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As the American population gets older, and more households become multi-generational, the idea of having a home in which family and friends can access without limitations – no matter what level of ability a person has, or age and physical type a person is – is becoming a topic that kitchen bath dealers and designers can pitch to their prospective clients, regardless of their age.

However, to “convert” clients to the thought that having a Universally Designed kitchen, bath and home can prove delicate, especially when most consumers don’t particularly like to admit they are getting older, but still may need products designed specifically geared toward making their lives easier.

Enter Drue Lawlor, FASID, NCIDQ of Dallas, TX-based education-works, inc. She offered seven Universal Design principles, developed by a working group of architects, product designers, engineers and environmental researchers from the North Carolina State University Center for Universal Design, that will not only improve layouts, but may also change consumer views of Universal Design. She outlined them during the Kitchens and Baths for All Ages seminar she led at the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas.

According to Lawlor, the seven principles that kitchen and bath designers should consider when selecting products and design layouts for clients are:

1. Equitable Use: Refers to the same usage ability for all users. Examples of these types of products would be side-open oven doors, which are safer and more accessible; or power doors with sensors.
2. Flexibility in Use: Means that the user has a choice of methods to use, basically accommodating a wide range of individual preferences and abilities. These products would include hand-held showers, especially by the seating area in a shower.
3. Simple and Intuitive Use: Refers to the fact that the use of the design is easy to understand.
4. Perceptible Information: Using tactile, verbal and pictorial guides to communicate information effectively to the consumer. Examples of this would be audible or flashing fire alarms, or tactile, visual or audible cues on thermostats.
5. Tolerance for Error: Ensures that the design minimizes hazards and adverse consequences.
6. Low Physical Effort: Allows users to exert the least amount of effort to accomplish a task. These designs can be used efficiently and comfortably with a minimum amount of fatigue. Lawlor cites levers or loop handles on doors and faucets as effective products.
7. Size and Space for Approach and Use: Required to create a clear line of sight to important elements for seated or standing users in the kitchen or bath. This principle allows for approach, reach and manipulation of products or work areas.

According to Lawlor, these design principles are equally suitable for the kitchen and bath. In fact, once a product has been selected and evaluated, kitchen and bath designers should determine how the product rates according to the design principles.

For example, in kitchens, solid surface material for countertops can provide easier cleaning, so there is less chance for bacteria to build up, she says.

She also suggested rounding off corners on all countertops, especially for visually impaired persons.

Furthermore, Lawlor suggested suspending a mirror above the cooking area to allow vision into pots for a seated person, if the cooktop cannot be lowered. Portable induction cooktops are good for accessibility, as is pull-out shelving or accessible counter space near ovens and microwaves to allow for transfer of hot items.

In the bath Lawlor said that storage considerations are very important, as is the need for clearance space in front and to one side of the toilet. And a curbless shower can eliminate the chance of tripping and falling at the same time it makes it easier for those using wheelchairs or walkers.

The bottom line, Lawlor said, is that when “working with products and clients, no matter their age or ability, design with universal access in mind. Ask many questions, observe and listen.”

For more about this project, log onto to the Live Events, Project Spotlight and Consumer Resources sections, as well as the Kitchen & Bath Confidential Blog.

To read more visit the Consumer Resources and Live Events sections , and look for it in the upcoming 6/07 issue of Kitchen & Bath Design News. In addition, for more about Universal Design, click here. And read Ten Design Trends to Follow for Aging in Place.

(Be sure to log onto KitchenBathDesign.com for Kitchen & Bath Design News’ coverage of the 2007 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas. Log onto the home page to visit the Live Events, Top Headlines, Project Spotlight and Consumer Resources sections, and Product Gallery. And don’t forget to sign up for our eNewsletters that will cover other upcoming industry shows.

Universal Design elements, such as the hand-held showers, grab bars and shower seats shown in this shower created by Jason Smith of Prestige Renovations in Elk Grove Village, IL, are functional and stylish for those who want to age in place.

Held at the Las Vegas Convention Center May 7-10, the 26th annual Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) hit the jackpot with the wares of its 1,100-plus exhibitors and a full slate of educational seminars, special events, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities attracting 44,154 kitchen and bath designers and dealers and other allied professionals from here and abroad.

