6 Emerging Kitchen and Bath Trends, As Seen at KBIS 2023

By Mel Studach and Lila Allen

The 2023 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), the source for emerging kitchen and bath trends, wrapped in Las Vegas last week, and the numbers are already in: The show reported record-setting attendance with more than 40,000 visitors—one of the largest gatherings of kitchen and bath designers, architects, developers, and buyers in the show's 60-year history.

The news comes as no surprise to those of us who were on the ground navigating the bustling show halls and crowded exhibitor booths. Indeed, KBIS was back—and we were busy. Below, discover the kitchen and bath trends and innovative new category launches that impressed AD PRO editors at the show.

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Consider it the elegant glow-up of once-trendy matte black fixtures. This sleek charcoal finish is a close relative to blackened steel with its cool undertones, but with more edgy and sophisticated dimensions. Baldwin leaned into the gunmetal shade with a brand new Graphite Nickel finish, soon to be available in more than 5,000 styles of the maker's hardware, while Brizo expanded its Brilliance Black Onyx finish to the Levoir bath collection (available March 2023).

Native Trails, meanwhile, has introduced the Gunmetal shade to its Precious Metals collection of fireclay sink basins, which can be ordered with or without matte white interiors. (We love the line's ability to pick up soft, ambient light from the space around it—a point of differentiation from the matte blacks of yesteryear.)

Translating the metallic finishes into countertops, Cambria unveiled four marbled surfaces glittering with alloy-embedded veining—a stylish Steel iteration included. And the Monogram Designer Collection x Richard T. Anuszkiewicz, the manufacturer's inaugural designer series, was striking in its Titanium offering, with an diagonally cut custom ventilation hood as well as leather-wrapped solid bronze appliance handles made in collaboration with Keeler Brass Company. (The collection includes a stylish Brass aesthetic as well.) Elsewhere, the star of Bertazzoni's booth was a 48-inch induction range in the brand's fresh charcoal-black finish, Carbonio. Currently on the market in Italy, the option will be arriving stateside this fall.

The Monogram Designer Collection x Richard T. Anuszkiewicz.

The Levoir bath collection in the newly added Brilliance Black Onyx finish by Brizo.

Cambria's Alloy collection.

True Residential's 120-inch Joining Kit, as shown in the new Bluestone colorway.

That Monogram Designer Collection drew buzz among pros for qualities beyond its sleek finishes. Among the collection's custom options is a 96-inch-high refrigerator panel, better scaled to accommodate lofty kitchens. At True Residential, designers’ capabilities expanded width-wise thanks to a new reveal in the manufacturer's proprietary Joining Kits, which allow refrigerator units to be connected side-by-side to create wall-spanning refrigeration systems. Previously available in 72- and 90-inch lengths, the newly added 120-inch Joining Kit means four 30-inch units (choose from refrigerator, freezer, wine, or beverage columns) can now be seamlessly grouped together.

Signature Kitchen Suite is also expanding its range with the introduction of the industry's first 48-inch French door refrigerator. First debuted last year, the appliance is now available on the market, and boasts a convertible drawer plus five temperature settings tailored to all of the essentials: chilled wine, meats and seafood, deli, drinks, and freezer. The line comes panel-ready or in stainless steel, and can be installed proud or flush. At Cambria, the newly enlarged slab measurement capabilities are sure to have designers dreaming up new ways to apply quartz surfaces. The manufacturer can now produce slabs of up to 136 by 80 inches, lessening the need for eye-sore breaks or careful seaming.

Like in a good play, the cast of a kitchen can't just consist of main characters—you’ve got to have a strong supporting cast. ZLine appears to have taken this idea to heart, as the brand is debuting cookware to their already robust line of appliances. To start, the company is launching knives, available now in German and Damascus steel styles. Sets can be ordered in 1, 3, or 15 pieces. ZLine also teased yet-to-be-released pans.

The new 48-inch French door refrigerator by Signature Kitchen Suite.

Who needs panel-ready appliances when you can practically color-match them to your cabinetry? This season, True Residential added Bluestone, a soft and serene blue with gray undertones, alongside Saffron, Emerald, Cobalt, and more within the Build Your True program. The manufacturer can also now produce any automotive-grade finish, from mattes to glittering metallics. And BlueStar debuted its Dual Fuel Range—available in 36- and 48-inch sizes— in Red Wine, selected by designer Noz Nozawa (from the manufacturer's 1,000-plus color options) as the brand's Color of the Year.

