More than 30,000 attendees, 600 exhibitors and 400 members of the media will convene in Las Vegas from Feb. 19-21. And that’s just the prediction from the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show’s (KBIS) official website! KBIS and the National Association of Home Builder’s (NAHB) International Builders Show (IBS) are showcasing residential and commercial trends and offerings that will be the talk of 2019.

There is so much to share that we are previewing each show separately. Let’s start with all things kitchen and bath.

KBIS 2019

Exhibitors are always a key attraction of KBIS, as hundreds of companies provide interactive experiences, products comparisons and real-time answers from experts. As a bonus, however, there are destinations in the exhibit hall in connection with KBIS and Design & Construction Week. This year, there will be 11 special show areas offering additional programming, learning and networking opportunities. 

The Salon by KBIS show area is a new boutique-style tent space that will include exclusive, design-forward brands, programming with experts, an interactive virtual reality experience and more special exhibits. The Align Project show area presented by Green Builder is based on a one-year demonstration project that was designed to challenge entrenched ideas and offer suggestions for aligning lifestyles with changing socio-economic and environmental realities. 

The KBIS Edit show area will feature brands curated and promoted by Modenus and Design Milk, focusing on small batch production, international luxury brands, bespoke manufacturers and artisans. The Lightovation Lounge show will be presented in partnership with the American Lighting Association; Dallas Market Center will host an interactive virtual reality experience showcasing residential lighting. The KBISNeXT Stage show area sponsored by HomeAdvisor and Ceasarstone will showcase the industry’s latest trends and insights from leading kitchen and bath experts. 

In addition, the CEDIA show area in the Technology Solutions Pavilion will showcase exhibitors specializing in technology solutions for the home. The Showcase for Living In Place show area will offer information to make all homes accessible, comfortable and safe, regardless of the occupant’s current or future needs or age. The DCW Outdoor Living Pavilion show area will highlight new products for grilling, entertaining and living well in a home's outdoor space. 

The Discovery District show area will focus on the latest products from emerging and international brands. The New Modernists Design Trail show area will offer a new way of seeing KBIS with a focus on modern and trend-forward brands and products. Finally, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) show area will invite visitors to engage, ask broad questions and explore the beautiful, impactful and sometimes surprising ways that design makes impact. 

A highlight of the KBIS 2019 educational offerings will be the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s (NKBA) “Voices from the Industry” conference. More than 80 speakers representing all segments of the kitchen and bath industry will present on topics including: growing your business, kitchen and bath specialty training, design, management, customer service and more. 

Most sessions will be one hour and attendees can earn 0.1 CEU. New for 2019, NKBA will offer four two-hour professional development courses as part of the conference, which will be worth 0.2 CEU credits and two education hours toward earning or maintaining AKBD, CKBD or CMKBD certification.

NKBA also will introduce “Education is Genius.” These one-hour sessions will provide an introduction to the various NKBA education activations happening at KBIS and throughout 2019. Each session will be eligible for 0.1 NKBA CEUs. The program will feature five components: Living in Place Certification: Certified Living in Place Professional (CLIPP); NKBA affiliated colleges and student programs; Web-based training programs; NKBA certification, planning guidelines and online knowledge base; and specialty badge/micro-credentialing program.

And what would Vegas — and KBIS — be without some lively, curated events? New for 2019, The Innovative Showroom Awards will celebrate six showrooms in the kitchen and bath space that are doing a great job of engagement, creating an unforgettable experience and educating their customers. The winners will be announced Feb. 18, at the NKBA Design Competition and Industry Awards Show at the Encore Hotel. 

“Best of KBIS” returns this year, presenting the industry’s premier awards to the best new kitchen, bath, smart home and outdoor living products that push the boundaries of design, technology and innovation. “Best Booth” awards also will return to KBIS this year, spotlighting six beautiful, creative and innovative booth designs that impressed attendees and adding to the excitement of what 2018 has in store for the industry.  

Other key KBIS events will include: the opening ceremony featuring comedian Dana Carvey on Feb. 19; the States of The Industry & Association on Feb. 20; and the KBIS keynote from Sandow Media’s Cindy Allen on Feb. 20.

Moving on to what is in store for the builders in attendance!

IBS 2019

This year marks the 75th IBS! NAHB predicted that more than 1,500 top manufacturers and suppliers will be showcasing their latest products of offerings. Like KBIS, IBS has curated special experiences for the exhibit hall. The “High Performance Building Zone” will showcase best practices for improving efficiency in all areas of the home — from basements to roofs and everything in between. 

In the zone, guests can check out the Demonstration Stage, featuring nationally acclaimed instructors and building science experts who will take you through the practical, real-world side of why building science and high-performance building are transforming the housing industry. Also in the zone will be the Building Performance Lab, featuring high-performance building techniques and practices up-close and in-action through a small, finished model home.

“IBS Live” will also take place on the exhibit floor, as attendee are invited to explore the future of housing and the products, processes and people disrupting the industry. There will be eye-opening presentations and conversations in this revamped space, as well as opportunities to network with other home-building professionals.

Education will be a major opportunity of IBS 2019. New this year will be the “Game Changers” keynotes. Twice per day, thought leaders who are transforming their companies will address issues critical to the housing industry. Returning this year, “Tech Bytes” will offer attendees one-of-a-kind opportunities to be immersed in the latest products, applications and tech platforms through hands-on presentations and consultations. 

The “Building Knowledge” 60-minute sessions also will also return, boasting 130 sessions in seven tracks on today’s hottest, most relevant building topics. The highly anticipated “Master Sessions” will once again offer in-depth, three-hour intensive programs that dig deep into specific industry topics. Finally, the popular “Spotlight Sessions” will return, spotlighting the industry’s leading voices and latest trends.

The builders will be having fun in Vegas, too, with a unique lineup of special events! First getting down to business, NAHB will host its “Meeting of the Members” Feb. 20 at the Westgate Paradise Event Center. Then to keep things festive, IBS will host the “Official House Party” sponsored by Chase Feb. 19 at Drai's Nightclub, and the “Young Pro Party” Feb. 20 at the Bellagio’s Hyde Nightclub. 

This year’s show will go out with a bang at the “IBS Closing Spike Concert” Feb. 21 at the Westgate Paradise Event Center. At the private concert, the American rock band and Grammy Award-nominated Goo Goo Dolls will perform selections from their 20th anniversary tour and preview new music set for release in 2019.

If you are heading to KBIS and IBS this year, we wish you happy learning and networking on the Vegas strip!