The latest K/BIS was filled with a bustle of activity throughout its three halls and more than 610,000 sq. ft. of designated exhibit space, with the New Product Pavilion, the NKBA Industry Trends Marketplace and the NKBA Center Stage offering interested design professionals the latest in product innovations and trends. (To see Kitchen & Bath Design News’ K/BIS show product coverage, click here.)

One could see the show’s great emphasis - and the industry’s increasing awareness - of green design, energy efficiency and water conservation. Manufacturers and designers in the industry were clearly recognizing that there’s a growing movement among consumers who want to help the environment, but don’t want to sacrifice great design. (To read more about green design, click here.)

This recognition and awareness could be seen in the wide range of products in response to the green movement, including appliances such as induction cooktops and water-saving dishwashers; low-VOC cabinetry; flooring offered in sustainable materials such as bamboo and cork; countertops and surfacing that are made from recycled and sustainable materials; plumbing fixtures such as low-flow toilets and water-saving showerheads, lighting products that use LED technology and color-corrected and longer-lasting fluorescent bulbs; related eco-friendly building products, and much more.

In addition, health and wellness were also prominent at the show. (To read more about Healthy Kitchens, click here.)

As many companies introduced new indoor air filters, tweaked their existing ventilation systems and unveiled a slate of products that promoted healthy living, such as air purification systems; water filtration and purification systems; steam ovens that are meant to inspire better eating habits; hands-free faucets that create a more hygienic environment; built-in refrigerators that feature pure water and air; hygienic stainless steel appliances, sinks and faucets; countertops with eco-friendly and hygienic sealants and Microban technology; showerheads and systems that feature aromatherapy and chromatherapy, and walk-in whirlpool baths that feature therapeutic hydrotherapy.

Many products are also making design more accessible than ever before as the industry notices that Baby Boomers are getting older and demanding products that don’t remind them of that fact. (For more on accessible design, click here, and read Ten Design Trends to Follow for Aging in Place and Adaptive Marketing.)

There was also a slew of high-tech appliances that turned the kitchen into the digital control center of the home, such as those found in the Digital Entertainment Kitchen presented in the NKBA Industry Trends Marketplace. (To read more about this and other K/BIS 2007 news, click here.)

Some of the other noteworthy product trends include:

• The continuing expansion of the appliance suite to include many more specialty products such as built-in coffeemakers and wine/beverage centers.
• The increase in the sophistication level of and attention to outdoor living.
• The demand for more transitional product designs than ever before that skew toward the contemporary and the Asian-inspired.
• The increasing amount of nature-inspired colors in both saturated and muted tones that are creeping into everything from faucet finishes to glass-paneled appliances. (For more products, visit the Product Gallery.)

The same topics also punctuated the variety of educational seminars covering design, technology and leadership issues. For example, this year’s conference tracks feature Green Remodeling: Changing the World One Room at a Time and Sweet Dreams & Rude Awakenings: Lighting Details for Kitchens and Baths.

Look for more information about this in the upcoming 6/07 and 7/07  issue of Kitchen & Bath Design News. And log onto Live Events, as well.(Be sure to log onto KitchenBathDesign.com for Kitchen & Bath Design News’ coverage of the 2007 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas. Log onto the home page to visit the Live Events, Top Headlines, Project Spotlight and Consumer Resources sections, and Product Gallery. And don’t forget to sign up for our eNewsletters that will cover other upcoming industry shows.)  

The latest K/BIS was filled a bustle of activity throughout its more than 610,000 sq. ft. of designated exhibit space at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Popular notion holds that today’s home automation means some lighting and temperature control, while automated appliances remain part of a Jetsons-like future we’ve never quite achieved. However, the future was achieved at this year’s NextGen Demonstration Home, showcased during the 2007 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS). The entire home was equipped with remote and touch panels that powered a home automation system called Life|ware 2.0 from Exceptional innovation.

Life|ware 2.0 controlled everything from the appliances and the lighting to the home’s security, ushering what was termed “a new level of digital living” into the kitchen and throughout the home. It is a digital entertainment and automation solution that expands a homeowner’s ability to manage subsystems and appliances via Microsoft Windows Vista Media Center to create a comprehensive digital living experience. The home automation solution is powered by its use of Web Services for Devices (WSD) to communicate between different home systems.

