There are trade shows, and then there is the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS). This year’s event, which took place in Las Vegas from Jan. 21–23, 2020, and which I highlighted in my previous post, was one of the most extraordinary trade shows I have ever attended. I have so much moree to tell you about the show, but first, let me give you a little background to put the event in context.
KBIS, in conjunction with the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), is an inspiring, interactive platform that showcases the latest industry products, trends, and technologies. KBIS is the voice of the kitchen and bath industry, and has been for more than 50 years. In 2013, the event grew even larger in significance, when NKBA and National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) announced an agreement to colocate KBIS with the International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Las Vegas, Nevada, the following year under the banner of Design and Construction Week®. The collaboration was a great success, creating a new standard of trade show within the industry.
NKBA and NAHB will continue to produce separate educational programming and special events, though one pass provides access to both shows (excellent news for attendees!).
KBIS is produced by Emerald Expositions, a leading operator of business-to-business trade shows in the United States. The company currently operates more than 55 trade shows, as well as numerous other face-to-face events. In 2018, Emerald’s events connected more than 500,000 global attendees and exhibitors and occupied more than 6.9 million NSF of exhibition space.
WELLNESS
Back to this year’s mega event. From the exquisite, innovative designs on display to forward-thinking panels and productive business meetings with brand industry leaders, I find myself replaying so many magical moments from those three days that I know will inform my work and reap untold benefits for my clients. As a Designhounds KBIS 2020 Influencer with Modenus, I was fortunate enough to be treated along with the rest of the group to an incredible communal spa experience, which will serve as great inspiration on future client projects.
Our evening began at The Spa at Park MGM Las Vegas, where we indulged in clay masks, hot baths, and—most importantly—the steam room, outfitted with incredible steam showers from Mr. Steam. There, Martha Orellana and her team explained the workings behind the undeniably luxurious steam shower experience that Mr. Steam provides through its products.
Installed behind crystal-clear glass doors that reached all the way to the ceiling, a steam shower works exactly as its name implies, by enveloping you in clouds of purified steam heralded for many health benefits (more on that in a moment).
We let the steam flow into the room and soak into our skin as we sat and basked in the soft heat. After the hot air had opened our pores and our lungs and we began to crave coolness, we stepped into an exhilaratingly cold shower—ahhhhh, let me tell you, the feeling is divine!
After the steam shower, I could immediately feel its benefits moving through my entire body. My muscles, stiff after a long flight from New York to Las Vegas, completely relaxed; my nasal passage opened and suddenly my breath was easy and clear; my skin felt plump and clean; even my blood seemed to flow better.
You may already know that steam therapy is an ancient practice. For centuries, and across cultures and continents, people have used steam to promote good health, and today it’s been scientifically shown to improve circulation, boost metabolism, relieve allergies, cleanse and hydrate skin, improve sleep, enhance physical performance, and, of course, reduce stress, among many other benefits. Steam has even been shown to burn calories at a rate of 150 calories in 15 minutes, at 114°F/ 45°C.
Beyond the immediate health benefits (and the practical implications—never worry about wrinkled clothes again!), steam showers are also eco-conscious and provide excellent value in any home. MrSteam’s showers, for instance, use 2 gallons of water in a 15-minute steam session, whereas the average American shower uses 2.1 gallons of water per minute. With the average American shower lasting 8.2 minutes, that amounts to 17.2 gallons of water per shower—and a conventional bath uses 40 gallons! Saving water for our planet and people is an absolute priority in 2020!
Steam showers conserve more than water, though. The small amount of water needed for a steam bath or shower makes them incredibly cost-efficient, requiring only cents per shower to operate. When you consider the larger-scale implications of this level of water savings, you begin to see exactly how environmental steam showers truly are, with the ability to save thousands of gallons of water per year in one home alone, and a substantial amount of energy.
