As we come back from KBIS 2017, we have taken a little moment to reflect on our time we had. With over 500 booths and tons of walking, there was a lot to be seen! When discussing KBIS with some of our co-workers (who were unable to attend), they asked us what the most memorable things were. A couple things stood out: the new gorgeous walnut hood from Elmwood, the really cool Urban Cultivator (a unit to grow fresh herbs and midro-greens in your kitchen!), and the awesome new handle-less fridge and freezer Dacor is coming out with.  Scroll down to see photos from KBIS!

At KBIS not only can you visit with all the booths, but there are also events, seminars, and classes. As part of one of the events, we had our very own, Rebecca Sutton, as a recipient of the NKBA’s 30 under 30 program. What an honor! Take a look at her experience and summary of her KBIS presentation below:

My KBIS 2017 experience was a little different than your average attendee, because, alongside 29 of my new closest friends and colleagues, was nominated and selected to represent myself and my company as a part of the NKBA 30 under 30 program. A major part of the program was being able to be a part of a team with some of the other current 30’s (as we referred to ourselves) and do research on a particular topic to present on the show floor at the KBIS NeXT stage in the South Hall that Wednesday. The group I was a part of presented on refurbished materials, and boy was it a fun project. KBIS is all about new products and trends that are happening, and we had to stand on stage and get everyone interested in using materials that were not necessarily brand new. We focused on 3 major topics: cabinetry, countertops, and plumbing fixtures and fittings, honing in on 2 ways to utilize each of these products in your home design.

Cabinetry

There is sometimes an opportunity to either reface or refinish cabinetry (like our sister company, Snappy Kitchens) Or there are ways to incorporate found pieces directly into a design – like an old dresser turned into a vanity piece.

Countertops

Very rarely, you can reuse a countertop as is, but not without struggles (i.e. the rail in front of your sink breaking during demo) but you can also recut pieces and use them in another part of your home, like a custom coffee table. There are also a lot of manufactured countertops that are made with recycled material, like the water they use to pump the plant, and even more, fun are manufacturers that create products with recycled content like bottles, pennies, jeans, paper, etc.

Fixtures & Fittings

Reusing old plumbing can be tricky and sometimes unsafe, but there can be fun ways to achieve this by replacing an old tub/faucet, by making old plumbing pipes into hooks/shelf supports, or even taking that old fixture to the backyard and using it as a mini-garden holder. 

Refurbished materials can be tricky, no doubt, but they can also speak volumes on the design. It is definitely a rising trend that was even seen at KBIS through the large use of recycled content and reclaimed material, and we as designers have to be aware and be knowledgeable on the topic.

A shout-out and congratulations to her teammates: Craig Couture, Cypress Design Co., East Providence, RI | Natalie DiPiazza, Custom Design & Construction, El Segundo, CA | Casey Rup, Waterworks, New York, NY

Some fun and favorite moments from KBIS:

Elmwood’s walnut hood

Ultracraft  coffee pod organizer

Kohler Fixtures

Patriotic SMEG fridge

Cambria quartz countertops

And that’s a wrap! See you at KBIS in 2018!