January is a great time to start fresh, with new ideas to update your home in the coming year. That’s why we like to report on the annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), sponsored by the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), that happens each January. The huge trade show brings together more than 500 companies representing the industry’s leading brands to present the latest ideas and trends for kitchen and bath design, technology, and sustainability.
Here are some of this year’s ideas that can make your life a little easier!
Organization & Storage Solutions
We’ll start where everyone starts in the New Year: getting more organized! In recent years we’ve seen new ideas for the “black hole” of storage that is the corner kitchen cabinet. This year we’re seeing solutions to the problem of how to best use the awkward space under the kitchen or bath sink. Rev-a-Shelf offers U-shaped and L-shaped pull-out shelves that offer better accessibility and make the most of often wasted space. James Martin Furniture’s curved cabinet is a stylish small-space solution with drawers that fit around and hide the plumbing. If you have a pedestal sink but wish you had more storage, SinkWrap quickly and easily converts an existing pedestal sink into bath furniture with room for necessities, ranging from hairdryers and towels to toiletries, to be stored out of sight.
Another storage problem occurs when you do a lot of shopping online and you’re concerned with the security of packages just dropped at your front door when you’re not home. The Elephantrunk II by Architectural Mailboxes is a large locking parcel delivery mailbox, providing you with peace of mind that your deliveries are no longer missed and are protected from weather. It securely bolts to the ground, with hardware included for hardscape or wood decking. The keypad allows for keyless, electronic access.
Making Chores Easier
If one of your resolutions is to reduce the time you need to spend on routine maintenance, you’re in luck. American Standard and Lysol have joined forces to introduce the VorMax Plus, a new self-cleaning toilet that infuses Lysol cleaner into every flush. The innovative VorMax Plus FreshInfuser is hidden in an out-of-sight, but easy-to-access, compartment behind the seat that cleans without an unsightly add-on device in the bowl. Each FreshInfuser lasts up to 30 days (360 flushes) and is as easy to change as a Brita water filter.
The LG TWINWash™ front-load washer with LG SideKick™ pedestal washer is a new combo that lets you run two separate loads at once or independently. The TWINWash is Wi-Fi enabled, so you can check when the wash is done, download additional cycles and more using the LG SmartThinQ™ app on either Android or iOS devices or Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. The LG SideKick is a one-cubic foot pedestal washer that can be placed under the TWINWash (or any LG washer from 2009-present) and is ideal for small loads such as delicates, active wear, and intimates.
There are so many exciting new products and technologies that can provide practical solutions for making the rooms where you spend so much time a better fit for your lifestyle. Give us a call and we can help you make this the year you update your home!