To enter or not to enter?
I consider myself very lucky to have been involved with many industry associations over the years and, as an extension, with a variety of...
Darren Palmer from "The Block" and Cass Brothers star at KBDi...
On a wet and wild Sydney evening, NSW KBDi members and their guests attended en masse at the Cass Brothers Petersham flagship showroom for...
Christmas themes in showrooms
Having lived in Sydney my whole life, one of the highlights at Christmastime is the trek into the city to behold the wonder that...
KBQ's "Join The Q" Facebook campaign
To celebrate 20 years of Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly magazine, the editorial team has launched a new Facebook campaign entitled ‘Join the Q’, which...
Cesar Kitchens opens in Australia
The Cesar brand of kitchens and furniture has been synonymous for quality and cutting edge design since it started production in Italy in 1970....
Atelier and Alabaster
Alabaster is known throughout the world to have spiritual and healing properties - among other things it diminishes anger, eases anxiety and aid forgiveness....
Heavy on the texture
At the 2009 Interzum, we began to see the emergence of textured surfaces with many exhibitors showing off what was then a new concept...
Is it really important to be “trendy”?
One topic I'm asked to speak about more than any other is trends - design trends, colour trends, interior trends etc... It's a topic...
Maco Collection from Geda
Macò is a new bathroom series that consists of basin and bidet mixers, shower heads and built-in shower mixers where color is the key element. The Macò...
Shine radiator from Caleido
We don't see many radiators in Australia - unfortunately, as cold as it may feel sometimes our climate is still extremely moderate compared to...
A dry day at Smeg – you’re kidding!
The once energy-hungry clothes dryer, that often needed replacing after just a few years, has been reinvented as a clean green machine using half...
Roll up, roll up!!!
Roller shutters (often called Tambour doors) have been a part of the kitchen landscape for many years, but in the last few years the...
A reaquaintance with tiles!
For quite some time now the variety and experimentation with splashbacks seems to have been endless – glass, solid surface, lit or un-lit, mirror,...
Do not miss this!!
Applying International Style to Australian Design’
When: Monday, 5 May, 2014 - 6pm for a 6.30pm start
Where: Smeg Showroom, 2 Baker Street, Banksmeadow
The NSW Chapter of...
It takes Moxie to shower out loud
The press release is impressive – it starts with “Your music. Your shower. Your time. To chill out. To sing. Refresh. Energize. Escape.”
The...
Putting the squeeze on design
We all use them in cooking in various ways, some I hear even use them in cleaning, but the humble lemon has over the...
Fisher & Paykel ActiveSmart refrigerators
Homeowners today are more aware of the look and aesthetics of their appliances and place as much importance on this aspect of the appliance's...
Why do they do it?
Having spent three days in Austria as guests of hardware giant Blum, we pondered why such a successful company would take all that time...
Beko Indyflex™ cooktop
New from European brand Beco is the Indyflex™ 60cm Beko cooktop (HII 64500 FT) that allows for two of its four induction cooking zones...
Cosentino ramps up the Milan debate – in style!
Last Wednesday night, Cosentino partnered with Indesign to host a review of Eurocucina and Bagno, the largest design fairs in Milan. Held in their Sydney...
A bar I could sit at all day
Recently released during Milan Design Week, this is "Bar" from Italian brand VG. Designed by Vincenzo Antonuccio and Marilena Calbini from VM Design, Bar...
Grand Designs Australia Handbook
A must-have publication from Grand Designs Australia magazine Editor-at-Large, Peter Maddison, the Grand Designs Australia Handbook has just been released.
Peter is an award-winning architect...
Spaces available for Eurocucina!
After some disappointing news in October last year that the tour was full - guess what? A few precious positions have opened up - you...
Hot Chilli from Kuppersbusch
New at this year's "Future Technology for the Kitchen" (FTK) at Eurocucina, is this red-hot number from German appliance manufacturer Küppersbusch. Called "Hot Chilli",...
essastone new colours
Are you a lover of dark surfaces in kitchens and bathrooms or do you prefer the lighter shades?
