The annual trade show of our industry, KBIS (Kitchen and Bath Industry Show) was held in Chicago this past month.  The show fills all three halls of McCormick Place, and it is a major task to actually see the entire show.  You need a comfortable pair of shoes, a good map of the floor space, and a lot of energy to see the vast array of items on display.

Over the past few years, there has been an increasing presence of importers at this show.  In prior years, we used to chuckle at their weak attempt to bring quality products into the American markets.  But things have clearly changed!  There has been a marked improvement in the quality, style and variety of offerings from the importers.  They are clearly a force to be reckoned with in the years to come, especially if they can overcome the extended delivery times that are required to get their products delivered to the distributor.

New cabinetry finishes were everywhere – many manufacturers seem to be moving their lines even more “up-market” – moving away from glazes into even more expensive finishes such as a “burnished” finish that duplicates the look in expensive furniture.  In fact, many of the “semi-custom” cabinet vendors are offering upgrades that were once only available in expensive “custom” cabinetry.  These are costly offerings that, in our estimation, the “average” American consumer simply cannot afford.

In 2008, it has been our experience that the “average” Michigan consumer is looking to reduce their overall costs on the cabinetry portion of their project, while enhancing the beauty of their project by emphasizing the countertop portion of the project.  We are seeing more clients this year – but the average overall budget seems to be about 20% less per project from prior years.  Value, savings, cost efficient materials, streamlined installation programs – this is what Michiganders seem to want from us today!  And these are the types of products we seek to bring to market for our clients.

There were many new countertop choices, such as affordable embossed stone-looking laminates, solid surface & quartz colors that emulate natural stones, and it appears the newest trend in tops will be… wood – especially for the kitchen island.  The surfaces, edge treatments and choices seemed to be endless – but, again, at the highest end of the market.  Don’t the manufacturers live in the same America as you and I?  Not everyone can afford to invest his or her life savings into a kitchen or bath remodeling project.

We had dinner with Candace Olsen from HGTV; she is a Silestone spokesperson and a very charming lady.  She shared with us her forecast of design trends and the importance of green technology to the future of kitchen and bath design.

All in all, it was a very good show.