These are a few of my favourite things: Top 3 Finds at KBIS 2018
As you may know, last week I attend the KBIS (Kitchen and Bath Industry Show) in Orlando Florida. I was part of a 24-member Blog Tour put together by Modenus. As part of this 24 panel of top influencers, we had the opportunity and privilege to be put in front of many great products and supplies. We saw a lot of technology integrated in appliances, we saw some super sexy bathroom and kitchen fixtures and of course, some wonderful building products in the IBS (International Builder’s Show) portion of the convention. As part of this trip, I’ve put together my top 3 finds at KBIS 2018 that I saw on this trip. As I went through my images from all of our sponsors, I chose three that I believe you, my readers would appreciate. I kept in mind how functional these items would be for you and what the price points are. For one of my favourite finds, I specifically chose it for those of you who wish to make an impact with the details of a space without having to remove walls and that doesn't involve too much construction mess! I will warn you that this is most likely going to be my lengthiest post, but it is chalked full of info!
Please note: according to FTC rules, I need to disclose that my trip to KBIS was a free trip. While I did not get paid for my time at KBIS, my hotel, airfare and some meals were covered. As I write about our sponsors I wish for you to know that I do not receive any additional monetary compensation for doing so.
My Favourite Things
Top 3 Finds at KBIS 2018: THERMADORE
On our first day, we had the opportunity to learn about Thermadore and the release of 300 new appliances! While we didn’t see all 300, we did have the opportunity to see many new great features and additions to their lines. One cooktop that Thermadore showcased was their MASTERPIECE® SERIES FREEDOM® INDUCTION COOKTOP. While I saw many cooktops, here are just a few reasons why this one made my top 3 finds at KBIS 2018.
Image courtesy of Thermador
Thermadore created this cooktop to automatically detect the presence of your cookware. What exactly does that mean? It means that you can move your pot to another location anywhere on the cooking surface and the cooktop will transfer all of your programmed settings to the new position of the pot. Did you read that you can move it ANYWHERE??? BLOW.MY.MIND technology!With this new technology, the Freedom Induction Cooktop delivers an amazing 63% more useable surface area. There are 48 coils measuring 3” each which means that the with the 36” cooktop, you can cook with up to 4 pots/pans/griddles in ANY combination, shape or size. BOOM!Now, for the guts of this sexy little cooktop! It features 4,600 W PowerBoost™ that will allow you to boil water faster than any other product on the market! In addition, the cooktop heats 50% faster than a traditional cooktop. Another great feature is Pan Recognition feature. With this feature, the element will not turn on if other small objects are placed on the cooking zone. This makes safety a number one priority! Along with the Pan Recognition feature, there is also an Anit-Overflo System that features a sounding alarm and shut off of the relevant element if it detects liquids.With all of the above features, I chose the Thermador MASTERPIECE® SERIES FREEDOM® INDUCTION COOKTOP as one of my top three picks. I design a lot of kitchens (click here to see a few) and when the topic of function comes up with my clients, it generally leads into the discussion of cooking and what is currently working and what is currently not working. For someone who may wish to cut down on cooking and spend more quality time with the family, this is a great choice! I also believe it’s a great choice that can be incorporated into a transitional kitchen or a modern kitchen. With its full stainless steel frame and grey-black glass door and clean lines, it truly would be a great addition for any kitchen.You all are probably wondering the price-point for this cooktop. Let me start out by saying that this is not your entry level cooktop. Thermador is a luxury brand that focuses on innovative technology while continuing to focus on beautiful design. I’m a firm believer that you pay for what you get and with Thermadore’s Masterpiece® Series Freedom® Induction Cooktop you are getting a top of the line appliance. The retail price is roughly $5499 USD.
Top 3 Finds at KBIS 2018: LG
We were fortunate enough to start our first day at the LG Sponsored Champagne and Cupcakes breakfast. It was at this breakfast, my very first stop of the entire trip, that I was introduced to the LG Styler.When I was shown the features of this laundry system, one of the first things that came to my mind was: “Hotels should have this in their rooms!” After a long day of travel, I could have easily placed my clothing into a Styler and had nice, refreshed clothes!We saw two models with the smallest model measuring only 17 ½” wide. Super sleek that it wouldn’t take up a ton of space – especially in a hotel room! Here is why the LG Styler made my top 3 finds at KBIS 2018.
