Trends From IBS/KBIS
Three days of new products, design inspiration, and education. And once again, the staff at Estes Builders returned home recharged with fresh ideas and fun new innovations to benefit our custom home clients.
Here are some of the trends, products, and best practices we and others gathered at the show:
Smart technology:
From the lights to the oven, it seems that nearly everything in the home these days can be controlled with your voice or your smartphone. The trade show floor confirmed that for us, with smart-home features appearing at booths across a swath of categories. At Estes, we’ve tried to stay ahead of this trend, ensuring our homes are WiFi-ready and allow homeowners to add smart-home features as they make sense for their lifestyles.
Customization:
Worried about choosing products or colors that you might get sick of later? Several manufacturers introduced products that can be easily changed. For example, Kohler’s Tailor farmhouse sink features interchangeable front panels. AXOR by Hansgrohe launched MyEdition faucets with seven cover plates that can be switched out.
Dark colors:
Black, dark-green or dark-blue trim dominated many product booths, and black-framed windows were also quite popular.
Vertical siding:
The popular Farmhouse look seems to be driving a lot of interest in vertically installed siding. We saw quite a bit of it in manufacturer façade displays and imagery.
Large windows:
The trend toward expansive opening glass walls is not abating, which isn’t that surprising since consumer demand for indoor-outdoor connections isn’t either. Here is a selection of our favorite options from Andersen Windows.
Colorful kitchens:
Bold pops of color highlighted several appliance booths, including bright orange and the Pantone Color of the Year: Living Coral.
Aspirational displays:
Many manufacturers were focusing on lifestyle choices at their booths rather than simply introducing the latest gadget or feature. Particularly in the kitchen and bath space, many exhibits felt less cluttered and promotional, instead enveloping the visitor into the experience.