Elsewhere, LG Studio revealed its colorful, LED-lit MoodUP refrigerator. Once installed, homeowners can choose from hundreds of thousands of hues for their appliance, allowing them to customize, mix, and match panels, no hardware required. If these MoodUP pieces are any indication, disco never died—and honestly, we’re here for it.

Bath brands added to the KBIS color wheel, too. In honor of its 150th anniversary, Kohler dug through the depths of its plumbing archive—all the way back to the 1920s, in fact—for an exciting relaunch: In the weeks leading up to KBIS, Kohler asked consumers to vote for which of six pastel Heritage Colors should make a grand return. Top picks were announced at the show, revealing that Spring Green (circa 1927) and Peachblow (circa 1934) will soon be available in several of the manufacturer's toilet, bath, and sink models (available summer 2023). Meanwhile, House of Rohl promoted Victoria + Albert's 200-plus color finish options with a collaboration with Traveler, pin-pointing hues from idyllic travel destinations. The colorways extend to the maker's sleek new Lusari bath collection as well.

Designer Noz Nozawa selected Red Wine at BlueStar's 2023 Color of the Year, show here on the manufacturer's new 48-inch Dual Fuel range.

LED-lit MoodUP refrigerator by LG Studio.

House of Rohl's Victoria + Albert collaborated with Traveler on a new curated color story.

Steam has been a popular term among kitchen exhibitors for the past several years at KBIS, as ovens have become tricked-out with steam, air-fry, and sous vide enhancements. But this year, the concept was much more a focus in the bathroom, where manufacturers such as Brizo and Delta debuted steam shower systems. The former's Mystix Steam System can be preset with user preferences and even has an elevated tier for aromatherapy, chromotherapy, and audiotherapy enhancements (available summer 2023).

The Verso Rainshower with Magnetix by Moen.

If the creeping thought of viruses has ever reared its head after you’ve touched a faucet tap or light dimmer, you aren't alone—COVID did a number on a lot of us. Fortunately, Legrand's new partnership with antimicrobial leader Microban is on its way to providing a bit of comfort. Starting with the Adorne Collection, these enhanced switchers, dimmers, and wall plates are touted as being 99.9% cleaner than unprotected surfaces, putting an end to our anxiety about surface germs in one area of the home, at least.

In other "how had we not already thought of that?" news, Moen introduced the Verso Rainshower with Magnetix, which makes cleaning your shower head less of a chore by simply detaching it from the magnetized shower arm. The brand recommends using a 50/50 water and vinegar solution to wipe away water stains and bacteria build-up.

Because a clean and organized kitchen equates to mental wellness: At the House of Rohl booth, the new Rohl Allia Fine Fireclay Workstation Sink offers a fine solution for home cooks, with interchangeable parts like cooking boards and racks that can help streamline prep and cleanup. (A smaller version is also available for home bars.) Designers have their pick from four finishes (white, satin gray, matte black, and pergame).

The Mystix Steam System by Brizo.

On the surfaces side of things, we also found plenty to love. As AD design editor Hannah Martin pointed out last year, travertine is experiencing a renaissance; however, some designers may have been put off by the stone's natural porousness. Fortunately, Cosentino has introduced a fix: Dekton's new Pietra Kode collection, dreamed up over four years by Daniel Germani, re-creates and remixes the look of travertine in a sustainable and easy-to-clean surface. The brand is also introducing Vicenza and Ceppo di Gré options, both of which similarly nod to classic Italian architecture.

This year, Caesarstone broadened its material portfolio to include natural stone and porcelain surfaces. The latter has been perfected over three years of research and development, bringing to fruition 22 colors in two finishes (honed and ultra rough) that are ready to use indoors and outdoors (available March 2023). We’re partial to the densely veined Striata and Archetta styles.

Dekton's new Pietra Kode collection.

The Archetta style from Caesarstone's brand-new Porcelain selection.

When it comes to functionality, GE Profile's new UltraFast UltraFast Combo with Ventless Heat Pump Technology checks all the boxes: Consolidating washing and drying into a single unit, the innovative new product saves time (requiring just two hours per large load without a transfer in between) and space. Its ventless technology and low-power (120V outlet) needs will have designers rethinking where laundry can live, as it requires simply a water hookup (available June 2023).

Moen introduced the Arbor Laundry Faucet, equipped with an extended-length pulldown hose to reach all corners of the sink basin, as well as a garden hose outlet and increased water pressure (4 gpm) to assist with stain removal. Meanwhile, Kohler added to its laundry room offerings with the Cairn Utility Sink, a 12-inch-deep Neoroc basin (the brand's proprietary ultra-durable, matte-finish composite material) with task-driven accessories like a wash bin and steel utility rack.

The Arbor Laundry faucet by Moen.