Image courtesy of LG
The LG Styler works with steam. You know what else works with steam? An iron. Do you know how much I hate ironing??? Let me tell you a story: I grew up in a home where my mom ironed every Monday. Monday was known as ironing day in our home. And when my mom ironed, she ironed everything – including underwear! When my mom taught me to iron, I hated it. It was one of the worst chores I had to do. I thought everyone ironed so I just sucked it up. When I got married I too had an ironing day (right after laundry day). Let me tell you, that lasted about 3 months! While I do love a good crease, I was so shitty at ironing. Oh.my.god! You should have seen some of my husband’s work shirts and pants. Because I hated ironing, I wasn’t good at it, which is why I hated it. Do you see the cycle of stupidity? So what exactly did I do to get out of this horrid chore? If clothes needed ironing they were tossed into the dryer to get the wrinkles out.When I was introduced to the LG Stlyer on our first day, I got the giggles remembering 25 years ago how I firmly told my husband that I was no longer going to be ironing his work shirts. Fortunately, we are still married!The LG Styler is what I would consider a game-changer in getting laundry done - and it's not only just about getting the wrinkles out! You basically either set you articles in the unit or hang them up, close the door, push a few buttons, come back after a set time and your clothes are done! While that’s the short version, here are some of the features that blew my mind:
- There is a deep penetrating steam that removes wrinkles. Not only does it get out the wrinkles, it freshens up your clothes too. I’m going to say this again: it removes wrinkles. Take that iron and pitch it out the window people!
- The LG Styler’s TrueSteam® technology reduces odors that can easily cling to fabrics, knits and even your most delicate delicates. Smells like smoke and sweat can be easily removed with the LG Styler. If you don't want to wash that jacket over and over again (possibly shortening the life of the jacket), you can hang it in the LG Styler and refresh it without having it go through a full-cycle wash.
- The sanitary cycle was the deal sealer for me with this appliance! With the TrueSteam® technology, a person can easily reduce allergens in clothes, bedding, sportswear, and the prized stuffie that your child may love! Just think about tossing in those sneakers that may need a re-fresh. What about the pillow that may also need a good sanitizing? The possibilities are endless! I will be honest that I did think of my son and when he played hockey. We had his hockey equipment sent to a company that would sanitize it and we did that often. With the sanitary feature, we could have saved hundreds and hundreds of dollars!
As I mentioned at the beginning, I also saw a lot of technology integrated appliances and the LG Styler is no different. LG Wi-Fi Styler has SmartThinQ®. This means that you can set in your articles in the Styler and it can be started and monitored any place, any time, using your smart phone. You can get notifications that your cycle is finished, you can download new cycles and check your energy usage. And trust me, the notifications would be going to my hubby’s phone! For all of the features listed above, this is why I chose the LG Styler as one of my top 3 finds at KBIS 2018We are in the process of developing our basement and I have talked about removing our chest deep freeze in our laundry/storage room. This was going to make room for an upright freezer however I’m thinking that new space would be perfect for an LG Styler! I also said that one of my first thoughts was that hotels should have this in their rooms. Just spending 3 nights in a hotel room, I know my sweater that I brought for the plane could have definitely gone into an LG Styler. I would have totally used it and would have made note of the hotel chain that thought of adding this as a value-added service for their clients!The pricing for 17 ½” LG Styler comes in around $2100 USD. For basically setting it and forgetting it to have all of the functions listed above, this unit would be totally worth it!
Top 3 Finds at KBIS 2018: METRIE
On our second day, we had the opportunity to visit Metire’s booth. We had a wonderful tour and saw some pretty wonderful vignettes that were put together to showcase their products. While what I’m going to talk about can be used in a kitchen or bath, it can also be used in any space in your home. And since I look after a lot of the construction side and guide clients in choosing their finishings, the products that Metrie offers can be used to either refresh a space, or create a new space adding that ever-important attention to detail.
Image courtesy of Metrie
At Metrie's booth, we were shown the ‘Then and Now’ collection. These collections have been carefully curated to work together. From the baseboards to the casings to the interior doors to all of the trim work. Here are the collections:
Of course, I knew Metrie has recently brought the ever-popular shiplap into their line. I let two of my clients know that I was going to be seeing the shiplap and would report back to them. When I saw the shiplap, I immediately texted my clients to show them.Here is why Metrie made my top 3 finds at KBIS 2018:
- If a full renovation is not in your future, millwork is a great way to add detail to a ‘boring room’. In addition, it’s actually not that expensive to do and it can take a plain, builder-grade home and elevate it! If you don't believe, have a turn with Metrie's Room Styler to play around with creating different looks!
- If a renovation is in your future, there are so many ‘looks’ you can create. While Metrie has curated their "Then and Now" Collection, there’s nothing to say you can’t mix and match base and case to create your own look.
- The millwork comes typically in three price points that Metrie has called 'Scenes. Please note: the Pretty Simple Collection only has two Scene options to choose from and all of the others have three choices.
- Scene 1 Elements are quality paint-grade, medium-density fiberboard (MDF) for durability and ease of installation.
- Scene II Elements are designed with angled, crisp geometric lines for a clean, minimalist look. Available in primed MDF.
- Scene III Elements feature long, linear lines with crisp edges in rift-cut White Oak, which is ideal for staining or clear finishes.
While the majority of my projects are full renovations, I do work with individuals and families who like to refresh only one or two certain spaces. Choosing new baseboards, casings, and interior finishings is a GREAT way to do just that.I hope you have enjoyed seeing my own personal Top 3 choices from KBIS 2018. Let me know if you have any questions or comments! I'll be creating some more blog posts with some pretty sleek, sexy, and great price-point products throughout the coming weeks!
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