The NKBA Manhattan Chapter held its annual Education and Membership Day on October 8, 2024. Now in its third year, the all-day event took place at the A&D Building, with seven showrooms hosting CEU-eligible learning sessions. KBB was on the scene; we share some highlights below.
After checking in and networking at the SMEG suite, attendees moved to the Cosentino showroom for a presentation on “Harnessing the Power of Light as an Evolving Luxury.” Following an overview of trend demographics in the field by Angela Rath, senior manager, business development, NKBA, Cecilia Ramos took the mic. The senior director of Lutron’s architectural market, she spoke about how the “Three Ts of Luxury” – time, truth and trust – all contribute to the holistic experience of light. Illustrated with references spanning Renaissance paintings to the Saarinen-designed chapel at MIT, she emphasized the sensorial impact of light.
Next up was the much-anticipated session on “AI in Residential Design for Designers, Remodelers & Architects.” The Sub-Zero showroom was packed to hear panelists Alexia Adana, creative director at Edelman; Rania Svoronou, executive director AI design at IBM; and Sharon L. Sherman, founder of Thyme & Place Design. Brand and marketing strategist/consultant Pam McNally moderated the discussion, as well as a vigorous audience Q&A. Polling the panel on the pros and cons of the controversial tech, McNally drew out some fascinating responses from them:
“Emotional intelligence is the elephant in the room. Computers are getting better at making human connections; when this happens, we’re done.” —Sharon L. Sherman
“There’s a risk of junior talent over-relying on AI, 100%.” —Alexia Adana
“We’re facing a challenge of pricing AI to offset its impact on the climate.” —Rania Svoronou
The panelists also cited some of the AI tools they use in their work. These included RadiQ, Krea.AI, GPT+, Midjourney, Home Visualizer, Visual Electric, Claud, Perplexity and Adobe Firefly Sense.
Guided by moderator Tony Monteleone of Monteleone Consulting, the third seminar focused on “Sustainability Through a Technological Lens.” Gathered in the Dacor showroom were international tech experts JoAnn Arcenal, senior business development manager, Crestron Electronics; Michael Don Man, co-founder of Refresh Smart Home; Michael Dye, national brand ambassador, Bang & Olufsen; Kevin Lares, vice president brand strategy, Palazzani Home; Scott Kim, senior director product marketing, Dacor/SEA Samsung Electronics; and Ian Roberts, VP product marketing, Savant. This deep dive into eco-friendly practices and cutting-edge home technology highlighted the steps brands are taking to temper their products’ environmental impact. From engineering products that can be upgraded rather than replaced to achieving Cradle-to-Cradle certification for tech goods to optimizing products and systems to withstand catastrophic infrastructure events, the audience was given a detailed perspective on how the sector is addressing the issue.
Moving to the Hastings Bath Collection showroom, “Great Design – The Great Equalizer” was the topic tackled by moderator Toni Sabatino, founder of Sabatino Style, with Bob Giffords, Hastings director of development and Sandra Singh, sales & marketing, Miele. They explored a new paradigm of equity in design, as exemplified by new products and concepts exhibited at Salone and other European trade shows. Advances in bathroom layouts, such as placing the tap to the side of the basin, cantilevering the countertop and increasing vertical storage underscored accessibility for users of all ages and abilities. In the kitchen, cabinets with coplanar doors (versus hinged models), wall ovens installed at eye level and the use of vision-friendly matte surfaces were among the takeaways from the EU market, which the panel deemed was about three years ahead of the US in terms of design trends.
Miele marked its 125 years in business by sharing its history and teasing some of its future announcements with attendees. Senior territory manager Fredrick Frank mentioned that white would be phased out as a finish for kitchen appliances.
The day wrapped up in the newly remodeled Poggenpohl showroom, with a reception sponsored by Poggenpohl and FreePower that celebrated the NKBA Manhattan Chapter’s 25th anniversary and a salute to Kitchen & Bath Month.