By integrating Life|ware into Media Center, a user’s entire music collection, complete with album art, can be accessed on screen. It’s also possible to view slide shows of digital photos, schedule and record favorite TV programs, retrieve home videos and watch DVDs. Life|ware also gives homeowners the power to control a home’s lighting, thermostat and security systems, distribute music throughout the house, and enact homeowner-defined “Life|scenes.”

In addition, the home automation solution also allows remote access and management of a home’s systems through a TV with a Media Center PC, Media Center Extender or Xbox 360, from a home or office PC or notebook from a Life|point touch panel or from a wireless device like an Ultra Mobile PC.

The NextGen Home also showed the result of the partnership between LG and Life|ware: Life|ware Connected appliances that employ an adapter module that makes an appliance Life|ware Connected, thereby allowing homeowners to check the status of appliances and adjust functions to better suit their schedule.

Other high-tech touches the NextGen Home showcased included a one-touch refreshment dispenser in the kitchen and a mirror that also served as a nightlight in both baths.

Look for more information about this in the upcoming issue of Kitchen & Bath Design News. And log onto Live Events and Consumer Resources. In addition, try logging onto http://www.securityinfowatch.com/ for more information about home automation systems and home security.    

(Be sure to log onto KitchenBathDesign.com for Kitchen & Bath Design News’ coverage of the 2007 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas. Log onto the home page to visit the Live Events, Top Headlines, Project Spotlight and Consumer Resources sections, and Product Gallery. And don’t forget to sign up for our eNewsletters that will cover other upcoming industry shows.)    

The NextGen Home’s home automation solution was demonstrated.

As the kitchen gets greener and cleaner, the kitchen is becoming more digital than ever before. This could be seen in the wide range of products on display at the 2007 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas equipped with high-tech or “smart” features that turned the kitchen into the digital control center of the home, including energy-efficient, function-packed appliance suites controlled by intuitive LED touch screens, kitchen and bath cabinetry with soft-close and one-touch-open features, hands-free faucets, feature-rich plumbing fixtures and high-tech lighting systems.

Many of these high-tech gadgets and appliances were found in the Digital Entertainment Kitchen presented in the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) Industry Trends Marketplace. It included such seamlessly integrated digital components as a HP TouchSmart PC on a lazy Susan located on the main island and a centralpark-connected refrigerator from Whirlpool Corp. that allows users to dock CE-based devices such as digital picture frames, satellite radios, MP3 players, DVD systems, tablet computers and more.

The display also brought to life the results of the Digital Kitchen Study, a cross-industry collaboration involving leading members of the CABA Internet Home Alliance Research Council including Whirlpool Corp., Bell Canada, Cisco Systems, Inc., Direct Energy, HP, HomeCrest Cabinetry, Intel Corp., Microsoft, the NKBA and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Together, they form a network of companies dedicated to advancing the home technology market.

The Council’s study, conducted by Zanthus, a research and consulting firm, was intended to determine the consumer electronics and appliances already in use in American kitchens and what new products or services homeowners would like to add to their kitchens in the future. The study was based on a survey that reached 602 homeowners between the ages of 25 and 64 who have broadband Internet access and household incomes of more than $35,000 per year.

The survey results suggest that most consumers are looking for functionality and control from their kitchens, rather than entertainment. But while most respondents showed little interest in watching movies or playing video games in the kitchen, they do still want a TV there. The study found that 33% of homeowners currently watch TV in the kitchen, 43% want to watch TV in their ideal kitchen and 51% of respondents planning to remodel their kitchens in 2007 intend to include a TV.

As a result of the survey, Blue Arnold, CKD, CBD of Kitchens by Request, Inc. in Jarrettsville, MD, designed the “ideal” digital kitchen that featured the following innovations:

