Kitchen & Bath Business - November/December 2017 - 33

SPECIAL SECTION
Introducing the 2018 Innovative Showroom Awards Advisory Board
A group of six leaders from various industries and design backgrounds will honor the importance of
the showroom experience to the kitchen and bath industry at KBIS 2018.
The 2018 Innovative Showroom Advisory Board members are:
board member has shared with us his or her passion for the importance of the
showroom experience within the kitchen and bath industry.We look forward
to working with the 2018 board to honor our industry's most innovative
showrooms this January."
â
Joe Baer, co-founder, CEO and creative director, ZenGenius, Inc.
â
Kim Bernard, executive director of facilities design, Walker Zanger
â
Chelsie Butler, executive editor, Kitchen & Bath Business
â
Alison Embrey Medina, editor in chief and associate publisher, design:retail
â
Ken Nisch, chairman, JGA
â
Avinash Rajagopal, editor in chief, Metropolis

The 2018 award winners will be determined by the Innovative Showroom
advisory board, with members initially selecting 15 finalists. Representatives
from these showrooms will be invited to speak as part of a panel discussion on showroom innovation on Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m.
on the NKBA Presents KBISNeXT Stage sponsored by HomeAdvisor,
followed by an awards ceremony at 4 p.m. announcing each winner and a
cocktail reception.
"We have an incredible panel of experts serving on the 2018 advisory
board," said Brian Pagel, senior vice president, Emerald Expositions. "Each

A winner will be chosen in each of the following six categories:

â
Independent Retail Showrooms (Brands with 1-5 showrooms) - Small (1,000-
2,500 square feet)
â
Independent Retail Showrooms (Brands with 1-5 showrooms) - Medium (2,500-
5,000 square feet)
â
Independent Retail Showrooms (Brands with 1-5 showrooms) - Large (5,000
square feet+)
â
Multi-Location Retail Showrooms (Brands with 6+ showrooms) - Medium
(1,000-5,000 square feet)
â
Multi-Location Retail Showrooms (Brands with 6+ showrooms) - Large
(5,000 square feet+)
â
Overall Showroom Winner

The 2018 Innovative Showroom Awards are sponsored by American
Standard, DXV and GROHE - the brands that comprise LIXIL Water
Technology Americas.

SHOW THE CROWD
YOUR BEST
The ever-popular DesignBites will again
take place during KBIS 2018 on the NKBA
Presents KBISNeXT Stage sponsored by
HomeAdvisor. Kitchen and bath brands will
present their greatest innovations, followed by
a two-minute Q&A with the audience. Jeff
Devlin, a well-known host on HGTV and the
DIY Network, will lead the kitchen group on
Tuesday, Jan. 9 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Kevin
O'Conner, who is widely involved with This
Old House Ventures, will lead the bath group
on Wednesday, Jan. 10 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
KBB talked to O'Conner about his experience last year as a DesignBites host and what's
in store this time around.

KEVIN O'CONNER

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF BEING A
DESIGNBITES HOST LAST YEAR?
The people who brought great ideas from all corners of the design space. It's a chance to hear the
ideas shaping the world of design.
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR?
This year I jump from the kitchen to the bath
(something I do after most meals), so I'm looking
forward to seeing the hottest ideas coming to a
new space. I'm going to push the designers to tell
us why these trends are hot, where they came from
and what is inspiring their new ideas. Good design
decision always has context.
HOW WILL YOU HELP ATTENDEES LEARN ABOUT
NEW BATH INNOVATIONS?
Exposure is key. We must immerse ourselves in
new ideas from different people with different
perspectives. Good design percolates in ran-

dom places and then spreads in accidental ways.
DesignBites is an efficient way to corral those
ideas and catch them all in one spot.
HOW WILL YOU MAKE THE EXPERIENCE FUN AND
INTERACTIVE?
I'm going to move it along and get out of the way.
People want to see the new products and hear the
new ideas, so it's my job to key in on the designers'
best ideas and exciting moments and pull those out.
WHAT'S A LESSON YOU'VE LEARNED YOU CAN
SHARE WITH OTHER INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS?
I'm always slow on the uptake with new design.
If something looks familiar, it feels safe. But good
design isn't about safe, it's about emotion. So when
I see something new, I try to clear my head, look
less and feel more. If a new design can make you
feel something, that's when I pay attention.

Kitchen & Bath Business - November/December 2017

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