I’m back from KBIS 2023 and my creativity reservoir is full! I had a great time reconnecting with my fellow Designhounds and got to meet so many of the industry’s top movers, shakers, and makers.
A Designhound is a designer who uncovers the best products, sources, and trends. The Designhounds influencer group was created by Modenus Media as a network of more than 600 interior design professionals. Since 2011, our combined audience has grown to more than 5-million design-savvy audience members.
For 2023, the Modenus Media Designhounds were tasked with scouting out our top 5 favorite products from all of the exhibitors at KBIS Las Vegas. This event was made possible by our generous brand partners: Signature Kitchen Suite, Mr. Steam, Compac Stone, Westlake Building Products, and Ballerina Kitchens.
There were several events happening at once (the Las Vegas Winter Market, the National Hardware Show, and The International Surface Event were co-dated with the NAHB International Builders’ Show and the KBIS 2023. It was a whirlwind of a week but I managed to track down the best finds at this year’s event. Let’s take a look at my favorite products from the show!
Signature Kitchen Suite (SKS) 24-inch Integrated Column Wine Refrigerator
Legacy Brand Partner – KBIS 2023
Ingeniously engineered with an emphasis on providing the perfect cave-like environment, this 24-inch wine refrigerator offers three zones of preservation perfection. Holding 113 bottles, this luxury refrigerator features dark opaque glass doors for UV protection with Touch Display Lighting. A gentle tap on the glass activates LED lights throughout the column to showcase your collection. The ingenious inverter linear also compressor minimizes vibration, preserving your collection’s quality, flavors, aromas, and textures. The wine refrigerator also connects to your phone via the Signature Sommelier app, an AI-driven app that helps you manage your entire wine collection with photos of labels, notes on shelf placement, and more. It also learns your preferences to assist in wine pairings and recommendations! Pretty snazzy if you ask me.
Compac Stone
Legacy Brand Partner – KBIS 2023
COMPAC recently released a new Technological Quartz collection called Genesis, inspired by the glaciers and frozen lakes of the Arctic. COMPAC’s Technological Quartz is the next generation of surface materials. It performs better than quartz and comes in an extensive range of colors, designs, sizes, thicknesses, and ornamentations. Not only is it completely non-porous which makes is hygenic — the perfect material for countertops, floors, walls and more! Don’t let its beauty fool you — the material is also highly resistant to scratching, staining, water, and humidity. The kitchen island you see here is the QuartzRock from COMPAC. It is more than just an island — it is an imposing one-ton sculpture artfully created from seven slabs of COMPAC’s Technological Quartz in Ice Viola.
Westlake Royal Building Products
Legacy Brand Partner – KBIS 2023
Westlake Royal Building Products™ manufactures a wide variety of quality products for builders, homeowners, architects, and engineers in an unmatched array of colors, styles, and accessories. I was new to Westlake Royal Building Products before KBIS, but I am so glad they were a sponsor this year! I don’t talk enough about exterior design, but trust me — it’s important. They introduced us to their offerings using BOUNDLESS, their new Immersive Experience. The booth featured innovative new products from the Westlake Royal family of brands, a coffee bar, and 3D visualizers.
MrSteam
Legacy Brand Partner – KBIS 2023
MrSteam has more than 100 years of experience in steam manufacturing. They are now the largest manufacturer of electric steam boilers in the world. Design professionals know the quality and innovation that the MrSteam brand offers. We recommend them to residential and commercial clients alike. They’re used around the world in homes, hotels, gyms, resorts, spas and even hospitals! There are even MrSteam systems installed at the Kennedy Space Center.
Steam bathing seems like an indulgence but it is just about as important as eating well and exercising regularly! It relaxes sore joints and muscles, opens nasal passages and sinuses, improves blood circulation, and boosts your metabolism! A single steam bathing session can burn up to 150 calories. It is also a lot more eco-friendly than you might think! A 15-minute steam shower uses only two gallons of water—a conventional bath consumes up 40 gallons or more!
You also don’t need a large house or special plumbing to get started. MrSteam steam showers can be installed in almost any enclosed shower. The system consists of a small steam generator that is the size of a breadbox, as well as a sleek control panel, and a discreet steam head. You can also enhance your steam bathing experience with optional AromaTherapy, ChromaTherapy, and MusicTherapy systems. I anticipate seeing more steam shower systems installed in homes in 2023 and beyond.
Ballerina Kitchens
Legacy Brand Partner – KBIS 2023
Founded in Germany in 1978, Ballerina Kitchens produce high-quality fitted kitchens in a range of styles, colors and sizes. There are more than 30 standard colors and 70+ kitchen designs, Ballerina Kitchens offers something for everyone. All of their products are designed and produced with three principles in mind: individuality, simplicity and practicality. They also incorporate innovative products including antibacterial countertops, integrated lighting, and a proprietary material called SMARTGLAS that is break, scratch, and fingerprint resistant!
Monogram and Belwith Keeler Collaboration
For generations, the Keeler name has been synonymous with quality and craftsmanship. At KBIS 2023, they relaunched Keeler Brass Company®, and announced Anthology, a collaboration with Monogram, and the first designer series with renowned interior designer and Monogram creative director Richard T. Anuszkiewicz. Anthology gives you the ability to personalize your space. Inspired by fine jewelry, the Monogram Designer Collection features two custom appliance aesthetics: the Brass Collection, displaying classic style in gold and polished hues, and the Titanium Collection, featuring sleek lines, and dark charcoal muted tones. Both of these collections are wrapped with sustainably sourced, Greenguard Gold-certified, durable leather with state-of-the-art decorative brass trim.
I stopped by Monogram Appliances at KBIS 2023 and I was simply blown away! They outfitted the space with red custom cabinetry, matching red wallcovering, and brass pulls from the Anthology Series, part of Belwith Keeler’s extensive archive.
Stunning, isn’t it? I have never wanted a red kitchen more! If you’d like to see more from both Keeler Brass, a division of Belwith Keeler, please reach out to me. I have personally used their products in my home and I can vouch for their unmatched beauty and durability.
Rev-A-Shelf Drying Rack
Hacker Kitchens North America
Häcker Kitchens North America manufactures functional, durable, and modern fitted kitchens. Founded in Germany in 1898 by Hermann Häcker, the family-owned company’s North America headquarters is located in Miami, Florida. Their carbon-neutral production facilities are state-of-the-art, meeting customer requirements down to the last detail. I had the opportunity to “test drive” their exclusive Silent-Move system, The Phantom at KBIS 2023. You can see the video here! I was so impressed! The Phantom allows you to hide your cooktop underneath a gliding island countertop that slides away at the slightest touch. This is a fantastic solution for a small kitchen — or any kitchen!
And that does it, folks! I wish I could review every amazing product and manufacturer that I saw at KBIS 2023 but I would have to clone myself first.
If you’d like to learn more about any of these products, click the links in the blog. You can also reach out if there’s something that piqued your interest — I’m happy to help! If you’re preparing for a kitchen or bathroom remodel, let’s talk. You can request a consultation through my website or send an email to [email protected].
Until next time, friends!