The ISH Trade Fair, held every other year in Frankfurt, Germany, is the world’s largest exhibition of plumbing products. At the last ISH Fair, there were almost 5,000 manufacturers from 96 countries that attracted nearly 200,000 attendees They experienced new, cool and cutting-edge products that will soon be available to you and your neighbors to help you create spaces that will "wow" your family and friends, and provide a great sense of personal satisfaction. Here are several of the prevalent trends that were front-and-center at ISH.
- Finishes are being taken to new heights.
- Almost every faucet and fixture manufacturer showcased new bronze and brass finishes with faucets and shower systems finished in bronze, gunmetal, pewter and black nickel. There were also lots of transitional pieces in bronze and brass finishes produced from manufacturers known primarily for their contemporary offerings.
- Gold finishes were huge and in numerous varieties - polished gold, satin gold and rose gold, just to name a few.
- All shades and textures of black were also among the head-turning trends at the fair.
- Design elements, such as rings and cuts, are being incorporated into faucet bases.
- Small wall-mounted sinks were the rage that provide unexpected amounts of countertop space.
- The industrial look remains strong.
- Look for smart, sensory shower systems where at a touch of a button you can listen to music, adjust water temperature, provide the health and relaxation benefits of steam, experience light and aroma therapies, customize water flow options that enable users to program settings to match their mood and just about anything else you can imagine in a shower.
- Multiple purpose and functional showerheads wowed everyone.
- New bold yet compact tub shapes targeting smaller urban bathrooms could be found almost everywhere.
- There were splashes of bright and bold colors on kitchen and bath vanity faucets, tubs, sinks, countertops and just about anything else you can imagine for the bath. We saw pastel pink and mint green faucets.
- Mixed textures were another significant trend. Manufacturers finished lavatory bowls and tubs with matte exteriors combined with different colored polished and glossy interiors.
- Traps under the sink – a functional component that is usually ignored – are increasingly taking on an aesthetic role as part of the overall design concept, with matching colors to form a single, coherent unit comprised of the basin and its fittings.
- Technological advancements.
- Push-button technology is becoming an industry standard.
- The S-box introduction makes using a pull-out kitchen faucet easier and enhances its functionality. The hose is housed in a box and operated on a pulley system. This results in a much smoother operation for pulling out and returning the faucet head. It also enables the faucet to be used as a pot filler.
- A BioTracer watercloset is expected to be introduced in Europe. It is billed as the first app-controlled toilet for urine analysis. The toilet will send a report to a smart device providing an analysis of ten important health indicators ranging from blood glucose levels to the amount of protein in your system. The BioTracer reflects the exploding trend of health and wellness in the bath.
- One manufacturer has developed an electronic shut-off value that will send a message to a smart device if any pipe or fixture in your home is leaking.
- Rimless toilets that are easier to clean continue to be a top trend.
