Galleries: Trends & Inspirations
Announcing KBB’s 2021 Product Award Winners
Bathroom Product of the Year & Tech Category Winner: Duravit’s SensoWash Starck f
This year’s KBB Product Award judges love this shower-toilet’s sleek, flushmount design – the seat is completely flat, hence the “f” in the name. While it looks like a typical toilet up front, the ceramic body houses all the various components. SensoWash Starck f – designed by Philippe Starck – is available in a Plus or Lite version for wall-hung or one-piece toilets and caters to the wellness movement by offering comfort, hygiene and ease of use.
Duravit’s SensoWash Starck f Key Features:
- Automatic open-and-close lid
- Comfort, Lady and Rear-Wash functions
- Heated seat with an energy-saving mode
- Automatic flushing
- Controllable warm air dryer
- Adjustable water temperature
- Full flush/eco flush
- Odor extraction
- Illuminated inner bowl
The SensoWash Starck f, which starts at $3,210, is a toilet-bidet combination with integrated technology and cleans with water. It can be operated via a smartphone app, and users can customize their settings. The toilet-shower offers Rimless flushing technology that rinses the entire inner surface of the bowl, as well as HygieneGlaz e, which is baked into the ceramic and kills 90% of bacteria after six hours and 99.999% after 24 hours.
Kitchen Product of the Year: Fisher & Paykel’s Series 11 DishDrawer
This dishwashing drawer just keeps evolving since the brand created it in 1997. This new and refined iteration is designed with today’s desire for seamless integration in a kitchen, as well as aging in place and universal design without the need to bend over to empty or fill it.
Fisher & Paykel’s Series 11 DishDrawer Hits & Highlights:
- Eight wash programs
- Knock-to-pause mechanism
- Spray arm-sensing
- Connected capabilities
- Glass-care 60-minute wash cycle
- Wine glass grippers
- Built-in water softener
- Soft-close functionality
The Series 11 DishDrawer is available in a single or double model and with a stainless-steel or integrated panel exterior. The appliance minimizes water and energy usage by offering half-load options, and the two double tubs can operate separately. Its connected capabilities allow the user to start, pause or cancel a cycle via a smartphone app. UMRP starts at $2,299.
Hardware & Accessories Category Winner: Fittings Metal Collection
The KBB Product Award judges agree that this stylish line of artisan-made metal accents is an original offering they’ve not seen before. Ranging in price from $181 to $7,737, the collection includes shelving units, decorative end caps and ornamental legs and brackets in a range of sizes that can be added to cabinetry, islands, vanities and furniture. The durable powder coated finish is offered in such colors as gunmetal black, gold, white, nickel, urbane bronze, cobalt, Aegean teal and raw steel, with custom choices available.
The Fittings Metal Collection fills our industry’s need for custom metal pieces that can be ordered direct in standard sizes without having to wait for the design and fabrication processes. According to the collection co-founder James Justice, his team was able to streamline the ordering process by having everything available for purchase directly on the company’s website. The Fittings Metal Collection also offers adjustable feet that can be adjusted a quarter inch shorter or three quarters of an inch longer to provide the perfect fit.
Appliance Category Winner: Forza’s 48-in. Professional Gas Range with a Single-Oven Cavity
Our KBB Product Award judges were impressed with its high-tech properties, as well as Forza’s nod to multi-ethnic cooking by including ample space and accessories for a variety of cuisines. As of press time, this was the only 48-in. professional gas range with a single-cavity oven, which the brand says is large enough to fit two turkeys. The appliance features racecar-inspired lines, starts at an MSRP of $8,599 and is offered in seven colors, including Dinamico Blue, Audace Black, Valoroso White, Radicale Red, Ardente Orange and Ribelle Yellow. Forza touts the range’s chessboard design, where flames are directed through many small holes that distribute uniform heat. It also includes the Infinito Grate System with an integrated bullnose.
Oher key features of the Forza gas range include:
- Has more than 40 inches of clearance and 7.8 cubic feet
- Goes from 0 to 400 degrees in eight minutes and tops out at 536 degrees in 20 minutes with a 19,000 BTU bake burner
- Houses four 12,000 BTU full-brass burners in the back and four 20,000 BTU dual-flame full brass burners in the front, for a total of 128,000 BTUs of total cooktop power
- Includes a MaxRotisserie accessory – a 33-in. motor-driven rod – and the MassimoBlu Hyper Double Broiler, which maximizes heat and eliminates cold spots
Surfacing Category Winner: Cosentino’s Silestone Sunlit Days
Our judges were excited to see a bolder color variety for quartz, which fills a gap in our market, as well as its sustainable makeup of 99% reused water, 100% renewable electric energy and 20% recycled raw materials. Sunlit Days is a carbon neutral collection made with HybriQ by Silestone technology. According to Cosentino, this new formula significantly reduces the presence of crystalline silica – important for fabricators – while maintaining the brand’s performance features and price point.
