KBIS 2025 - Kitchen (& Bath) Industry Show RECAP

What’s New in Kitchens for 2025 with the Kitchen (& Bath) Industry Show, Las Vegas

WHAT a show! I haven’t been back to KBIS in a while - I figured every 3-4 years is enough to stay on top of what’s new in the Industry, as well as to be refreshingly inspired by speakers and colleagues. Here are a few brief highlights!

COLOR vs NEUTRALS

While it IS a trade show, and some brands do what they can to be seen, bold colors were quite limited to one or two brands/booths. Most featured beautifully soft neutrals, including some greens and blues. I love being pulled out of my comfort zone! But to look at a bright (backlit) purple wall every day? Might be best saved for a feature bar area or fun pantry interior. I did love ALL the new Benjamin Moore colors for this year!

WINE STORAGE 

Creative ways to store wine is important for anyone passionate about their vintages. Personally I kept thinking about how to turn ‘wine solutions’ into ‘home made fermented beverage solutions’ LOL. Monogram offered a gorgeous design detail by putting wallpaper behind featured bottles - great for a more formal look. This wine cooler is perfect for savoring really special bottles of wine through their Coravin spouting..

METALS are for EVERYWHERE (and in all the colors)

Metals are more varied today than they’ve ever been. From cabinetry trims, to fixtures, to veggies drawer fronts, to accents, to hardware, to appliances to sinks - it keeps going! I fell in love with the  heavy brass pulls from the UK by Armac Martin.

WORKSTATION SINKS (with BIG and MANY FAUCETS) in every finish

Workstation sinks (that have a ledge to hold all sorts of utility ‘attachments’) seem to be as common as regular sinks now, which is great. Bocci has them in a fire clay, Blanco had some beautiful graphites, and the one below had two level steps. Big faucets had a big showing, but so did all the smaller ones beside them for hot or filtered water on demand.

DOWNDRAFTING

Prototypes for cooking ventilation that isn’t a massive forehead-level box are still being tested, particularly with downdrafts. I’m not convinced as to their efficiency and ultimate ability to keep up clean air that isn’t directly ventilated, but at least the industry is still working the problem. One day a perfect solution will arrive!

SPEAKING of KITCHENS …

I enjoy listening to other people talk about Kitchen Design almost as much as I love myself to talk about Kitchen Design! Kitchen-related professionals from all over the world shared their expertise and offered inspiration. My notebooks are full and ready to lend  inspiration to your projects!

PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS

I do love it when an idea piques my interest. I’m not always immediately sure what I think of them, but at least it gets me thinking about function and practicality and beauty in a new way. Like dishwashers you don’t have to bend way down to use? Great for aging-in-place design. BUT trading off sink-adjacent counter space …
Alternately, I do love a piece of Kitchen you can move as you need - like this cute hidden countertop under the raised Island.

NOT SO PRACTICAL  … (ie ‘Do Not Do’s)

I don’t mind a reminder of what NOT to do in Kitchen Design. While it’s easy to think a KITCHEN DESIGN trade show should know better, some of these are far too common throughout the industry and are accepted as an acceptable norm.

1. Lighting at the BACK of the cabinetry makes everything in front of it appear dark to the eye. Have you tried taking a photo of a person in front of the sunshine? It doesn’t work for photos, and it doesn’t work for countertops where you need to work and do knife work and see your ingredients / food.

ALSO in this photo is a textured backsplash by the cooktop - that would be absolute hell to keep clean …

2. Corners that stick out - CONSTANT bruised hips on that sink corner - and pulls that catch on clothing while handling sharp knives and boiling liquids. Just NO.

3. Again, knobs in the Kitchen, below APRON LEVEL, are hazards that can cause unnecessary accidents in the Kitchen.

4. Knobs UNDER towel rods / rod guards?! They’re difficult to reach and impossible to see quickly and clearly. I don’t understand why so many brands of Ranges do this …

MATERIALITY

Adding texture through materiality can be a great option. Leathered and metallic finishes, bright popping tiles, hard-wearing surfaces made from seashells, or even wallpapers can all lend interest and beauty to a space for those adventurous enough to try them!

ADDED BONUS - Restaurant Design

The added bonus FOR ME in heading to Vegas for this conference is exploring the Restaurants. It’s VEGAS, after all! The ‘go big or go home’ city, and the restaurant design elements didn’t disappoint. Next time I’m in Vegas my key focus will be on learning from this side of the ‘eating and gathering’ industry to bring great ideas back into our homes.

I hope you’re as inspired as I am!
Design is developing all around us. Home Kitchens don’t have to all look cookie cutter / magazine ready - they can be real, useful, practical and beautiful spaces that bring our hearts joy every time we enter them.

We at the Home Kitchen are happy to share more in depth inspo with you for YOUR Kitchen through our 1.5h Consults - book yours HERE!