When it comes to the design and innovation on display at KBIS — what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas. The trends that you see there set the tone nationwide for the rest of the year. Even if you aren’t in the kitchen and bath industry, you have to pay attention to KBIS because eventually these trends end up in every room in the house.
Flip-up door hardware
This will change the way our industry does flip-up doors. New products on the market have made it a one-step process. You no longer need to install hinges and plates and then install the lift-up hardware. Everything is incorporated into the bracket. For instance, a soft-close, lift-up stay goes into a standard 35mm hinge hole. The width of your door is no longer a concern — imagine the design possibilities. You can have one 48-inch door spanning two 24-inch-wide cabinets, really highlighting the trend in horizontal grains.
Charging centers
These USB charging grommets are a great addition to any home office or kitchen. Many companies such as Doug Mockett are offering a variety of colors and configurations that will add a WOW factor to any residential or even commercial job. At KBIS, I saw a new USB grommet from Rev-A-Shelf that connects to same transformer as LED lighting. If you were installing lighting, why wouldn’t you offer a grommet like this? It can easily be hidden at the back of a cabinet or a hutch panel.
Pull-out shelf slides
I constantly receive calls from customers that are trying to create pull-out 3/4–inch shelves. Whether it’s for a printer in an office, a shelf to fold clothes or a pull-out shoe shelf, there hasn’t been a great solution until now.
Salice was among the manufacturers that displayed this product. There are also slides on the market that are available as a soft close or a push open and can be mounted to a 3/4-inch thick shelf. All you need is to add a facia in the front to cover the mounting hardware. The best part about this is slide is you can add as many as you want to increase the weight capacity.
Source: “The Mayor of Hardware,” Richie DeMarco, Eveready Hardware, is also the president of the Association of Closet and Storage Professionals (ACSP). Read his blogs at TheMayorOfHardware.com.
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