The two colours featured here are from...
The family business – part 1
It’s generally accepted that across Australia the kitchen and bathroom industry is made up of many family businesses. In fact the more I travel...
Print media in the home renovation industry
The demise of printed newspapers has been well publicised over the last couple of years. With online (and, mostly, free) access many of our...
The Language of Design
Jack Gold is the owner and Senior Designer at Presidential Interiors, a New York based Interior Design House that specialises in designing and manufacturing...
Mosaic magic
I'm sure everyone remembers the "shoe bath" from last year's iSalone event which created such an impression both for its beauty and sheer daring...
Always consider the sorry state of your audience!
With the year almost done, many retailers, whilst clearing the decks of customer issues, will soon be spending time over the break thinking about...
Comment – “Is the kitchen male or female?”
Having gone through those “fabulous” years with a teenage daughter when you think to yourself “is this really worth it?”, I’m now blessed to...
Samo showers on the parade!
Already a leader in the international field for its excellence in Italian design of the shower, The International Bathroom Exhibition will give Samo the...
Miele’s Generation 6000 appliances
Five years of extensive product development has resulted in the launch of a new range of appliances from Miele - Generation 6000. The range...
A "construction site" kitchen
We often hear kitchens referred to as "construction" or "building" sites but this - certainly in my case, anyway - is often more a...
Fisher & Paykel ActiveSmart refrigerators
Homeowners today are more aware of the look and aesthetics of their appliances and place as much importance on this aspect of the appliance's...
Smeg’s new 900 Pyrolytic Oven
The great divide between high performance professional kitchen appliances and the domestic alternatives has been all but banished with the arrival of Smeg’s flagship...
Who's used Smeg appliances recently?
Yet again our friends at Newscast have thrown out the challenge! Last time it was for a Kohler product. This time, Smeg is looking...
Throwing curveballs into the bathroom
Ever wanted to put a curve into your shower designs? I know it’s not for everyone or every bathroom but when it’s possible the...
Staron – New Colours 2013
Hot on the heels of Interzum, Staron has released its new Solid Surface colours for 2013. Five new colours are featured, inspired by city...
Interzum Red Dot Awards
As with Milan Design Week, Interzum is about much more than just "the show".
Every two years, Koelnmesse collaborates with red dot to host the...
iSalone – facts and figures
As reported earlier, this year's Salone del Mobile was the largest ever held and we now have all the facts and figures from the...
You’re wanted – well, Kohler wants you!
Our great friends at Newscast, PR agents for iconic brands such as Smeg and Kohler have a request! They urgently require images of bathrooms...
Resopal recycles – beautifully!
The acronym Resopal is composed of the Latin word for resin, resina, and opal, to describe the originally, slightly shiny surface, and was registered...
F&P Outdoor Grill upgrade promotion
If you or a client are considering an outdoor grill you need to take advantage of a current DCS Grill upgrade promotion from Fisher...
Cosentino goes back to school – in a great way!
Cosentino Group, distributors of Silestone, has announced the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) as the Australian partner school for its 2013 student design challenge, working...
Time for a giveaway!
The Kitchen & Bathroom Blog is only four months old yet we've already racked up more than 5,700 views and we're currently sitting at...
The best of book matching
Natural stone has timeless beauty and no two slabs are identical which makes it inherently unique and appealing to designers and consumers alike. However...
Dreaming in the shower
Axor is internationally renowned as a company which pushes the boundaries of design and challenges our understanding of functionality and aesthetics. Working with various...
Smeg 6-Star Dishwasher
Big news from Smeg with the release of Australia's first 6-Star WELS rated dishwasher.
Raising the bar on water saving kitchen appliances, the 6-Star model...
Hanging from the ceiling
In a stunning melding of visual art and appliance technology the latest crop of range hoods from Smeg turns our preconceptions of kitchen ventilation...
A shower and a half!
We know that in most parts of the country heated anything isn't often a priority - but this might be. Heat, water, tablet, chromo...
