Kitchen and bath show heads to New Orleans

The 49th annual Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, a showcase for new products and design trends sponsored by the National Kitchen and Bath Association, is scheduled for April 19-21 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

This year’s show will feature educational opportunities specifically tailored to small-business owners in the kitchen and bath trades, according to NKBA president John Morgan.

“I think woodworkers will be interested in our education sessions because they won’t be just about design,” Morgan says. “A lot of them will take a 360[-degree] view of our businesses, talking about management practices, operating in today’s economy and what the latest trends are.”

Morgan says emerging trends include more use of glass in countertops and tiles, consumers favoring French door refrigerators and steam ovens in their custom kitchens, and cabinet manufacturers offering more transitional styles, described as a mix between contemporary and traditional.

From a finish perspective, “I can tell you off-white paint is still king, while a medium-to-dark stain is still highlighted,” says Morgan. “And the use of walnut is growing at an incredible amount within the industry.”

From 2014 to 2016, the show will be held in conjunction with the International Builders Show in Las Vegas. Together, the shows will create Design and Construction Week.

“This new format allows exhibitors to reach a full range of design and construction professionals who buy, specify and influence the products that go into American homes,” National Association of Home Builders chairman Barry Rutenberg said in a statement. “For attendees, it means access to two expansive trade show floors and hundreds of additional suppliers to meet.”

For information, visit www.nkba.org.

This article originally appeared in the March 2013 issue.