• Digital Calendar. The survey found that the primary kitchen user is also the primary schedule keeper, and a digital calendar was the most preferred concept of the 22 concepts tested. Those surveyed reported wanting a calendar on a large screen that allows users to add appointments and post notes that everyone in the household can see and access, whether from the kitchen or via the Internet.
• Recipe Projection System. Eight in 10 of those surveyed said they cook for enjoyment, and 64% do so at least several times per week. Consumers reported wanting a wireless recipe projection system that would allow them to look up a recipe online, or even say aloud what they want to cook, and then have the recipe projected onto a surface in the kitchen from a small, cabinet-mounted device.
• Energy Usage Monitoring and Control System. Those surveyed reported wanting to monitor energy consumption by area (family room, swimming pool, etc.) and appliance (hot water heater, etc.); to monitor energy usage by circuit; to chart peak energy usage times; to diagnose areas of wasted energy; and to calculate energy costs. This concept was most popular in the West where California recently became the first state in the nation to impose an emissions cap on utilities, refineries and factories.
• Home Control Station. Consumers want a home control station in their kitchen that allows them to manage their HVAC and security systems easily. Specifically, they requested a screen where they can view the temperature inside and outside of their home, adjust the thermostat on a touch pad and view live video of both the front and back of their house. This functionality was equally appealing to households with and without children.
• Universal Charging Station. Consumers reported wanting to charge up to three cell phones or PDAs simultaneously, regardless of brand or model. One-third of households reported that they currently keep their cell phones on the kitchen counter, and one-half said they keep their phone chargers there, too. Consumers would like a universal charging station so everyone can charge their phones in the spot where their phones and chargers are usually kept.
• Wireless Internet Access. Consumers reported wanting to have a wireless network in their home so they can have wireless Internet access in all rooms, including the kitchen. Twenty-nine percent of all homeowners and 43% of those remodeling their homes want to surf the Web while in the kitchen. Consumers reported wanting Internet access for e-mailing and Web surfing and don’t want to use a PC in the kitchen for offline applications. Wired Internet access is not desired; just 5% of homeowners said they wanted wired Internet access in their kitchen.
  Arnold further interpreted the results to mean that consumers want technology to be accessible, but not the focal point of their rooms. Thus, she placed the cabinetry in shadow boxes with the technology nested within it. There are touch screens for control, and the computer on the lazy Susan can be easily accessed by family members from both sides of the island.

Look for more information about this in the upcoming 6/07 issue of Kitchen & Bath Design News. And log onto Live Events, and Consumer Resources.

(Be sure to log onto KitchenBathDesign.com for Kitchen & Bath Design News’ coverage of the 2007 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas. Log onto the home page to visit the Live Events, Top Headlines, Project Spotlight and Consumer Resources sections, and Product Gallery. And don’t forget to sign up for our eNewsletters that will cover other upcoming industry shows.)   

The Digital Entertainment Kitchen included such “smart” gadgets and appliances as an HP TouchSmart PC on a lazy Susan located on the main island, a centralpark-connected refrigerator from Whirlpool Corp.

The Digital Kitchen Study and the resulting Digital Entertainment Kitchen display at this year’s Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) further shed light on what consumers felt were the most desired kitchen activities.

According to the Digital Kitchen Study, a cross-industry collaboration involving leading members of the CABA Internet Home Alliance Research Council, the following are the activities consumers would most like to do – and not do – in their “ideal” kitchen:
 

1. Kitchen as control center, not entertainment center. While some who are remodeling their kitchen said they want to watch movies and videos in the kitchen, the vast majority (85%) of homeowners said they don’t see themselves watching videos or movies in the kitchen, perhaps because those are activities that need time and attention, two things in short supply when making dinner. In addition, the vast majority (93%) would not play video games in their ideal kitchen. There are just two entertainment-oriented items that consumers want in their ideal kitchen of the future: a TV and wireless Internet access.
2. Crack the books, but not where you crack the eggs. According to the survey, 48% of children do their homework in the kitchen. However, the survey also found that the majority of parents (59%) prefer that their children not do their homework in the kitchen. According to parents, the ideal kitchen is not an ideal place for doing homework.
3. Keep the Play-Doh away from the cookie dough. In homes with children, 43% reported doing arts and crafts in the kitchen. However, 69% of all parents say they don’t want their kids doing arts and crafts projects in the kitchen. In homes without children, the survey found that crafting activities rarely took place in the kitchen.
4. Weather or Not. The survey revealed that 37% of homeowners would like to check the weather from their kitchen. But an on-demand weather information device was chosen by just 12% of respondents as something they’d like in their ideal kitchen. It may be that a device that provides weather information only is less appealing than wireless Internet access in the kitchen, which can transmit a variety of content.

