K/BIS in Review: Slow show, fast products, medium tone.

So, K/BIS 2009 was a far departure from K/BIS over that past 10 years.  There were a lot of companies missing: Viking, Sub-zero/Wolf and Thermador to name a few.  I spoke with a lot of people who were at the show, but were recently laid off.  Everyone confirmed that sales were, well, a challenge.  The aisles were wide (and open).  Most of my memories of K/BIS are shoulder-to-shoulder people literally ‘squeezing’ through the aisles.  While that certainly wasn’t the case this year, for the most part, it seemed that those that attended were cautiously optimistic.  Yes, the show was slow. But some of the new products were amazing and the overall tone wasn’t too bad.  So, what products did I find the most interesting? Call me biased, but I can’t help but start with two of our clients:

Gemstone(TM) Walls by Eldorado Stone: CandleWall

Eldorado Outdoor: A collection of modular units that quickly create a stunning outdoor environment.

rugged appearance, yet is half the weight and half the cost of real stone. Take a look at the backdrop to the “Eldorado Outdoor” image – it features Moonlight RoughCut. 

Everpure eliminates bottled water waste.

Everpure introduced two products at the show including its new ViruPure(TM) Filtration System which filters out even the smallest possible viruses from drinking water. And given the current concern over viruses, Everpure provides peace of mind.  If you’re interested in a whole-home system, be sure to check out Evepure’s new Protega Whole-home Ultra-filtration System.   Unlike point-of-use systems installed at a single faucet, the Protega is a point-of-entry system; it filters all of the water that enters the home. 

So, why water filtration for your home?  Just check out the stat on the image to the left: “Americans used 50 billion plastic water bottles last year, 40 billion ended up in landfills.” With each bottle taking up to 1,000 years to biodegrade and bottled water costing more than gasoline per gallon, it only makes sense that we begin to take better care of the environment and ourselves: www.everpure.com

 Other cool finds at K/BIS 2009 include:

Elica Star Ventilation Hood

Elica introduced a stunning hood called Star.  It’s ventilation, lighting and decorative art, all in one: Beautiful!  http://www.elica.com/index~lg~us~mer~9.htm

Okay, it’s the worst photo ever (I never claimed to be a photographer), but the product is really beautiful.  It’s called Motivo(TM) from Ceasarstone.  It’s a visual and tactile experience that applies sand-blasted technology to create beauty and texture in “Lace” and “Crocodile” designs.  Seriously, if you haven’t seen it, it’s a must: www.CeasarStoneUS.com

Lynx introduces a kegerator that even a girl could love.  Yes, it holds a keg, but even better is that when the keg is gone, it’s a refrigerator: perfect for holding fruit, meats (perfectly marinated for your man to grill), vegetables, brie and yes, a bottle of chardonnay (what can I say? It’s a little too cold for merlot).  So when the ‘unsophisticated’ keg is gone (thank goodness), the refrigerator becomes what it should be, the perfect place for a sophisticated party…www.lynxgrills.com

Poggenpohl kitchen

I was not terribly familiar with Poggenpohl prior to this K/BIS show.  And wow! I had no idea what I was missing. The sleek lines. The smart and functional drawers and cabinets. The sheer beauty. I want to trade in my entire kitchen today.  Let’s just say, they know kitchens.  Although they told me what they were showing at K/BIS was affectionately called the ‘guys kitchen,’ I am not a guy, but I loved that kitchen. Everything from the television built into the back splash to the amazing framing of every cabinet and drawer, this is what K/BIS is all about – highlighting the best of the best (and making me go home to what I am now considering my VERY humble abode…) www.poggenpohl.de

So, that’s just the start from the show. More to come tomorrow.