Here are some of the innovative products that encapsulated the design trends at this year’s KBIS.  

By Seth Ellison

KBIS 2023 saw one of the largest gatherings of K&B industry professionals in the show’s 60-year-long history, drawing more than 40,000 visitors. With 500+ exhibitors, showcasing an exciting array of new products, innovations and styles there were several strong trends that stood out. Here are some you may have noticed:

Any Color You Like

KBIS 2023 was literally flooded with color, replacing the neutral tones with bright, 70s-inspired hues in many designs and appliances — leading one to believe that there is an underlying feeling of joy returning to the market after the uncertainty of the last few years.

Kohler’s Heritage Colors campaign, a celebratory initiative paying homage to the company’s design legacy, displayed toilets and freestanding sinks that were nothing short of a colorful triumph, relaunching pastel hues dating all the way back to the Roaring ’20s. Attendees were able to vote on which retro-inspired colors would be added to its product line, which we later learned would be “Spring Green” (circa 1927) and “Peachblow” (circa 1934).

Further punctuating the return of color, LG Studio unveiled its kaleidoscopic LED-lit MoodUP™ refrigerator. Delivering almost unlimited design/color flexibility, users can choose from 23 colors for the refrigerator door panel and 19 colors for the freezer, instantaneously changing the atmosphere and mood of their kitchen, with a simple touch via the LG ThinQ™ app. Further adding to the ambiance and fun, LG’s refrigerator can turn your kitchen into a dance club by playing music with a built-in Bluetooth® speaker that can be easily connected to all of your smart devices. 

Never a brand to shy away from color, Italian appliance manufacturer Smeg debuted some new styles to its Retro Collection, this year partnering with Veuve Clicquot brand for a new line of colorful fridges in a distinctive iconic hue, dubbed Veuve Clicquot yellow in celebration of the French Maison’s 250th anniversary.  On a more whimsy note, Smeg made another fruitful partnership with the beloved Peanuts comic strip with its 1950’s style family mini-refrigerator, with a playful ode to Snoopy and his feathered pal Woodstock.

Wellness as Luxury

It’s clear that baths are being transformed into wellness centers and oasis retreats for both the body and mind, with many designers crafting spa-like environments. Manufacturers such as Brizo debuted the Mystix Steam System, an immersive steam shower system that the brand describes as “a journey for the senses.” The upgraded version, called Transcendent, allows you to control steam pressure and temperature, and also incorporates therapeutic options like aromatherapy, chromotherapy and audiotherapy. 

The brand Delta also offered some very human-centric spa-like shower designs, such as the ShowerSense Digital Shower. It is easy to use and has all the features necessary to create a customizable shower experience to fit your wellness needs, including precise temperature and flow control, built-in Wi-Fi and virtual assistants — available Summer of 2023.

Legrand has partnered with antimicrobial leader Microban to introduce germ-free solutions to the home, such as touchless technology that comes in a variety of programmable light switches through its adorne® and radiant® Collections. Legrand claims these enhanced switchers, dimmers and wall plates are considerably cleaner than unprotected surfaces and a must for the ‘new normal’ we all find ourselves in.

Large and in Charge

Almost every aspect of K&B remodels has increased, which not only means that projects are becoming significantly more involved but also literally larger in scale -– breaking down walls and taking over adjoining rooms, in addition to creating more space for storage for both kitchens and baths. 

To keep up with this dramatic size increase in living space, appliances have scaled up as well. For example, the Monogram Designer Collection has a 96-inch high refrigeration panel that stretches from floor to ceiling in a refined style inspired by fine jewelry in brass and titanium. The bold and elegant Brass Collection is based on the fundamentals of classical architecture in gold and polished hues, while the muted-toned Titanium Collection is rooted in the art of minimalistic sleek lines.

Another example is the True Residental’s Join Kit — which offers homeowners the freedom to design kitchens the way they want by allowing refrigerator units to be connected side-by-side to create a massive refrigeration system of up to 120 inches (four 30-inch units), incorporating everything from refrigerators to freezers to beverage columns.

All that Glitters is Gold… and Travertine

Brands are mixing bold patterns, various textures and a cornucopia of materials. Gold (or, more specifically, brushed bronze or brushed brass) faucets, shower heads and cabinet hardware could literally seen everywhere from Brizo to Kohler to TOTO. In particular, Emtek showcased some bold and eye-catching golden offerings from its Riviera and Westridge Collections that looked like they had come straight out of the Art Deco period.  

As for natural materials, Quartz was prominent throughout the show, perhaps because of its durability, resistance to damage and antibacterial nature —  in addition, the stone travertine (which has many of the same attributes) is also having a moment. Cosentino introduced Dekton’s new Pietra Kode Collection, which uses an ultracompaction process that retains the stone’s natural beauty and properties. 

Not Just a Throwaway

Food waste is an issue, and many brands are taking note — with the understanding that one way to avoid it is composting. Enter smart, automated compost systems like Sepura, the Grand Prize Winner of the Kickstarter Zone at KBIS 2023. This system is an alternative to under-sink food disposal that separates food waste into a collection bin and grinds it down into compost in about eight seconds.

Another noteworthy award winner at KBIS 2023 — DesignBites’ “Brand With the Biggest Bite,” to be exact — was the Turkish-based global manufacturer Beko for its innovative refrigerator technology. What started as EverFresh+ with Active Blue Light, a series of crisper drawers that keeps vegetables fresh for 30 days, has evolved into HarvestFresh, which extends the life of vegetable vitamin content with a three-color light technology that simulates the 24-hour natural sun cycle.