The new year brings a busy schedule of trade shows, peppered across the country and abroad—leaving designers to debate the best use of their travel budget in the months to come. While gauzy visions of avant-garde furniture in exotic locales can be tempting for reasons only tangentially related to work, the industry gathering that delivers the highest ROI can be found much closer to home: From February 17 to 19 in Orlando, Florida, the National Kitchen & Bath Association hosts the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, where 650 legacy and emerging brands present the latest products for a project’s two most important rooms.
“I go every year,” says Sarah Robertson, founder and principal of Studio Dearborn, a boutique kitchen design firm based in Westchester County, New York. “It’s an essential part of my business calendar.” The show is where she and her team discover debuts, meet with brands about aligning strategies, attend topical panel discussions, and network with friends, acquaintances, and contacts old and new. “It’s about staying on top of what’s happening in the kitchen-and-bath world. I don’t know how you do that without attending KBIS.”
Richard Anuszkiewicz, founder and principal of Raith Design in Nashville, wholeheartedly agrees. He first walked the floor in 2008 as a student in the NKBA-accredited interior design program at Virginia Tech. “And that was truly an aha moment, because it made the industry tangible to me,” he says. He has returned every year since, moderating panels and emceeing award ceremonies in addition to crafting immersive displays as the creative director for luxury kitchen appliance brand Monogram—this year’s experiential exhibition encompasses an astonishing 4,000 square feet. “KBIS is a lighthouse, bringing together the aesthetic and business aspects of kitchen and bath design,” he adds.
Offering interactive demonstrations of innovative technologies and product introductions (“Kohler had an amazing cold-plunge pool last year,” notes Robertson), plus enlightening panels and sessions for CEUs, as well as both casual meetups and elegant galas where impactful connections are made and well-deserved prizes given, this year’s show packs a lot into three days. “The scale is so large, you can get lost in it,” says Anuszkiewicz, now a seasoned vet at navigating the terrain. Like him, Robertson pulls up the show map in advance and drafts her personal itinerary around the booths she most wants to visit. “It’s important to go into it with a plan and take lots of photos,” she advises, “because it goes by really fast.” Below, the two pros spotlight five key KBIS activations to add to your agenda.
NKBA DESIGN + INDUSTRY AWARDS
Sponsored in part by Kichler and Ferguson Home, this celebratory, semiformal affair gets the party started on the eve of the event, Monday, February 16. Guests enjoy a buffet dinner as honors are bestowed, and after all the winning designers accept their proverbial flowers, the festive crowd takes to the dance floor. “It’s a great way to kick off the show,” says Robertson, who received the Best Overall Kitchen honor in 2019, 2020 and 2023. “Everybody’s there. Everybody’s in a good mood.” Anuszkiewicz first took the stage in 2013, when he was included among the inaugural Thirty Under 30 cohort, and he’s returning to host the ceremony for the second year in a row. “To be a voice and a leader in the industry is a full-circle moment,” he says.
BEST OF KBIS AWARDS
Brands get their chance to bask in the spotlight at the Best of KBIS Awards, which acknowledge the bright minds behind the most ingenious introductions—products that combine technological advancements with practical applications and breathtaking aesthetics. Announced at NextStage on Wednesday afternoon, February 18, in a ceremony sponsored by Luxe Interiors + Design, silver and gold honors, designated by a committee of high-profile industry peers, recognize achievement in six categories: Most Functional Find, Game-Changing Innovation, Sustainable Standout, and Wellness Trailblazer, as well as separate Style Statements for Kitchen and Bath. The Best in Show announcement caps the celebration.
“A few years ago, Kohler won for the launch of its vibrant brushed-brass finish, and rightly so,” recalls Anuszkiewicz. “It paved the way for the gold rush, if you will—the resurgence of brass, which continues to be a relevant finish.” The designer has received and—as a judge—given Best of KBIS Awards, finding both roles rewarding. Winning boosts a company’s profile and media coverage, while assessing the entries and determining the finalists allows for behind-the-scenes insights into manufacturing processes and the creative teams who developed the products. “You grow a greater appreciation for the work involved, and you meet a lot of talented people,” he says.