Victoria hits 90!!
Retro kitchen appliances – featuring smart and efficient 21st century technology – have for many years been virtually the sole domain of Italian appliance...
Hide-away style from Makro
"Hidden" is an enigmatic wooden box designed by Giulio Gianturco for Makro. Representing a trunk, once opened Hidden reveals a functional make up and...
Reece ISH Trend Report
Our good friends at Reece were amazed at the array of incredible products and concepts on display at this year's ISH, held in Frankfurt,...
Design in every room plus food – a match made...
Milan Design Week has closed for another year, it’s the place where the trend starts, a massive village of design, it leads where others...
Is the customer "always right" ?
A recent experience with our favorite friend – the customer – started us thinking about that all-too-famous saying, coined by the American-born, British retail...
Bucket basin from Scarabeo
Newly released this year at the International Bathroom Exhibition is the Bucket collection from Scarabeo Ceramica. Designed by architect Giovanna Talocci, the basins embody...
Industry icon tells us why you need to be trained
Loris Pullen began her career in the kitchen industry in 1977. She was one of the first women in the industry in South...
Grand Designs Sydney – wow!!
Yesterday saw the close of the third Grand Designs Live Sydney show.
There's no question that the show towers above all other consumer events in all...
Reece on sale!
Who does't love a sale?
For consumers and industry alike, Reece is celebrating spring with its Happy Sale which kicked off on 1st October. Whether you’re...
Christiaan’s Frozen Collection
At the forefront of innovative bathroom design, Christiaan’s welcomes the ultra-stylish Frozen Collection to its showroom. Connoisseurs of
contemporary bathroom designs, Christiaan’s inclusion of the Italian-designed collection is synonymous...
“My Open Shower Space” Award winner 2013
The Hansgrohe Award for sustainable design ideas with regards to water recognises up-and-coming young designers from all over the world. More than 135 concepts...
Does concrete have a place in your business?
We have talked before about talented designers and how they use their expertise in a variety of mediums, and often, fields. Martin Steininger is...
New Caesarstone Melbourne showroom
Introducing the new flagship Caesarstone Melbourne showroom in Heatherton Victoria - all Melbourne operations have been relocated to this brand new state-of-the-art Sales and...
Longevity and passion runs in the family
There’s nothing like a challenge. Today one of our industry’s stalwarts got there – well sort of!
When you think of one person...
Design Week in Milan
As we’ve already posted, this week is design week in Milan – a time to see and admire what some of the world’s modern...
Interzum – Day 1
As we head to our first day at Interzum, we thought it might be interesting to bring you an overview of the show and...
Bugatti homewares with Italian flair
With a name almost synonymous with Italian style, it's expected that the homewares produced by Bugatti and exhibited at this year's Eurocucina will be...
Time for a change?
At TKBB we try to bring you a variety of things we hope interest you - every post! The industry is run by people...
Sento freestanding tapware from Graff
New from Graff, designed by Daniele Ruzza and Silvana Angeletti from Angeletti_Ruzza Design, comes Sento - a freestanding collection of classic faucets.
The designers focused...
Glass and Nature
As we reported last week the panel discussion at Cosentino generated a lot of interest. One comment from Darren Genner of Minosa related to...
Cassandra Cucine at Eurocucina
One of the most talked about displays at Eurocucina came, surprisingly, not from the large, established kitchen designers and manufacturers, but from an emerging...
Attard's Kitchens & Cabinetry's brand new showroom
24 years is a long time in the kitchen and bathroom industry and the recent launch of the new Attard's Kitchens & Cabinetry showroom...
Insider: Media exclusives – can they work for you?
The question of "exclusive" media access to projects has come up in conversation with a few people lately so we thought we'd take a...
Timeless contemporary design by Karim Rashid
If you haven't heard the name Karim Rashid in design circles, crawl out from under that rock and Google him today. An industrial designer...
It’s an “App” ennig thing!
Apps became a part of our lives in early 2009, and to demonstrate how popular they became, the word “App” was named Word of...
