LAS VEGAS — Industry professionals celebrated the triumphant return of Design & Construction Week recently, with over 200,000 housing and design pros from around the world descending on the Las Vegas Convention Center for three days of education, networking and products, products, products. The 10th annual DCW included not only the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show and the International Builders Show, but also brought into the fold the National Hardware Show, The International Surfaces Event and the Las Vegas Winter Market.
Held January 31 through February 2, this year’s DCW boasted the highest attendance in its history, with nearly 70,000 attendees for IBS, sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders, and 40,000 for National Kitchen & Bath Association-owned KBIS. More than 1,800 exhibitors showcased the latest in home building and design products across approximately one million net square feet of exhibit space. KBIS 2023 featured 500 exhibitors, with 140 first-timers and 148 international exhibitors.
“We expected a successful show based on the preliminary numbers, but we were blown away by the final attendance numbers for KBIS and Design & Construction Week. It was just incredible,” said Bill Darcy, Chief Executive Officer of NKBA, in Bethlehem, PA. “Our goal when we created DCW with our partner, the National Association of Homebuilders, was to become the biggest trade show in North America…and, for now, we are.”
“With more programs, activations and learning opportunities than ever before, KBIS 2023 was exceptional,” added Suzie Williford, exec. v.p. and chief strategy officer, NKBA. “There was such positive energy on the show floor by both attendees and exhibitors. Everyone was happy to be together, to attend our events and be a part of the amazing experience – an experience that will drive momentum for our industry throughout the year.”
“KBIS 2023 experienced unprecedented registration growth, up 35 percent in qualified attendees versus the 2020 show held pre-pandemic,” said Jason McGraw, group v.p., Emerald Expositions, which produces KBIS for NKBA. “This year’s strong attendance turnout has encouraged over 300 exhibitors to already contract to exhibit at KBIS 2024, with many increasing their show presence. Early sales are up more than 12 percent versus this year’s show, with more than 88 percent of next year’s expanded show floor space secured.”
TAPPING HONOREES
The NKBA’s Darcy and Williford hosted the evening, handing out over 30 awards recognizing industry professionals whose work was honored in the categories of kitchen, bath and showroom design.
The NKBA opened 2023 KBIS with the Design + Industry Awards celebration, held January 30 at the Encore Ballroom in the Encore Hotel. The sold-out event, held annually, honors those designs and leaders that reflect the purpose of the association – “envisioning a world where everyone enjoys safe, beautiful and functional kitchen and bath spaces.” The program was sponsored by Beko; 2020 Design Software; Ferguson Bath, Kitchen, and Lighting Gallery; Vent-A-Hood; Hettich and Home Depot, with Duravit sponsoring a photo booth and Perlick hosting the mobile bar.
Winners of the Design Awards were:
- Best Overall Kitchen: Sarah Robertson, AKBD, founder and principal, Studio Dearborn
- Best Overall Bath: Mary Maney, CKBD, Crystal Kitchen + Bath
Large Kitchen (Over 300 square feet)
- First Place: Lori Kurnitsky, designer, Bluebell Kitchens; co-designer Michele Plachter
- Second Place: Marla Nazzicone, owner, Marla Nazzicone Design
- Third Place: Lori Kurnitsky, designer, Bluebell Kitchens; co-designers Olga Carlson and Michele Plachter
Small Kitchen (under 300 square feet)
- First Place: Sarah Robertson, AKBD, founder and principal, Studio Dearborn
- Second Place: Svetlana Tryaskina, principal, Estee Design