Look for more information about this in the upcoming 6/07 issue of Kitchen & Bath Design News. And log onto Live Events, and Consumer Resources. (Be sure to log onto KitchenBathDesign.com for Kitchen & Bath Design News’ coverage of the 2007 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas. Log onto the home page to visit the Live Events, Top Headlines, Project Spotlight and Consumer Resources sections, and Product Gallery. And don’t forget to sign up for our eNewsletters that will cover other upcoming industry shows.)  

The Digital Entertainment Kitchen display showcased such high-tech features as a hidden Xbox and a built-in, flat-panel TV with a host of features including a fireplace display.

Like so many other products and displays at this year’s Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas, the 2007 Design Showcase, presented by Woman’s Day Special Interest Publications (WDSIPs) and Home magazine, was inspired by the “Digital Age.” Dubbed ‘Digital Dreams,’ it featured forward-thinking ideas, bold use of color and plenty of comfort.

Its L-shaped kitchen was highlighted by a mix of colors and contrasts and provided a host of ergonomic features. It had an ergonomic chef center with cabinetry by Armstrong and a two-sided center island with one side made for clean-up and the other made for snacking.

Digital features included a Broan-NuTone video monitoring system, a Dell laptop equipped with Internet access and set on one end of the island that is actually a rolling cabinet, and a 20″ Sharp Aquos TV, along with a Sharp DVD player, tucked into an open wall cabinet for easy viewing.

The adjacent, inviting, cozy family room doubled not only as a dining room, but also a fully-equipped home office, a space-maximizing butler’s pantry/bar area. Digital features included a Dell desktop PC, LCD monitor and sub-woofer, a 65″ Sharp Aquos TV and a Marantz DVD player.

The serene, nature-inspired bath showcased neutral tones in every area, including the shower, which featured a principal shower spray that poured dramatically out of a semi-arched fitting ending in a huge, square spray surface. On two levels flanking shower handles were body sprays, turning the shower experience into a spa-like one.

The vanity, which was actually a wall cabinet set on legs, featured a 1-1/2″-thick, bull-nosed quartz surface and a round, stainless steel sink. The toilet was tucked away near the tub, with green hues in the form of towels, wall art and arrangements that were paired with grass cloth wall covering, adding to the soothing ambience.

Digital features included electronically controlled shades and a TV tucked into a niche.

The future-forward Showcase was produced by New York, NY-based WDSIPs’ Project Director/Writer Mervyn Kaufman and designed by Ingrid Leess of New Canaan, CT-based Ingrid Leess Interior Design with input from the American Hardwood Information Center. And the display was built by Dallas, TX-based Elevate Group.

Look for more information about this in the upcoming 6/07 issue of Kitchen & Bath Design News. And log onto Live Events, and Consumer Resources.

(Be sure to log onto KitchenBathDesign.com for Kitchen & Bath Design News’ coverage of the 2007 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas. Log onto the home page to visit the Live Events, Top Headlines, Project Spotlight and Consumer Resources sections, and Product Gallery. And don’t forget to sign up for our eNewsletters that will cover other upcoming industry shows.)  

Dubbed ‘Digital Dreams,’ WDSIPs’ and Home magazine’s 2007 Design Showcase featured a kitchen that had an ergonomic chef center with cabinetry by Armstrong and Silestone tops and an inviting, cozy family room that doubled not only as a dining room, but also a home office and a butler’s pantry/bar area. Photo: John Gould Bessler

The serene, nature-inspired bath showcased neutral tones in every area, including the shower, which featured a principal shower spray that poured dramatically out of a semi-arched fitting ending in a huge, square spray surface. Photo: John Gould Bessler

The 10,000-sq.-ft. Design Idea Center (DIC) explored the idea of home as the perfect mini vacations from daily living at this year’s Kitchen/Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) in Las Vegas and featured five innovative kitchen and bath design concepts that captured the theme of “getting away” without leaving home.

