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Kitchen and Bath Manufacturers Find Inspiration in 2020


Hammerton's glass blowing artisans work in a studio adjusted to fit safety protocols

November 2, 2020

The pandemic has had a tremendous impact on many industries, including kitchen and bath manufacturing and renovations. Fortunately, this time has been mostly advantageous for those in the home remodeling business, where clients are stuck in their houses and demanding changes to make life easier during this experience. KBB spoke with manufacturers to find out how they are adapting and innovating to the changing landscape and what new products have come out of 2020.

“At Cosentino, our goal is and always has been to take periods of adversity and turn them into opportunities for innovation, change and creativity,” said Valentin Tijeras Garcia, global head of research and development for the Cosentino Group. “After the pandemic hit, we’re proud to say that we adapted to quickly changing circumstances and were able to channel them into new improvements and technologies for our products.”. “We know that nothing worthwhile comes from staying in our comfort zone. We are constantly creating new cutting-edge technologies and improvements to the product and launching new color series.”

Hammerton also reported an excellent year. The company is based in Utah, which has been supportive of businesses like them staying open.

As we make 100 percent of our product line right here in the U.S., we knew we had a big opportunity when COVID hit,” said Nancy Schott, vice president of marketing, Hammerton. “All of our overseas competition and most of our domestic competition shut down for weeks – and in some cases, months. We’ve stayed open and have helped our customers successfully navigate through a very challenging time.”

Richelieu’s antibacterial decorative panels, solid surfaces and copper pulls inhibit the ability of microorganisms to grow and to spread, making them ideal for residential, commercial and institutional applications. The decorative panels and solid surfaces have been tested in line with the ISO antibacterial testing requirements.

Positive Innovations this Year

This time has also provided inspiration for many companies to evolve and create. Cosentino’s latest series, Silestone Loft, drew from some of the most unique urban neighborhoods in the world – many of which were under lock down.

“With the lack of travel this year, finding ways to bring the spirit of these cities into our dwellings seemed fitting for this season,” said Garcia. “There also continues to be a strong interest in industrial, cement-style colors, and we anticipate these five shades (Camden, Seaport, Corktown, Poblenou and Nolita) will not only meet but exceed demand and lead the industry trend.”

Azerobact Plus from Antolini is the first and only antibacterial treatment for natural stones that prevents the formation and spread of bacteria to support a healthy lifestyle without the regular application of harsh, unnatural chemicals.

How companies are doing business has also changed. With the rising need for virtual communication and shopping, Neolith launched the Neolith Virtual Experience to help bring the company’s collection of finishes and colors directly into a client’s home.

“Due to the pandemic, more remote and digital methods are needed to bring the material to customers’ attention, particularly due to trade shows such as KBIS being moved to our screens,” said a Neolith representative. “Neolith has therefore focused significant research and investment on developing its online platforms even further to create this new innovative suite of interactive and immersive features, bringing the brand to life digitally and making it accessible to all.”

Crafted in LED-illuminated artisan blown glass and hand-polished steel, this sculptural 92-in.-height light from Hammerton explores the inherent aesthetic relationship between symmetry and asymmetry. The chandelier is customizable in size, scale and materials.

And in the factories themselves, companies have changed their processes so that workers stay safe and manufacturing is more efficient. Hammerton’s glass-blowing artisans – who typically work closely in a team – had to learn and evolve to keep their studio safe.

“Glass blowing is typically a very intimate process, with multiple hands and mouths on a blow-pipe during the fabrication of a single piece of glass,” said Schott. “Using personal mouthpieces, adding disinfectant to pipe coolers and reorganizing benches and equipment are just a few ways our glass shop has stayed safe and healthy. Hammerton glass production is up double digits since COVID started.”

The newest iteration of the Dex series from Kraus has a more streamlined and universal aesthetic, with designs that incorporate wide-radius R40 corners as well as tighter-radius R20 corners. All Dex sinks are made with T304Plus, a proprietary stainless-steel blend enhanced with naturally antimicrobial copper ions, found by third-party testing to kill up to 99.9 percent of bacteria that touches the sink surface.

Helping inspire these movements is the sudden surge in customers across most sectors of the kitchen and bath industry. The recently released Q4 2020 Houzz Renovation Barometer reported that home renovation and design businesses have not only recovered to pre-pandemic activity levels, but 85 percent of firms in the architectural and design services sector have a neutral to very good outlook for the rest of the year, compared with 73 percent at the start of the third quarter. In addition, interior designers have two-week longer wait times to take on a new midsize project than they did at the start of the previous quarter.

The Alveo – the Kenwood Appliances Award Winner for 2020 – is an at-home photobioreactor and cultivation tank that allows consumers to grow and harvest fresh, flavor-free and ready-to-consume spirulina. Alveo aims to bring a sense of wellness to both the kitchen and consumer by introducing this superfood of the future to the home.