Back to the Future

Kitchen and bath designers eager to find the products that will be impacting the future need only check the recent past. After all, the convenience, style and luxury that are the hallmarks of KBDN’s most in-demand products for ’05 clearly reflect the needs and wants of today’s – and, undoubtedly, tomorrow’s – consumers.

As in years past, Kitchen & Bath Design News’ most-asked-about products list is compiled by tallying reader requests for information about specific products featured in KBDN over the course of the year. This year, 3,015 separate reader requests are represented by the top 20 products – a key indication of the industry’s continued interest in innovative and stylish products.

In fact, the most-asked-about products of 2005 appear to embrace all things new and clever, with many of the products offering the sense of personalization that clients crave – ranging from glass towel warmers, jewelry cabinets and corbel collections to drawer dishwashers.

So, whether a product features unique, mouth-blown glass, intricate carvings or brushed finishes, this year’s most-asked-about products showcase consumers’ ever-growing desire for more efficient spaces ­that still offer enough panache to express their individuality.

This is particularly evident this year with the nine decorative hardware products that made their way onto the top 20 list, again reinforcing the allure of sophisticated and timeless pieces that serve as “jewelry for the home.” In fact, hardware made a strong overall showing, holding down an impressive 12 of 20 spots.

Even more prominent is the growing trend toward performance and efficiency, as evidenced by slide-out base units, jewelry cabinets and space-saving corner cabinets that secured four spots within the top 10. Indeed, the strong interest in these products further reflects the call for designs that are more streamlined – yet still statement-making – in the kitchen and bath.

For the more discriminating, fashion-conscious client, concepts such as illuminated showerheads (which feature water-colored light and cut crystals), or curvy, translucent shower units, offer a glimpse toward the future while still retaining the personal, in-home spa environment.

Ultimately, the qualities that all of these products share highlight exactly what today’s kitchen and bath designer needs to satisfy an ever-evolving and savvy consumer: convenience, efficiency and luxury combined in a personalized space that can serve as a retreat after a long day, or be showcased when entertaining family and friends.

Kitchen & Bath Design News takes a look at the most-asked-about products of 2005, as decided by you, our readers.

Corner Cabinets
1. The desire for more efficient space was a clear cut trend in 2005. In fact, Blum, Inc.’s Space Corner corner cabinet, which provides fully extended drawers, was KBDN’s most-asked-about product for 2005, according to readers. It features full-extension Tandem drawer runners, which add full access to interiors.

Wolfgang Branner, v.p./marketing for the Stanley, NC-based company, explains its popularity: “The corner has always been off-limits, but now we can fill the corners with drawers that are fully accessible and ergonomic. The idea is to let the contents come to you and not the other way around,” he notes.

Drawer Inserts
2. Karl Kothmaier, business manager of the Lazy Daisy product line for Kernersville, NC-based Peter Meier, Inc. (PMI), believes custom storage applications are a key niche in the industry – and KBDN readers agree.

In fact, the company’s Lazy Daisy Wood Drawer Inserts took the number two spot for 2005 according to reader requests.

The Drawer Inserts can be adjusted to create customized drawer organization. Cutlery inserts are available for 15" and 21" cabinets.

As for future applications Kothmaier states: “We will begin to see different types of inserts, [particularly] for spice organization, accessories or utilities.”