Emerging Decorative Surfaces for Kitchens and Baths in 2019
Artists and brands collaborated on gorgeous sinks, tiles, vanities and more seen at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show
Artistic, design-forward surfaces for everything from the kitchen sink to the kitchen wall were on display at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, the industry’s biggest event, held in Las Vegas from Feb. 19 to 21, 2019. Houzz spotted designer-and-artist collaborations with brands that have resulted in unique surfaces that elevate the look and feel of a home. Read on to learn about some of the standouts we noticed at the trade show for the kitchen and bath industries.
Photo from Kohler
Part of Ann Sacks’ new Crackle collection by Kohler WasteLab, the tiles made of factory waste come in six colors: amber, shown here; bone; emerald, shown in the previous photo; lake; mahogany and turquoise. This image shows the crackled surface close up.
Shop for tile in the Houzz Shop
Part of Ann Sacks’ new Crackle collection by Kohler WasteLab, the tiles made of factory waste come in six colors: amber, shown here; bone; emerald, shown in the previous photo; lake; mahogany and turquoise. This image shows the crackled surface close up.
Shop for tile in the Houzz Shop
Photo from Kohler
Ann Sacks debuted another marble, Lilac, as part of the Liaison collection by interior designer Kelly Wearstler. Lilac is the soft gray-violet marble with cream veining shown in this photo of marble tiles designed by Wearstler. Lilac is also available as beautiful floor tiles that radiate out in a sunburst pattern.
Browse marble tile in the Houzz Shop
Ann Sacks debuted another marble, Lilac, as part of the Liaison collection by interior designer Kelly Wearstler. Lilac is the soft gray-violet marble with cream veining shown in this photo of marble tiles designed by Wearstler. Lilac is also available as beautiful floor tiles that radiate out in a sunburst pattern.
Browse marble tile in the Houzz Shop
Photo by Anne Colby
New Sculptural Tiles in Solid-Surface Material and Concrete
Corian introduced a cool way to use its solid-surface material: as textured, sculptural tiles. While the brand’s solid surfaces are known for being perfectly flat and smooth, Los Angeles artist Mario Romano has created 40 designs with carved surfaces that have a raised pattern. The patterns include a series of raised hexagons and ones that look like a honeycomb, a sunburst, the lines of a planetary orbit and the outline of a mountain range.
The designs, in a line named M.R. Walls by Mario Romano, come in irregularly shaped puzzle piece-like tiles that fit together neatly and show no seam. They can be used on kitchen backsplashes or shower walls, or as decorative installations on surfaces throughout the home. The innovation won a BIMsmith Best of IBS/KBIS 2019 award, one of just 12 products to do so.
New Sculptural Tiles in Solid-Surface Material and Concrete
Corian introduced a cool way to use its solid-surface material: as textured, sculptural tiles. While the brand’s solid surfaces are known for being perfectly flat and smooth, Los Angeles artist Mario Romano has created 40 designs with carved surfaces that have a raised pattern. The patterns include a series of raised hexagons and ones that look like a honeycomb, a sunburst, the lines of a planetary orbit and the outline of a mountain range.
The designs, in a line named M.R. Walls by Mario Romano, come in irregularly shaped puzzle piece-like tiles that fit together neatly and show no seam. They can be used on kitchen backsplashes or shower walls, or as decorative installations on surfaces throughout the home. The innovation won a BIMsmith Best of IBS/KBIS 2019 award, one of just 12 products to do so.
Photo from Corian
Here’s another use of the routed tiles in Romano’s Great Wave pattern, above a pool in a custom home. The artist can also create customized patterns for homeowners.
Work with a kitchen or bathroom designer near you to get a unique look for your home
Here’s another use of the routed tiles in Romano’s Great Wave pattern, above a pool in a custom home. The artist can also create customized patterns for homeowners.
Work with a kitchen or bathroom designer near you to get a unique look for your home
Photo from Kohler
Ann Sacks debuted its Pas Deco curved and flat concrete tiles, a collaboration with Israeli product designer Itai Bar-On. The curved tiles have a solid brass border. Here the tile is lit from behind with LEDs that accentuate the curve.
