KBB recently spoke with Scott Edmunds, senior vice president of marketing for Kohler, on the company’s thoughts on trends, wellness design and sustainability. The brand will be exhibiting at KBIS in just a few short months.
Shown above is the Kohler Veil Toilet.
How do you think the kitchen and bath industry is evolving in terms of the latest trends?
As an industry leader for more than 150 years, Kohler has long provided our customers with bold designs and exceptional products. Our company mission is to help people live gracious, healthy and sustainable lives – which drives our organization forward. We strive for excellence to positively affect future generations through prioritizing better design, innovation, wellness and sustainability.
Customers are looking for new ways to incorporate elements of wellness into their lives, from improving their daily self-care routines to incorporating more sustainable practices like being more mindful about their water use. Creating better experiences for people by improving the performance of water delivery and efficiency is a competitive advantage for Kohler. We focus on being more sustainable in how products are manufactured, perform, and contribute to a customer’s quality of life – pushing the limits on what’s possible in terms of conserving water without compromising experience.
A growing number of people are also looking for innovations or technologies that can help make their daily routines simpler, with more personalized settings or motion activated features to free up their hands. The growth trend for Smart Toilets is a good example of this and continues to be one of the fastest growing categories in our portfolio.
Beyond functionality, color continues to be an evolving trend and remains foundational in kitchen and bath design. Kohler’s exploration of vibrant, colorful products began in 1927 and remains a cornerstone of our design leadership today. Earthy green hues continue to grow in popularity and are being expanded upon with more brown and warm ivory tones. The shades are neutral and timeless while providing depth, personality, and comfort in the design of a space.
The Kohler x Remedy Place Bath
It seems like most homeowners want to create a spa sanctuary in their bathrooms these days. Why do you feel this is important?
The bathroom has evolved over the years from a utilitarian space mostly reserved for functionality, into more of a personal sanctuary offering comfort and relaxation. People are looking for new ways to enhance their self-care, and thoughtful design can create a sense of calm and respite from a busy day – helping to transform essential mundane routines into daily wellness rituals. Bathing and hydrotherapy remain a central element of at-home spa environments. People are looking for multi-sensory experiences that incorporate visual cues, sound, touch, and smell working together to further promote relaxation. The Kohler Stillness Infinity Experience freestanding bath provides a deep soak with chromotherapy and aromatherapy. A cool mist at the surface of the bath contrasts the warm soaking water for hydrotherapy, while the water overflows into a wood grate creating a soothing sound and stunning visual effect. Incorporating these sorts of spa-inspired features into the bathroom, plus ambient lighting, music, or steam, can add elements of luxury and help create the peaceful moments people are looking for, especially as wellness becomes more of a priority.
How can design professionals create bath spaces that cater to wellness and self-care?
Designers really excel at creating spaces that cater to wellness and self-care when they incorporate product functionality and aesthetic design elements that work harmoniously together. Kohler offers a robust portfolio of leading-edge wellness products that incorporate advanced form and function, intuitive controls, and seamless connectivity to help designers bring their creative visions to life and provide their clients the wellness benefits of exceptional design solutions and luxury spa experiences at home. Beyond steam showers and hydrotherapy baths that provide a luxurious, calming experience, we are excited to showcase our new Kohler x Remedy Place Ice Bath. The striking sleek design, incorporates precision temperature control, ergo-dynamic body positioning, state-of-the-art UV-powered filtration system, and an integrated light to help guide breathwork for a luxurious and revolutionary cold therapy.
How does Kohler evolve with new trends, specifically wellness and self-care in the bath?
Kohler has a team dedicated to the innovation and exploration of wellness. We’ve long understood how the bathroom is foundational for self-care and that insight drives our approach to innovating wellness products for the space. A great example of being on the leading-edge of an evolving trend is our extensive range of bidet seats. These aftermarket upgrades are more accessible than smart toilets and provide many of the same customized comforts of heated seats, adjustable water temperatures and pressure, UV cleaning and contactless opening that provide an enhanced hygienic experience.
Please tell us about Kohler’s new product offerings that focus on wellness and self-care in the bath.
At KBIS 2025, Kohler will be showcasing the new Kohler x Remedy Place Ice Bath and new KLAFS saunas, highlighting what is new in wellness. Also on display will be Kohler’s industry-leading Anthem+ Smart Showering and portfolio of smart toilets and bidet seats. Anthem+ is an integrated digital control system that allows customized delivery of water, light, sound, and steam to create a home spa experience. The intuitive touchscreen interface enables individuals to easily preset and activate multi-sensory shower experiences. Kohler’s smart toilets – like the Veil in Honed Black – demonstrate how functionality and personalization create ease of use, without compromising aesthetic design.
