitchen Designer" Friends

Kelly and Susan, standing on the grand stairs in Central Park near Bethesda Fountain! Hello! For my first official post, I wanted to take a minute to introduce myself to you lovely readers.  I'm Kelly Donovan and excited to be joining my mother, Susan, around the proverbial kitchen table to dish about all things related to our favorite room in the home.  A bit about me personally...

 

Having a mother who is a long time accomplished kitchen designer, and a father in the construction trade, I've grown up surrounded by all types of home renovation, specifically of the kitchen kind.  I've worked with (ok, for) my mom on and off since I was a teenager - looking to supplement my babysitting income with a little extra to buy that awesome jean jacket that all my friends had - and now as an adult, feeling privileged to join the family business in a bigger way and follow a true innate passion.  

Living in Manhattan for the past 8 years, it's been admittedly difficult to fulfill my passion for beautiful and functional kitchens while having my own space to cook in that was barely bigger than a shoe box.  I've made do, however, and never let the lack of a four-burner stove or dishwasher stop me from hosting huge dinner parties or cooking up elaborate, special meals for my family.  I've become an expert in space efficiency, and while I have graduated to full size appliances and granite countertops, I'm still storing my pots and pans in the oven.  I look forward to the day when everything has its place and I can have all the single-use small appliances of my dreams!

Perhaps you're wondering what took me so long to follow my passion and join my mother in her business.  It's long been a thought in the back of my mind, and something I knew I'd pursue eventually.  However, as children do, I fought hard forging a path of my own and after college (Fordham University) fell first into publishing and then online advertising, working for great companies such as Harper Collins, CNET and Yahoo! and enjoying the many perks of a sales & marketing executive to Fortune 100 clients.  As nature took its course, I got married, had a baby, and decided the full time corporate life just wasn't for me anymore.  I felt it was time to come home, in more ways then one. So here I am...thrilled to be joining my mom in this adventure - from the blog, to our launch of Bornholm Kitchen, and all things in between!  

Now, what should you expect from me?  In terms of blog content, I'll be focusing on style, products, accessories, and appliances and trying to add a little personality to this once-utilitarian room. You've probably noticed the new sections we've added above.  Moodboard Mondays is simply a coalescence of products, surfaces, rooms, and images meant to delight and inspire.  Kelly's Finds will profile unique and useful products I'll be seeking out in my travels throughout the city and across the web that can add some character and efficiencies to your kitchen.  We've come a long way from working kitchens of yesteryear designed purely for function, and I look forward to livening up this space with you! Here I am...in full production below!

 A couple of words from Susan/aka mom: I have been anxious (to say the least) for Kelly to join me in the family business. I could not be more thrilled - Kelly is smart, uber stylish, on trend to the MOMENT but with a global foresight and interest in the word "why." I'm VERY lucky to have her and I think you'll enjoy Kelly's insight too. Most of all, we LUV to laugh out loud and often! Oh, look at this brunch to see the fabulous finished dishes from the image above.

Autokitchen 10 - Amazing Graphics, Smart Design

As gushed noted previously in this blog, I have been, and remain, captivated by the visual poetry of, yes, the graphics of Autokitchen! (Going to KBIS? Autokitchen will be at booth C4990.)

Some time ago, my eye and my brain got married to Autokitchen. The brain put it this way: “This program is relatively easy to learn, is fast, and has every part and piece I need to create as simple or as custom a kitchen as I need without skipping a beat.” The eye felt this way: “The graphics are simply to DIE for!” A happy marriage (cue the white picket fence).

Enter the next generation, Autokitchen 10 (do you love this analogy so far?) The next generation often has it better than the previous generation and this is no exception. Here are some of the attributes of Autokitchen 10:

A new mosaic collection from New Ravenna (stunning tile)

Several new collections of wood carvings including Art for Every Day, Classic Designs by Matthew Burak and Adams Wood Products

New architectural tools to create even more professional architectural drawings, including new, impressive, dimension styles

Many new appliances, door styles and countertop materials

This week Autokitchen is releasing the catalogs for Wood Mode /Brookhaven and allmilmo – that’s big!

These are strong new additions to Autokitchen, already the leader in high quality kitchen design software. The color graphics of the program are outstanding. Floorplans, elevations, and perspective drawings are detailed, with a crisp, architectural look.

On a personal note, I tell my children more than they want to hear that a secret to life is to think flexibly. Autokitchen thinks so too - it allows a designer to go with the flow with enormous flexibility to modify cabinetry on the fly and/or to draw and extrude shapes into 3d objects FAST. It's reliable and the technical support, from my own personal experience, is a notch above top notch, maybe two; you will receive superb and friendly service.

Two versions of the Autokitchen Studio version begin at $995 and software prices are on the website; affordable and price transparent. 

What I am REALLY excited about is my forthcoming affiliation with Autokitchen and my new collection, Bornholm Kitchen. Our partnership will allow Bornholm Kitchen designs to be brought to life as only Autokitchen can do. Soon, I will give you a few sneak peeks of our exclusive new designs for our web retailers 2Modern and Avolli.com. For now, take a look at these images by Autokitchen... (Going to KBIS? Autokitchen will be at booth C4990.)

 

Nautical Bornholm Kitchen

Without fail, as the mercury begins to rise and I can see Spring on the horizon, I feel a gravitational pull towards all things nautical.  So it's no surprise that while perusing the AD Show a few weeks ago I was stopped in my tracks by these stunning ship lights and thought they'd make a fabulous addition to a Bornholm Kitchen. 

If you're at all familiar with the geography of Bornholm, you'll know it's a small island off the coast of Denmark, and being surrounded by water, fishing has been both an industry and pastime near and dear to the heart of Danish culture for centuries, from their diet rich in Herring to the sea-bound Vikings of Scandinavian ancestral legends.

We thought of no better way to pay homage to our line's namesake than to style it accordingly, of course!  Here are a few selections to heighten the authenticity of your Bornholm Kitchen and bring this wonderful legacy into your home.

We love the industrial feel of this Blanco faucet.  I can just imagine the vikings using this in their ship galleys...that is, if gorgeous, semi-professional high end faucets were around centuries ago and vikings had a hankering for luxury.

Throw down this authentic Swedish rag rug and feel the waves lapping underfoot. 

Place a few of these shiny red varnished stools, designed in 1934, alongside the bar overhang of your island and add a fun splash of color in keeping with our nautical theme.

Add in the simple, clean lines and professional feel of this punchy red espresso maker and enjoy a homemade Danish caffe latte.

Finally, soften up the look and tie our colors together with this gorgeous painting of the most famous (and historically notorious) fishing port called Nyhavn, in Copenhagen.

Careful planning on the part of those 17th century Swedish builders to incorporate all of the shades mingling in our Scandinavian sea heritage inspired kitchen.