The Best New Kitchen Ideas from the 2021 Virtual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show
We’re filled with excitement and a little overwhelmed each year thinking about heading to KBIS, the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show where brands from all over the world show off their latest and best new colors, technology, and designs.
This year’s show was 100% virtual, but brands still created online experiences to present their newest offerings. Here are some of our favorite new innovations for the kitchen.
Custom Pattern Printing from BlueStar Ranges
Customization has been a big deal for BlueStar’s line of ranges and refrigerators for a while. A couple years ago they debuted their color- matching technology which allowed them to match any shade you like, including your beloved lipstick. Thanks to their new BlueStar by Design initiative you can make your appliances match any pattern, whether it’s a floral-like this Kendall Wilkinson design above, a piece of artwork or a favorite wallpaper.
Bespoke Refrigerators from Samsung
Having a customizable refrigerator that fits your tastes and needs was the biggest new offering at Samsung. The Bespoke column refrigerators can be stacked or installed inline; come in eight colors, including blush pink; and two finishes: steel or glass. We’re partial to the champagne steel and the sky blue glass. Options include a water dispenser that’s internal or out front, an ice maker that cranks out ice in two shapes, and flexible storage bins with temperature controls.
Mixed Metal Faucets
Mixed metal faucets, mostly in matte black and gold, made a splash at the show a couple years ago. Kallista built on that trend with their striking industrial-feeling Juxtapose faucet and kitchen sink accessories designed by Mick De Giulio. Kohler meanwhile, took the two-tone look in a new direction with its Sensate ombré shaded faucets in rose gold and nickel. Kohler also won a silver best of show award for their new Moxie shower head with a Harman Kardon speaker, which has Wi-fi connectivity. Get ready to take sinking in the shower to a new level.
Brasserie-Style Storage
Anyone who loves handing out in French brasseries has admired the gleaming brass and glass bar shelving filled with rows of spirits, aperitifs and glassware. That same look has been showing up in custom shelving in luxury residential kitchens of late. We’re happy to see Kesseböhmer debut the YouK shelving system, which makes it easy for anyone to create a tailored open shelving look. Element Designs has a similar offering called the eCubed Shelving Ladder that’s available in a variety of metals plus black and white.
Plum Integrated Wine Server
If you’re a wine lover, you probably already know about the Plum. The countertop version of this incredibly efficient-yet-affordable wine dispenser won a gold medal at KBIS 2020. It makes it effortless to serve two bottles of wine at perfect temperature. The wines are protected by argon gas and stay fresh for up to 90 days. The wine geek in you will love the notes it shares on any grape varietal you can think of. This year, they debuted a version that can be installed into a wall along with other kitchen appliances.
Fisher Paykel DishDrawer Dishwasher
It’s not brand new, but we’re still amazed at the way Fisher Paykel packs so much dishwashing power in a compact drawer. The series 11 DishDrawer features a stainless steel interior and knock to pause technology in case you forgot to add a dish. When your dishwasher is this sleek, it’s easy to have two flanking the sink so clean mugs are always on hand. And with tiny house living getting more popular, we expect to see more diminutive appliances like this one.
BlueStar’s Color of the Year: Light Aqua Green
For the first time in 2021, BlueStar got into the color of the year conversation. It seems timely since they’ve been leading the way with appliances in an endless array of custom colors. They teamed up with our friend Kim Lewis, a super talented designer based in Austin who’s known for colorful, soulful, and sustainable design, to choose the first color. Her pick of Light Aqua Green (RAL #6027) is refreshing and right on time with all the fascination with blue and green. It’s a shade that compliments any cabinet color, and it really fresh, soothing, and upbeat all at once with the way it evokes spring and new life.