Ann Sacks debuted its Pas Deco curved and flat concrete tiles, a collaboration with Israeli product designer Itai Bar-On. The curved tiles have a solid brass border. Here the tile is lit from behind with LEDs that accentuate the curve.
Photo from Kohler
This image shows the Pas Deco tiles applied in a bathroom setting. Notice the gold fixtures, another trend we observed at KBIS.
Shop for brass faucets in the Houzz Shop
This image shows the Pas Deco tiles applied in a bathroom setting. Notice the gold fixtures, another trend we observed at KBIS.
Shop for brass faucets in the Houzz Shop
Photo from Dacor
Decorative Panels on Refrigerators and Sinks
Dacor’s booth displayed the vignette shown in this photo, including column wine refrigerators, seen on the left side, and a dramatic and elegant refrigerator, seen on the center right of the wall. This refrigerator was introduced at KBIS last year. This year’s model has custom panel doors designed and built by Brooklyn, New York, furniture maker Mark Jupiter. The doors are stainless steel with a custom hand-applied patina, and homeowners can get the same look on this product if they so choose.
Decorative Panels on Refrigerators and Sinks
Dacor’s booth displayed the vignette shown in this photo, including column wine refrigerators, seen on the left side, and a dramatic and elegant refrigerator, seen on the center right of the wall. This refrigerator was introduced at KBIS last year. This year’s model has custom panel doors designed and built by Brooklyn, New York, furniture maker Mark Jupiter. The doors are stainless steel with a custom hand-applied patina, and homeowners can get the same look on this product if they so choose.
Photo from Dacor
The interior of the refrigerator and freezer has porcelain columns and decorative drawer fronts. The decorative drawer fronts seen in this photo were designed by artist Ann Agee, who often works with blue-and-white ceramics. The decorative panels are customizable, so homeowners can have Dacor add a family crest or something else specific.
Find refrigerators in the Houzz Shop
The interior of the refrigerator and freezer has porcelain columns and decorative drawer fronts. The decorative drawer fronts seen in this photo were designed by artist Ann Agee, who often works with blue-and-white ceramics. The decorative panels are customizable, so homeowners can have Dacor add a family crest or something else specific.
Find refrigerators in the Houzz Shop
Photo from Kohler
Kohler introduced its Tailor customizable farmhouse sink, which has a changeable decorative front panel. Homeowners can choose one of Kohler’s six decorative panels, which range from floral to geometric. This panel is called Light Floral. Alternatively, customers can insert their own material, like a countertop material or tile, into the panel slot.
Kohler introduced its Tailor customizable farmhouse sink, which has a changeable decorative front panel. Homeowners can choose one of Kohler’s six decorative panels, which range from floral to geometric. This panel is called Light Floral. Alternatively, customers can insert their own material, like a countertop material or tile, into the panel slot.
Photo from Kohler
Here’s a look at the same sink with Kohler’s Etched Stone insert.
More on Houzz
New Looks for Cabinets and Countertops Emerging in 2019
New Looks for Kitchen and Bath Faucets in 2019
Find a pro
Shop for products
Here’s a look at the same sink with Kohler’s Etched Stone insert.
More on Houzz
New Looks for Cabinets and Countertops Emerging in 2019
New Looks for Kitchen and Bath Faucets in 2019
Find a pro
Shop for products
Two New Marble Types and a New Tile Material
While The International Surface Event, held in Las Vegas in January, is the premier event for the tile, stone and floor-covering industries and a showplace for beautiful surfaces, KBIS nonetheless had plenty of artistic surfaces on display. This room inside the Kohler booth stood out with three gorgeous new products: a new type of marble, a tile made of factory waste and a hammered sink.
Interior and product designer Mick De Giulio — whose designs are featured at the presidential guesthouse in Washington, D.C. — designed the Bacifiore sink, pictured here, for Kohler’s Kallista brand. Its polished and distressed stainless steel is hand-hammered to create an organic floral motif.
The vanity shown in this photo uses the new and dramatic Scala marble from Kohler’s Ann Sacks brand. It has a white background with veining in green, gray, sapphire blue and black.
The green tiles are composed of unfired pottery waste — in other words, scraps of ceramic, sand and dust from the tile factory — that forms a beautiful crackled pattern after it is fired. This tile is the only one on the market made of pottery cull and foundry dust as well as waste glaze.