Perhaps the most beautiful thing about this smart technology, though, is the experience of using it, proving that sustainability and conservation can go hand in hand with luxury. And luxurious it is—if a steam shower wasn’t already sumptuous enough, MrSteam also offers AromaTherapy®, MusicTherapy®, and ChromaTherapy® upgrades to its showers, which allow you to more deeply customize your relaxation sessions through smell, sound, and color. A feast of the senses!
After that glorious spa experience, I made my way back to my room at the NoMad hotel and melted into the plush bed. I could have easily drifted off for a nap, but the evening had one more event in store—an unforgettable dinner at Savelle’s, the unforgettable and unique hotel Bellagio’s dazzlingly upscale restaurant, with the Mr Steam team and my Designhounds KBIS counterparts. I promised the nap I would return for it later, and I dressed myself for an evening of excellence.
The dinner was also hosted by Mr. Steam team led by glorious Martha Orellana. They shared an exciting presentation about the company’s history, as well as its vision for the future, while we dined a delicious array of fresh seafood, meat and fresh salads.
Incredibly, the company has existed for more than 100 years. When it first opened its doors in 1917, Mr. Steam manufactured and delivered residential steam boilers. The company innovated throughout the 20th century, but it was in 1997 that its decades of experience materialized in its first steam showers, executing an ancient technique in a modern package.
Mr. Steam has stayed on the cutting edge of steam technology, and today it offers some of the most advanced smart bathroom technology on the market. Its steam showers can use voice control and be paired with Amazon’s Alexa, making it a seamless addition to any existing smart technology in a home. With the help of a designer and licensed plumber, electrician, or contractor who’s familiar with steam, a steam shower can be added to nearly any existing bathroom. Depending on the size of the project, you need as little as 60 cubic feet to install a shower, and showers can be designed to fill up to 45,000 cubic feet. The generator is only about the size of a briefcase, and it can be installed up to 60 feet away from the location of the shower itself.
Showers are completely customized to fit the needs of a space and desires of the client. It’s important to work with a designer who will guide a professional installation before the remodel starts with a professional plumber and general contractor. We will help you make choices about what materials, generator to use, as well as controls and showerheads. We will work together to select some of the add-ons I mentioned earlier. AromaTherapy® releases therapeutic-grade essential oils as your shower fills with steam, creating a powerful sensory experience. ChromaTherapy® uses color to set any mood you choose as you luxuriate in your steam bath, elevating an already decadent session of pampering. MusicTherapy®, as you might imagine, adds speakers to your shower, allowing you to escape into other worlds.
To complete the wellness experience, other accessories can set your shower to automatically self-clean, as well as give you the option of starting your steam from anywhere, so that by the time you enter the bathroom, an oasis already awaits you.
To learn more, you can go on the Mr. Steam website and they have a feature called “Try us out” where you can go geo locate local hotels, spas and try yourself their steam room!
Mr. Steam’s blog states that “steam bathing feels like a decadent indulgence,” and so it does. But more importantly, it’s also a way of staying healthy and tending to your overall wellness. Steam showers are worth the 15–20% more they require than a standard bathroom renovation. They’re a true investment in not only your lifestyle, but in your life itself, tapping into an ancient and proven therapy that can improve your health holistically. Make Wellness A Way of Life.
This is what we do at Laurence Carr Design. Our home is a sanctuary, and its role is to reduce stress and promote joy. We use sustainable design and holistic practices to make your interiors not only luxurious, but healing, and we make them to last, with a lifespan of at least a decade or two. The investment of working with us for your life enhancement is invaluable. We put your wellness and your wellbeing at the forefront of our collaboration.
Since I founded and launched Laurence Carr Design, we have always designed for health and wellness. Now we see the global wellness summit outlining the wellness pillars, and the mainstream trends are catching up with this ethos, which creates a beautiful marriage between luxury and sustainability. It is wonderful to see such thoughtful and well-crafted products on the market. Go, Mr. Steam!
