Though typically not a showcase for cutting-edge digital smarts, the AD Design Show had just enough to suggest that the Internet of Things (IoT) in luxury homes is, well, really a thing. But unlike the black finishes, warm metallics, and edgy looks that are also trending, it will endure.
Of course, only a small fraction of the more than 400 exhibiting brands showed tech-minded wares. The rest covered the panoply of categories, including floor and wall coverings, furniture, case goods, lighting, decorative accessories, outdoor living, window and doors, and kitchen and bath products.
Held March 16 to 19 at Pier 94 in New York, the annual gathering of the latest in high-end residential design drew 100+ first-time exhibitors, as well as several European manufacturers.
Italian kitchen maker Cesar made its show debut with a furniture-style island from its Unit collection and Wall Waiter, an organizational system. According to Gerry Molina, marketing and communications manager for Cesar New York, the 40-year-old company “missed the cut” when it started up U.S. operations last May, but hopes to grow brand awareness by exhibiting as well as opening a flagship store in New York City during the show.
As to the tech-related offerings, several appliance manufacturers showed Bluetooth- or WiFi-enabled products that allow app control, integrate with other wireless platforms, such as Nest or Amazon Echo. Dacor’s Modernist collection incorporates wireless communication to remind users of inventory in the refrigerator, activate ventilation, or monitor food cooking in an oven. Bosch’s built-in coffee system takes beverage orders via a Home Connect app, and Jenn-Air announced compatibility with Amazon Echo.
Other popular appliance and non-appliance-related introductions included freezer and refrigerator columns, induction cooktops and ranges, and more elegant interpretations of the industrial aesthetic in lighting, plumbing, and hardware.
Warm metals, such as brass, bronze, and copper, appeared on everything from surfacing to cabinet doors and hardware, and often as a complement to black or off-black. True’s 42- and 48-inch refrigerators, for example, now come in white or black with copper, brass, or chrome hardware, and Artistic Tile showed Peony, an etched marble tile in bronze.
What will next year’s AD Design Show bring? It’s too soon to tell, especially as design trends can shift with changes in the socio-economic, political, and cultural landscape. Until then, look below for 17 products that caught our attention.
See here for our 2016 coverage of the AD Design show.
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