The Design District by GE Appliances, a Haier company, dominated the KBIS showfloor with a 16,000-square-foot experience that showcased drastically different personalities of its brands united by the ideas of future-forward product solutions and unapologetic self-expression.
If attendees entered from the GE Profile side, they could take a selfie with a massive smart mixer before walking into futuristic kitchens with shimmering cabinets and AI-powered appliances, as well as get a chance to pet the brand’s in-booth Labrador retriever for a moment of true connection. Across the District’s central “boulevard,” Hotpoint’s products were “tough” enough for a gym-like setting, and Haier’s appliances fit right into a perfect kitchen in a shipping container. In the adjacent space, GE showcased its timeless heritage in a retro 1960s-style kitchen.
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Walking past the department store-style product displays and through a “vibrant vibes” tunnel, attendees found themselves in an explosion of style in a kitchen by CAFÉ in partnership with the interior designer Isabel Ladd. Among the notable touchpoints here was the “Finishing Touches” CoverGirl makeup activation, inspired by the brand’s metallic hardware, where attendees could refresh their look and get a photo of their aura courtesy of The Aura Journey. “Just like you do makeup to reflect your personality, you can change your hardware too,” Reed Sowder, designer with Deckel & Moneypenny, told EM.
“We envisioned it as an immersive playground for designers to find inspiration and engage with the brands they love,” said TK Wismer, exhibit designer at Deckel & Moneypenny. “It is also an opportunity for the brands to learn about what projects their audience is working on and see what opportunities can be uncovered.”
Pulling inspiration from art, the luxury brand Monogram invited attendees to a gallery experience showcasing the work of six artists inspired by the brand’s products and celebrating current trends in design and architecture. They could also feel what it’s like inside a diamond in a dazzling mirror-clad installation around the Monogram’s Forge Heated Ice Press, and enjoy a signature “First Class & Fancy” cocktail at the gallery bar.
“I set out to design a visually striking experience to exemplify Monogram’s versatility in home entertaining and opportunities to infuse refined personalization across every aspect of your kitchen,” Richard T. Anuszkiewicz, creative director for Monogram, told EM. “By collaborating with top artists to bring my vision to life, the booth’s collective installments evoke our mutual dedication to the quality craftsmanship and contemporary designs of modern living.” Partner: Deckel & Moneypenny