“You get this incredible speed-dating-type tour of the whole show,” adds Robertson, who has also served as both a judge and a nominee. In 2024, for a partner brand, she styled a dramatic bathroom vignette in a deep blue palette that included ivy-patterned wallpaper and wood cabinetry with inset mosaic tile panels. The installation won Best Booth in its size category. “It’s interesting for both brands and designers to push the envelope and see what connects with people,” she continues. Considering the sheer volume of companies and debuts on the scene, the Best of KBIS curates the cream of the crop. “It’s helpful for homing in on what’s special and new,” she says. It also conveniently concentrates senior leadership in one spot. “It’s not always easy to meet with them otherwise, and often they’ll share their observations on markets and trends,” she notes.
INNOVATION HOUR: SHOW + TELL
Preceding the Best of KBIS Awards, beginning at noon on Tuesday, February 17, also at NextStage, this fast-paced session—a fresh spin on the DesignBites program from years prior—pinpoints the materials, features and details that are discreetly but definitively revolutionizing kitchen and bath spaces. “Brands send in their absolute best spokesperson to command the stage and pitch the product, making it a bit like American Idol and so fun to watch,” says Robertson. The live competition promises all the excitement and plot twists of a reality TV program, with the audience voting in real time.
“If you’re not innovating as a creator, then you’re stagnating, so a little healthy competition is always a positive thing. And a rising tide lifts all ships!” adds Anuszkiewicz. To him, the adventurous hour is more about camaraderie than a contest. Plus, it opens a window onto where the industry as a whole is headed. “Hearing directly from the minds behind these items not only helps you learn, it’s inspiring,” he says.
NEXTSTAGE
Innovation Hour and the Best of KBIS Awards are just two of the highlights on the NextStage itinerary. Throughout the show, this is the place to stake a front row seat for enlightening talks by industry thought leaders. As part of NKBA’s new partnership with High Point Market, several panels will address different facets of the whole-home experience, discussing ways that kitchen and bath design can influence an aesthetic that starts at the foyer and flows to the back porch. Wellness is another hot topic: Sessions will explore the practices, products and philosophies that support sustainability and health without sacrificing performance or style. Buzzy business issues like tariffs and branding are also on the roster, while experts in subjects such as smart systems and AI bring technology to the table.
“Whether you’re attending a talk or participating as a panelist, you’re meeting new people and hearing different points of view,” says Anuszkiewicz, who is in the process of finalizing his NextStage subject matter for February. Admittedly, it will be challenging to top his previous outings, which include “Legends of Kitchen Design” alongside Christopher Peacock and Mick De Giulio in 2024, and a glittering gabfest with Brigette Romanek and Gwyneth Paltrow in 2022. “I’ve definitely had some unique conversations!” he says.
LUXURY LOUNGE
Wellness, business, tech: NextStage runs the gamut of pragmatic topics. But with an emphasis on premium materials and pleasing an elite clientele, Luxury Lounge caters to the VIP experience. Learn from A-list designers in a casual, intimate setting—“Everyone’s all snuggled up on comfy couches,” says Robertson—as they tell stories of styling the abodes of the 1 percent. Sponsored by Ferguson Home, this is where industry icons unwind—and share their insider perspectives.
“I’ve had the good fortune of speaking at both NextStage and Luxury Lounge, and each brings a ton of energy to the show,” continues Robertson. “They feature an incredible lineup of speakers on a diversity of subjects.” Just last year, she participated in a Luxury Lounge wrap-up during which she and her fellow designers discussed their favorite discoveries. “It was early enough on Thursday that the audience still had time to walk the show afterward and find the items for themselves,” she says. Or to make one more connection, marvel at the artistry of the exhibitions, and start speccing stovetops, showerheads and backsplashes for a future project: “From appliances to cabinetry to hardware, plumbing, fixtures—KBIS has it all.”
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Homepage image: Featuring 650 emerging and legacy brands, the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show presents innovative solutions for the two most important rooms in the house | Courtesy of NKBA