- Third Place: Nar Bustamante, president, Nar Design Group
Specialty Kitchen
- First Place: Rebecca Foster, interior designer, Welton Design Group
- Second Place: Douglas Walter, CMKBD, Doug Walter Architect
- Third Place: Lance Stratton, principal, Studio Stratton; co-designers Kate LeCount and Tom King
Primary Bath
- First Place: Mary Maney, CKBD, Crystal Kitchen + Bath
- Second Place: Kendall Ansell, owner, Kendall Ansell Interiors; co-designer Katelyn Woods
- Third Place: Sandra Diaz-Velasco, principal architect, EOLO A&I Design
Secondary Bath
- First Place: Gina D’Amore Bauerle, partner and interior designer, D’Amore Interiors
- Second Place: Nichol Hollinger, CKBD, senior interior designer, Henrietta Heisler Interiors
- Third Place: Nancy Finneson, CKBD, DeMane Design
Powder Room
- First Place: Lori Carroll, Lori Carroll & Associates; co-designer Kat Saucedo
- Second Place: Jaque Bethke, principal designer, architect and engineer, Jaque Bethke
- Third Place: Jaque Bethke, principal designer, architect and engineer, Jaque Bethke
People’s Pick Kitchen
- Henrietta Heisler, owner and director, Henrietta Heisler Interiors
People’s Pick Bath
- Emily Miller, CKD, Kitchen and Bath Concepts
The judges for this year’s kitchen awards were: Elizabeth Lord, CMKBD, Elizabeth P. Lord Residential Design; Polly Nunes, CMKBD, Polly Nunes Designs; Christine Spillar, CMKBD, Christine Spillar Interior Design, and Courtney Zanelli, CMKBD, Courtney Zanelli Designs. The judges for the bath awards were: Marie Lail Blackburn, CMKBD, MLB Design Group; Anne-Marie Brunet, CMKBD, Sheridan Interiors; Linda Goad Larisch, CMKBD, Design First Builders; Jenni Russel, CMKBD, Design in Perspectives, and Dan Lenner, CMKBD, Morris Black Designs.
Student designers were recognized during the awards ceremony as well, with approximately 200 kitchens and 200 baths judged for that competition, sponsored by Fisher & Paykel. Winners of the 2023 Student Design Competition were:
Kitchen Winners
- First Place: Beatriz Hernandez – Bow Valley College
- Second Place: Brea Holt – Lakeland College
- Third Place: Sarah Woosley – University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Bath Winners
- First Place: David Stensland, Century College
- Second Place: Wenyee Huang – San Diego Mesa College
- Third Place: Cassandra Jerrems – Saddleback College
The judges for the 2023 NKBA Student Competition were: Danielle Burger, CMKBD, Kitchen Vitality Design; Mac Dodge Junker, CKBD, The Kitchen Specialist; Mark Haddad, CMKBD, Interiology Design Company, and Paula Smith, AKBD, representing Fisher and Paykel.
The NKBA also presented its Innovative Showroom Awards during the evening event. The awards recognize the most creative, innovative and experiential kitchen and bath showrooms in North America. Judged by Jason Artus, AKBD, Dovetail Sales; Nar Bustamante, Nar Design Group; Tracey Israelsson, Kohler Company, and Sarah Nielsen, CKBD, Showplace Cabinetry Design Center, honors went to:
- Traditional Independent, Small: Adorned Homes, White Bear Lake, MN
- Multi-Location, Multi-product Showroom, Large: Faucets N’ Fixtures, Long Beach, CA
- Kitchen and Bath Design Center, Medium: Marvista Design + Build, Pittsburgh, PA
- Kitchen and Bath Design Center, Large: The Dacor Kitchen Theater, Irvine, CA
This year’s NKBA Kitchen & Bath Industry Hall of Fame inductee was Steve Feldman, founder & CEO, Renovation Angel. Feldman was honored for his responsible leadership in taking the idea of responsible renovation and turning it into a company, transforming luxury kitchens headed to landfills into millions of dollars in jobs and funding for charity.
During the evening, the NKBA Chairman’s Award was presented by Basil Larkin, NKBA’s 2022 Board Chair, to Volker Irle, managing director of AMK, The German Association of The Modern Kitchen.