Sunlit Days is available in five Mediterranean-inspired colors: Faro White, which emulates sun-drenched walls; Cincel Grey, a fine-grained, silky shade; Arcilla Red, an earthy tone; Cala Blue, a deep hue reminiscent of the sea; and Posidonia Green, a tribute to the underwater plant. The low-maintenance, nonporous surface is stain and scratch resistant and can be used in high-traffic areas and for such applications as countertops, sinks, flooring, siding, washbasins and shower trays.
Plumbing Fixture Category Winner: Sternhagen by Karran Mirage Vessel Sink
Countertop sinks are often used in the powder room as a fitting element to add to the bold design of this space. The Sternhagen by Karran Mirage Vessel Sink is definitely a statement piece but one with an ample size and serene design that are also ideal in a primary bath.
The $499 soft-matte, quartz vessel Sternhagen sink is an affordable option and was designed to look like a cross-section of the Earth that has been shaped by water and wind. The reflective surface is easy to maintain and bacteria resistant, and its fine quartz crystals provide a smooth and silky touch.
KBB Product Award Top Judges’ Pick: Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens’ 2021 Color Collection
This collection was first place in the Judges’ Picks this year for its vibrant selection of colors for outdoor kitchens – all agreed it is a breath of fresh air. Curated by architect and designer Daniel Germani, the 13 powder coated shades include daring neutrals like dark green Chromica Feroe and Ink, which is almost black, as well bolder selections like Chili and Mint. Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens’ 2021 Color Collection now offers 60 finishes, including Autumn yellow (the top color of the year selection), Clementine orange, Cotton Candy pink and Sea Spray teal that are available for outdoor cabinet exteriors and interiors.
The colors are applied to the cabinets before they are assembled through a durable finishing process that helps the outdoor furniture endure all seasons and climates. Germani, Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens’ creative director, says he keeps a close eye on home color trends, and he forecasts bold colors to find a more prominent home in outdoor design – especially when it comes to deep reds, blues and bright yellows.
Judges Pick: TL7 Magnetic Latch from INOX
KBB Product Award judge Tammy Bolden chose this product because it creates a sleek, quiet design and brings functionality to the growing need for flush or hidden doors without protruding hardware. The latch is activated by a slight turn of the lever, making it easy to use and ADA compliant. The TL7 uses magnets to quietly snap the bolt in place and latch the door rather than an old-fashioned lip strike, which shows scratches over time and is visible even when the door is open.
Judges’ Pick: Marvin Awaken Skylight
In addition to rain sensors to keep homeowners ahead of changing weather and integrated shades for light and heat control, it also includes side screens to keep out bugs and integrated LED lighting to create a light source at night. Awaken is automated and customizable, and its built-in, tunable LED lighting mimics natural light any time of day. The app allows users to set schedules or create moods, and an environmental sensor measures VOCs, temperature and humidity to track indoor air quality. Awaken offers curb or deck mounting and is available in sizes up to 48 inches wide and 90 inches tall.
Judges’ Pick: Signature Kitchen Suite Undercounter Refrigerator/Freezer Drawers
The judges were impressed that the drawers in this product offering can operate independently and can be used as either a refrigerator or freezer. They provide precise preservation and minimize fluctuations in temperature via an inverter compressor to help keep food fresher longer. The Signature Kitchen Suite Undercounter Refrigerator/Freezer Drawers offer six modes, including Bar, Freezer, Fridge, Meat, Pantry and Seafood, and are $3,899 for stainless-steel models and $4,299 for panel ready. The drawers offer Wi-Fi connectivity via the SKS app, and they are ENERGY STAR certified.
Judges’ Pick: Stone Forest Elemental Crossbar Vanity
Elemental is a modular offering that allows a combination of stone sinks, wood drawers and steel, wood or stone shelving. The vanity, which ranges in price from $1,913 to $2,136, also features brass pipe legs with knurled locking collars that are easy to install. This newest version includes a crossbar that can be combined with any of the brass legs. Standard plating finishes include aged brass, matte black and polished nickel and custom options are gunmetal, copper, brass, oil-rubbed bronze, chrome and pewter. The sinks and stone shelves are available in Carrara marble or antique gray limestone.