Galleries: Trends & Inspirations
KBB Announces 2018 Product Innovator Award Winners
Kitchen Product of the Year: Signature Kitchen Suite 48-in. Dual-Fuel Pro Range
- Ultra-High and Ultra-Low burners function as reversible and dual-action.
- Two-Zone Induction offers temperature and control and can be combined for use with a griddle, teppanyaki plate or large cookware.
- The True-Combi-Steam 18-in. Oven combines steam and convection cooking, while its 30-in. counterpart features ProHeat convection technology with a rear-wall fan that dispenses heat to every rack.
- The range is Wi-Fi enabled and uses SmartThinQ technology.
The judges chose the $14,999 range because it is a one-stop-shop appliance with six methods of cooking.
Bathroom Product of the Year: GrohTherm SmartControl and Rapido SmartBax by GROHE
The GrohTherm SmartControl shower trim was designed to deliver proficient water temperature and flow rate control through push-and-turn buttons and offers the option of having up to three shower outlets controlled through a low-profile wall plate. Behind the wall, the Rapido SmartBox universal rough-in valve simplifies the installation by positioning the water supply inlets at the bottom of the valve to correspond with supply lines that come up from the floor.
SmartControl, which starts at $653 is available in concealed and exposed versions to fit a variety of bathroom styles, and it is offered in square or round designs with chrome, brushed nickel or moon white finishes.
2nd Place Kitchen: Perlick 24-in. Column Refrigerator
The $6,850 two-tone, stainless steel and glass refrigerator features the QuatroCool Preservation System, which combines the power of temperature, air quality and humidity to maintain the nutrients and prolong freshness of the ingredients. The system includes four independently controlled temperature zones, dual chamber air filtration and electronic humidity control.
The refrigerator uses LED theater lighting to showcase what’s inside, and a PerliQ touchscreen control provides smart preset temperatures for each of the four zones. Because industry and consumer response to the product has been so positive, Perlick plans to expand its portfolio to include more sizes and configurations.
2nd Place Bathroom: Drywall Pro by Aria Vent
The Drywall Pro is an invisible air register for supply and return vents in the drywall. It is designed with a metal corner bead that is mudded into the walls or ceilings, so the vent is contoured into the surface. It can be retrofitted into any home and customized with paint or wallpaper.
The Drywall Pro comes in four sizes and ranges in price from $75 to $195. The shape of its opening optimizes the air throw, which creates a strong, directional push throughout the room, and air flow can be controlled any time after the installation. Over the next six months, Aria Vent plans to expand into additional markets and hopes to expand into big-box stores within the next year.
3rd Place Kitchen: +VENOVO by Poggenpohl
+VENOVO is a kitchen system that emulates the living home concept and eliminates the boundary between the kitchen and the living areas. The islands, lowboards, highboards and tall units can be combined and rearranged to fit any home – just like furniture – and no two +VENOVO kitchens are the same.
+VENONO floats on a frame system so it can be moved. One tether – a chrome-plated, stainless steel mechanical cover under the sink – carries the plumbing, gas and electrical needed for the island. Since each system is customized, pricing is available on request for the made-to-order kitchen.
3rd Place Bathroom: Delmar Supreme by QM Drain
The Delmar Supreme offers the flexibility to center a linear drain without moving existing plumbing, solving a common issue in the residential bath market. The grates can be cut to a custom length, and multiple drains can be aligned to accommodate any shower design.
The stainless steel Delmar Supreme ranges in price from $500 to $2,500 and is available in four lengths and four finishes, including satin, polished, satin gold or black. While the linear drain is just one component, QM Drain is launching a whole shower system at KBIS 2019. In terms of the linear drain, the company plans to keep developing new options, expand sales networks and enhance brand awareness.
HM Kitchen – Bosch Home Appliances Built-In Coffee Machine with Home Connect
The $3,099 Bosch Built-In Coffee Machine with the Home Connect app allows users to program their customized coffee and tea orders from anywhere with the Coffee Playlist function. The machine can store favorites for easy access, and it even provides information on coffee bean roasting techniques, bean varieties and harvesting and several recipes with the Coffee World feature. It also offers voice control via Amazon Alexa.
HM Bathrooms – Integrated Deck Designs by MTI Baths
Integrated Deck Designs were created to surround the company’s freestanding tubs and supply a mounting space for faucets, as well as a spot on which to set whatever your client wants to bring along on the soak.
The product, which ranges in price from $3,500-$7,000 and was only used in the hospitality market, is now available in custom sizes for residential applications. The company has plans to design optional storage cubbies and adjacent benches that can connect to other areas in the bathroom.
HM – Bathroom: Arcadia Series by Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet
The Arcadia outdoor kitchen collection is highlighted by the four-board design that runs across each cabinet face, and a brushed, stainless steel endcap flanks the ends of each board. It is available in two finishes – natural ipe wood with an oiled finish that is suitable for almost any climate or powder-coated stainless steel in charcoal gray.
Refrigerated and storage units are sold separately, ranging in price from $3,395 to $7,125, and are to be used as part of an overall modular system. Clients and designers can create any combination, and the company has plans to expand the collection even further in the future.
HM Bathrooms – TubShroom Chrome Edition by Juka Innovations Corp.
TubShroom is a hair stopper that fits inside the existing drain of a tub/shower combo. It is now available in the Chrome Edition, which is an improvement over the original model released in 2016.
The $13.99 Chrome Edition blends in with almost any bathroom, offers more mildew resistance, and its new hole size accommodates maximum water flow. The company plans to roll out a kitchen sink version later this year, and it already offers stoppers for bathroom sinks and stand-up shower stalls.
HM Kitchen – Flush Pizza Oven by Monogram Appliances
The electric Monogram Flush Pizza Oven offers the performance of a coal- and wood-burning oven. The stainless-steel appliance features an integrated ventilation system that allows it to fit into a standard cabinet, it requires no additional ducting, and it installs flush with the cabinetry. It also cooks Neapolitan pizzas in just two minutes with its precise temperature zones made up of 14 heating elements.
The $10,500 pizza oven stone is easy to clean with a brass bristle brush (included), and it is powered by a standard 240-volt outlet. This year’s judges appreciated its ease of use and installation, as well as its space-saving capabilities and short cook time.
HM Bathrooms – Elemental Collection by Stone Forest
Stone Forest’s Elemental Collection of vanities and integrated sinks allows for total customization of this area of bath consoles and/or stand-alone storage systems. The modular concept allows you to mix sinks, wood drawers and steel or wood shelving in a variety of combinations for every bathroom size.
Simple configurations of the collection start at $2,735 and is available as a single or double vanity with a choice of two Stone Forest sinks: Ventus and Terra. The company will be adding accessories to the collection and more storage solutions, and they are also exploring lighting to round out the collection.