Trend Watch: 8 of the Best Styles Spotted at KBIS 2018
It’s the ultimate kitchen and bath show, and everyone wants to be there! We’ve collected the brightest highlights of KBIS 2018 to share with you.
It’s the hottest destination for design lovers everywhere: the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, created by the experts themselves: the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA). KBIS is an envy-inducing, jaw-dropping display of the latest and greatest trends in kitchen and bath design, the place to be for anyone who wants to stay on top of their home design game.
Missed it? Or missing it, now that it’s over? Don’t feel left out; we’re recapping the standout trends of KBIS 2018, giving you a peek at the design goodness showcased at the event.
The smart home
There’s no doubt about it: our homes are way smarter than we ever thought they’d be. High-tech features abounded at KBIS, including an Alexa-enabled lighted mirror by Kohler, Thermador’s Freedom cooktop (the heat moves with your pot!), and Dacor’s induction burner with built-in recipe assistance and videos.
Space-age bathing
You’ve heard of sensory deprivation tanks; they’re said to have various beneficial effects. But most people are unwilling (or can’t afford) to lock themselves in a specially-designed lightless flotation chamber. Toto debuted their Flotation Tub, designed to give bathers an experience that mimics the effects of sensory deprivation: it combines unique positioning, gentle water flow from an integrated pillow, jets, and understated LED lighting to help you achieve “neural relaxation.”
Futuristic retro lighting
No, that’s not an oxymoron! Lighting trends have turned to functional and funky, with integrated vanity lighting and adjustable color temperature by Robern. In addition to futuristic appearance, these lighting innovations are designed to cast you – and your home – in the best light.
In-your-face patterns
No subtlety and tone-on-tone texture here; this year is all about the bold and dramatic. From spectacularly geometric shower doors to exaggerated wall patterns, floral sinks, and a gorgeous new line of graphic tile by Kelly Wearstler for Ann Sacks and Aybars Asci for Walker Zanger, we’re abandoning minimalism and embracing pattern.
Brights
Soft, muted colors, move over: bright shades – hot pinks, bright purples – are dominating the popular color palettes, even injected into natural materials like marble! Don’t be afraid of your favorite color, it’ll add character and light to your home.
Eye-popping faucets
Chrome, nickel, brass, bronze… how innovative can a faucet be? More than you’d expect, evidently. KBIS vendors showed off the latest trends in faucets, including Grohe’s Essence collection of kitchen faucets in interchangeable colors, Kallista’s 3-D printed architectural Grid faucet (which snagged KBIS Best in Show!), and a three-dimensional faucet by American Standard that will make you wonder just how the water comes out.
Warm metals
Warm tones have quickly overtaken sterile whites and silvers. Rose gold, copper, and other warm metals – as well as warm neutral hues on walls, furniture, and floors – are the new hardware favorites, as evidenced by the displays at KBIS!
Matte finishes
Nothing beats black as the new black – except perhaps matte black. The edgy finish adds just the right amount of drama and elegance to fixtures and furnishings, and matte finishes are cropping up on everything and in every shade: faucets, accessories, and even bathtubs.