The DIC’s “Everyday Getaways” were the result of the collaboration between the Hackettstown, NJ-based National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and five of Meredith Corp.’s consumer publications – Kitchen and Bath Ideas, Better Homes and Gardens, Country Home, Traditional Home and Midwest Living. Each magazine created a vignette reflecting the theme based on the individual magazine’s core readership.
Upon entering “Everyday Getaways,” visitors were transported to five, distinct, serene and relaxing atmospheres:

• Kitchen and Bath Ideas: Gourmet Traveler At Home was designed for the adventurous couple that loves to discover food and wine while they travel across the globe. Inspired by the trend of combining passions for cooking and traveling, everything in this gourmet kitchen was created to evoke the feeling of past trips, and was positioned for the ease and enjoyment of cooking, such as countertop cut-outs in the prep island and next to the range designed to hold a series of metal bins filled with everything from spoons and spatulas to seasonings. A wine room, which served as an extension of the kitchen, was ideal for those who wished to participate in the burgeoning trend of at-home wine-tasting parties.
• Better Homes and Gardens: A Gardener’s Kitchen brought the outdoors inside via a kitchen designed to act as an oasis in the midst of one’s hectic life. Created for those who think of their garden as the ultimate get-away, this kitchen opened onto a back deck with a container garden and potting table nook. Playing on the trend of multi-functional living, this kitchen’s spaces were designed to be used for cooking, dining, gathering or just unwinding. For example, opposite the range was a dual-function laundry center whose long counter was also perfect for setting up a buffet for relaxing get-togethers.
• Country Home: Big Little House in the Woods was designed as a 525-sq.-ft., two-room cottage that offered a low-key alternative to the massive spaces that have come to dominate home building today. Perfect for empty nesters or the newly single, this tranquil get-away incorporated big design ideas and inventive space solutions in an intimate setting. The cottage, inspired by Minnesota’s wooded cabins, was a cozy get-away featuring a combination dishwasher/sink, a built-in bed alcove and a soaking tub.
• Traditional Home: Natural Inspirations was a kitchen inspired by the sea. It served as a comfortable entertainment space, as well as a high-tech cooking space. Evoking the casual lifestyle of coastal living, the efficiently designed kitchen used soft, earthy finishes and glass mosaic tile to bring the Pacific Northwest environment home. Bringing the party into the kitchen, this space encouraged guests to participate in preparing meals. A large island and four distinct cooking stations made the kitchen very functional, whether one person was cooking or an entire crowd was.
• Midwest Living: Back to Basics was created as a relaxing weekend retreat, featuring a “back-to-nature” kitchen and bath space. Pairing the Heartland’s agricultural heritage with contemporary cabinetry and appliances, the converted barn was designed to relax and enhance the weekend get-away experience. The space played on the growing trend toward more outdoor living, as the entire structure opened to nature with an 8′ entrance flanked by barn doors, an outdoor shower and a screened porch with a daybed.        Look for more information about this in the upcoming 6/07 issue of Kitchen & Bath Design News. And log onto Live Events, as well.  

   (Be sure to log onto KitchenBathDesign.com for Kitchen & Bath Design News’ coverage of the 2007 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas. Log onto the home page to visit the Live Events, Top Headlines, Project Spotlight and Consumer Resources sections, and Product Gallery. And don’t forget to sign up for our eNewsletters that will cover other upcoming industry shows.)

Shown are the kitchen and the wine tasting room from the Gourmet Traveler At Home DIC vignette. Photos: Greg Scheidemann
Shown is the kitchen from the Gardener’s Kitchen DIC vignette. Photo: King Au
Shown is the kitchen from the Natural Inspirations DIC vignette. Photo: Michal Venera

The new color of design was ‘green’ at the 2007 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas. From manufacturers who are introducing environmentally friendly appliances whose parts are almost all recyclable and those who are unveiling countertop lines that are made from up to 12% recycled materials to those manufacturers who are touting sinks that are made out of recycled copper, those presenting low-VOC cabinetry in warm woods and those offering flooring made from easily grown bamboo, the emphasis is definitely on protecting the environment through great product design.

Manufacturers and designers in the kitchen and bath industry at the show were recognizing that there’s a growing movement among consumers who want to help the environment, but don’t want to sacrifice great design.

To read more about green design, click here. To read about Healthy Kitchens, click here.

Look for more information about this in the upcoming 6/07 and 7/07 issue of Kitchen & Bath Design News. And log onto Live Events, as well.

(Be sure to log onto KitchenBathDesign.com for Kitchen & Bath Design News’ coverage of the 2007 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas. Log onto the home page to visit the Live Events, Top Headlines, Project Spotlight and Consumer Resources sections, and Product Gallery. And don’t forget to sign up for our eNewsletters that will cover other upcoming industry shows.)