By Designer Kate Davidson
As a designer I like to explore design shows and find some inspirational new items. This year IDS2018 was again definitely a success with many outstanding booths that wowed with creative and innovative displays that offered great inspirations for us to take home .
The tried and true vendors like Caesarstone , Miele, and W Studio continued to offer some innovative and unique, stunning displays. But this year there were a few vendors that surprised us and went above and beyond to impress and inspire with their amazing new materials, fixtures, furnishings and appliances. One such booth full of amazing products was the House of Rohl booth which showcased some of the latest trends and finishes now to create the most stylish of bathrooms . Here we were able to see the latest freestanding tub from bath experts Victoria + Albert The latest modern reinvention of a classic bateau bathtub, named Trivento. Adore the fact it is deep and double ended style combines the clean lines of a modern aesthetic with the graceful curves of a classic silhouette. All Victoria + Albert Baths are now available in Colour (right on trend ) in Gloss black, Matte Black, Anthracite, Stone Grey and Light Grey.
Overall at the show you would see that pattern, texture and the mixing of materials is going to be a strong influence in design for the coming year.
The gorgeous mosaics at Surface & Co made quite an impact with the mixture of marble, gold leaf backed glass tile and brass tile mixed in bold graphic patterns. As well I loved the walnut and marble combination in the dining table at the Huppe display.
From lighting to tabletops and kitchen counters , mixing wood, stone, and metal is a huge theme this year. The custom lighting and furniture by Hollis + Morris combined wood & brass beautifully with elegant, simplistic design. The combination of finishes can also been found in plumbing fixtures as the combination of brass, gold and lucite continues to be popular. I was inspired to see at the Monogram booth how Sarah Richardson varied the quartz countertop colours on the island in the Resort kitchen design.
In addition to the mixing of materials the industrial look remains to be strong. A great find were the prefab black framed shower enclosures by Zitta, (available through your plumbing supplier). This hot look is now more affordable as they are available in 4 sizes ready to be installed. Graphite toned matte and distressed faucets were on display at the Graff booth – I was excited to find these new finishes as they will work beautifully in a rustic, modern space.
The show this year was layered with innovative materials, appliances and furnishings. All with a focus on customization, tone and texture.
Be sure to check back with us at Reno & Décor for more product news ahead and visit us at the GTA show February 16 th -19 th and come meet us with your design questions.