Miele PowerFlex induction cooktops – now in panorama
Introducing the Miele PowerFlex induction cooktops - now optimised in a new panoramic design to provide even greater flexibility, especially when cooking on a large...
KBQ’s “Join The Q” Facebook campaign
To celebrate 20 years of Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly magazine, the editorial team has launched a new Facebook campaign entitled ‘Join the Q’, which...
The future of bathroom design
Yesterday, as a guest of Tradelink and Mico Bathrooms, I was invited to the Sydney showroom to enjoy a presentation by Kim Duffin of...
DesignEx feature – Wood Melbourne
We had a lot of fun visiting DesignEX yesterday despite initial reservations about the extra time and trouble to get to Glebe Island. In...
Genesis washbasins from Ceramica Globo
The new Genesis washbasin collection was designed by a team from Creative Lab + who describe these new basis as including "many elements that...
Daniel's at it again!
We’ve seen quite a selection of quality bathroom fittings from Daniel Rubinetterie, they do consistently produce outstanding items and their commitment to continual improvement...
Memoria by Vitra – eye catching from every perspective!
Catching the eye is a big part of retailing today – and eye catching is what you always get at shows such as the...
Attard’s Kitchens & Cabinetry’s brand new showroom
24 years is a long time in the kitchen and bathroom industry and the recent launch of the new Attard's Kitchens & Cabinetry showroom...
Smeg's new French-door fridge
Italian appliance manufacturer Smeg has recognised the popularity of the French-door style refrigerators - sales in the past year are up by 38 per...
Three Unique Bathroom Products
We see so much of design in every field, it’s why the word “unique” is bandied around so often. But we were taken by...
Ilve G5 induction cooktop
Ilve has introduced its new G5 range of induction cooktops which have been re-engineered with a square inductor panel which rapidly maximises the space...
Next year's marketing.
As you and your business approach a New Year, from a marketing perspective, I was asked twice in the last week about items within this...
The art of ceramics for the bathroom
New from Ceramica Cielo is the "Terre di Ciele" chromatic range which celebrates organic shapes, natural tones and architectural style.
This gorgeous range of ceramic...
Graff and Azzurra at Cersaie
We’ve written before about Cersaie – held every year in Bologna Italy, the showcases the best from the bathroom fitting and tile industry. This...
We’re on a break
HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!
TKBB is taking a short break over the Easter Long Weekend. See you back here as usual on Tuesday 18th April.
But wait – there’s more (from imm – Cologne)
The imm cologne/LivingInteriors 2014 came to an end on Sunday, 19 January 2014. The world's leading trade fair in Lifestyle and Interior Design attracted...
Another “must have wine cabinet”!!
Back in March we brought you the Albareda Wine Cabinet from Del Curto – certainly a beautiful piece of traditional craftsmanship that drew a...
AvanTech YOU by Hettich
Hettich, the world’s leading cabinet hardware and fittings producer introduces the new AvanTech YOU drawer system coming soon to the Australian market in 2020.
Australia comes out on top in International Cosentino Design Challenge 2013
You may remember some time ago that TKBB ran a story on Cosentino's promotion of a global design challenge, and you may also have...
Irinox Home Collection – Freddy & Zero
Following the demise of Domotechnica in around 2004, it was assumed that shows in Berlin and Cologne would pick up the reigns, but Milan...
Istanbul collection from VitrA
I've fallen in love with this new collection from VitrA. Designed by Ross Lovegrove, the award-winning Istanbul collection is a gorgeous combination of fluid,...
Ola
Ola!
This is the fourth KBDi Designers' International Tour I've done and I never quite know what is going to happen each time we set...
Kevin's Green Heroes – Eco innovation at Grand Designs Live
Entries close 6th October so don't miss out.
(If you are having trouble reading this image, just click on it and you'll have an option...
Interzum preview: Suddekor
With less than a month before the KBDi International Designer's Tour heads to Interzum we decided it's time to start sharing many of the...
