SHOW REVIEW | kbb Birmingham 2020 ‘The best kbb I have attended’
Fiora, BC Designs, AEG and Siemens were a few of the stands to impress Hayley Robson,
owner of Day True in London, who also found time take part in one of our live podcasts
W
e headed to this year’s kbb exhibition with prearranged appointments and a couple of meetings in place. Of course, this plan quickly went out the window when we realised how many people we knew in the kitchen and bathroom industry and that they all seemed to be in Birmingham. The first day went so quickly. In the past, visiting this exhibition I felt I could have covered the ground easily in a day, however this year, we left after two full days feeling that we needed at least another day to ensure we had seen and experienced everything on offer. This can only be a positive indication of the success of the overall exhibition.
The halls seemed busy on all days and I would suggest that in most cases the quality of the stands had massively improved compared with previous years. The whole show had a continuity and it was clear that there had been some serious investment into the infrastructure for the majority of the stands and overall feel.
Our exhibition journey started in the bathroom end, which I always feel is not as well represented as the kitchen section. However, it took us a whole day to complete and I must say there were some exciting new products on offer and some great examples of inspirational lifestyle displays.
What was really great to see was lots of colour. Standout examples for me were the Drench shower screens. They presented a particularly lovely example of a shower enclosure in a framed forest green finish, combined with fluted glass and beautiful brass hinges and handles. Fiora, I would suggest, really nailed the ‘lifestyle’ setting displays on its stand, showcasing its products in a range
of colours,
including nude pinks and powder blues, alongside examples of texture in furniture, shower trays and panels. Most bathroom manufacturers are now offering extensive options of metal finishes in brassware, but it’s still a great opportunity to see all of the options in one place.
Colour is certainly back and what was even more exciting was seeing a few suppliers offering a wide choice of options. Victoria and Albert displayed baths and basins alongside a classic RAL colour paint chart, highlighting the
increase in demand for personalisation and choice within the bathroom.
BC Designs presented a concept bathroom setting that was all about colour – the main focal point being its ColourKast bath available in a range of muted but colourful finishes. Speaking of colour, the runway of taps on the 1810 stand was, I suspect, the most Instagrammed image of kbb 2020. It certainly ended up on my feed.
I can’t say that we found lots of examples of products, styles or finishes that we hadn’t already seen, but when it came to appliances, a couple of them pulled it out of the bag. AEG displayed its new matt black oven range (pictured above), which certainly impressed. Black is clearly a colour making its way into appliances and materials in replacement of chrome or stainless steel. The most exciting thing we saw was on the Siemens stand with its latest innovations in connected appliances using smart
speakers and voice activation. Its latest technology in vented hobs was also impressive and might not have been at kbb if the Milan fair hadn’t been postponed.
Biophilic
Another exciting product that had a prominent location outside one of the main halls was the kitchen garden by Natufia – a fully-automated miniature hydroponic garden that fits into every kitchen, and luckily in my case, does not require any time or gardening skills to maintain. This was probably the only true example of biophilic design on show other than the use of plants and greenery for styling. I’m sure it’s a trend we will see more of in the future. In the same vein, the other slightly surprising factor lack
was the of eco-conscious or sustainable
products on show. I’m sure they were there, but I had expected to see more visible examples and solutions. The Used Kitchen Exchange was very engaging and was even dishing out reusable drinks containers. There were a few brands exhibiting outside of the main hall, which allowed them to create a slightly different experience. I just wonder if they achieved the same footfall and attendance as the main halls. Ultimately, I was drawn to stands that had an element of lifestyle inspiration, combined with interesting technical details. Engaging interactions are also a draw – cooking demonstrations are always easy for kitchen manufacturers to achieve, but how can bathroom manufacturers create the same drama on their stands? Interactive displays where you could play with samples and product worked well, it would be great to see more drama, movement and engagement of senses to entice the crowds. Taylist Media’s bbreview’s live podcasts were a
kbb is always a great opportunity to meet faces from the industry and ensure you are up-to-date on the latest products
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great addition to this year’s events – and I was part of one. They were more informal than the usual seminar format, punchy in their content and felt more sociable, equally it is great that you can catch up on them if you didn’t get the chance to attend all of them. I’d say this year’s kbb was the best I have attended. It was, and is, always a great opportunity to meet old and new faces from the industry, build relationships and ensure you are up-to-date on the latest products, innovations and materials on offer. I felt a lot was achieved over the couple of days I attended. The scale of the halls was manageable, although I would have liked to spend another day there. I’d suggest it was a successful event for all of those who exhibited and visited over the four days. It is an industry I am proud to be a part of and look forward to seeing it evolve in the future.
· April 2020
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