State of the Industry
As the industry deals with post-pandemic issues, supply chain strains, high inflation and a recession economy, NKBA’s Darcy remained positive in his State of the Association address, which was followed by a Q&A with HGTV’s Property Brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott. He discussed the many initiatives going on with the association, its move to Bethlehem, PA from its long-time location of Hackettstown, NJ, and the successful introduction of its Women2Women mentorship program, held in Louisville, KY in September 2022. For 2023, NKBA has a new website, is rolling out its new Business Webinar Series and adding new badges.
“To look to the future, however, we have to look to the past. 2022 was quite the year for NKBA – and for the overall kitchen and bath industry, which seemed insulated from the post-pandemic woes hitting other industries. The second half of 2022 brought some challenges, like inflation and a series of rate hikes. Nevertheless, the kitchen and bath industry has endured and thrived, with spending reaching a record high of $189 billion, a 16 percent year-over-year increase.”
KBISNEXT Stage
The newly redesigned NKBA | KBIS NEXT Stage, sponsored by Samsung | Dacor, hosted over 20 panels, presentations and awards programs during the three days of the show. New for 2023 was the KBIS Disruptor Series, which showcased people and companies who have charted their own course and disrupted traditional paths. Another brand new addition was the Daily Hosts, who emceed from the stage, including: Arianne Bellizaire, principal/owner, Arianne Bellizaire Interiors; Garrison Hullinger, principal, Garrison Hullinger Interior Design, and Laurie March, project manager and host/producer of several HGTV short-form digital series.
Always a popular draw, DesignBites showcased nine three-minute presentations culminating in the “Biggest Bite Award,” which went to Beko for its HarvestFresh refrigerator design. In addition to Beko, firms participating in DesignBites included: BOCCHI, Brondell, Fotile, Fulgor Milano, LG Electronics, Moen, nobilia North America, One Click Contractor and ROBAM. The People’s Pick honored Brondell.
The KBISNeXT Stage also played host once again to the Best of KBIS Awards, which recognizes the top new product innovations from the show. Sponsored by Luxe Interiors & Design and hosted by Luxe Style Director Kathryn Given, seven brands received awards with the top honor – Best in Show – being awarded to BOCCHI. Winners included:
- Best of KBIS – Bath Gold: S.G. SRL – inFINE Column Shower
- Best of KBIS – Bath Silver: Kohler WasteLAB – The ABSTRA Collection
- Best of KBIS – Kitchen Gold: BOCCHI – Baveno Kitchen Sink System
- Best of KBIS – Kitchen Silver: Fotile – Insert Self-Adjusting Range Hood
- Best of KBIS – Connected Home Technology Gold: Moen Smart Sprinkler Controller and Smart Wireless Soil Sensors
- Best of KBIS – Connected Home Technology Silver: GE Profile – 36″ Touch Control Induction Cooktop
- Best of KBIS – Impact Award (Judge’s Choice): S.G. SRL – inFINE Column Shower
The Best of KBIS 2023 judges were: Michelle Blemel, owner and principal designer, Amberleaf; Cyndy Cantley, ASID, CKD, principal designer, Cantley and Company; Rachel Hale, lead designer, Colmar Kitchen Studio; Jennifer Stoner, president, Jennifer Stoner Interiors, and Rebecca Zajac, principal and founder, Design by Numbers.
Booth awards were also presented at the KBIS NEXT stage, and were awarded to:
- Best Overall Show Booth: Kohler
- Best Booth Large: CAFÉ
- Best Booth Medium: Fabuwood Cabinetry
- Best Booth Small: ABKSTONE
- Best Booth Honorable Mention: Miele
Returning for its second year was the KickStarter Zone, which showcased new-to-market brands that have been in the residential design and construction business less than three years and have never exhibited at KBIS. All Kickstarter participants were reviewed and judged by a panel of industry leaders, who presented the following awards:
- Grand Prize: Sepura Home Ltd.
- Runner Up: Principle Faucets
- People’s Choice: Hai
During the three-day event, the NKBA celebrated its 60th anniversary with a champagne toast, with Darcy and Williford reflecting on the association’s humble beginnings and its bright future as a global entity. That optimism will be carried into next year’s show, which is scheduled for February 27-29 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. ▪