New Trends for Everyone at International Builders Show
by Lew Sichelman
With more than 1,900 exhibitors flooding the huge Orange County Convention Center at the International Builders Show, there was more than a little something for everyone -- including the kitchen sink.
Hundreds of kitchen sinks, to be exact. Rounds ones, square ones, shallow ones, deep ones, overflowing ones.
Here's a glimpse at some of the most fun, interesting or novel items -- no sinks -- gleaned from the more than 300 building product categories that covered one million net square feet of exhibit space:
Please Be Seated: Kohler, a global leader in bath technology, went decidedly low-tech with the introduction of it's "largest-ever collection" of new toilet seats. After all, said Kathryn Streeby, marketing director for Kohler sanitary products, "Choosing the right seat is just as important at selecting the correct toilet."
Toward that end, parents will delight in the convenience of the family-friendly Transitions double-decker unit which allows both adults and children to use the same toilet without adding or removing a separate child-friendly seat.
Nestled inside the adult seat, the child's seat allows small-fry to sit further forward where they are most comfortable. When an adult needs to use the toilet, simply lift the smaller seat up to the same position as the lid. Available in white, almond and biscuit.
The Forgotten: Whirlpool tubs are now a fixture in master baths. But what about the other bathrooms? Second-class citizens no more, thanks to MTI Whirlpools of Sugar Hill, Ga., which made waves with several small-sized whirlpool models.
One unit, the Mirage, holds two, yet fits into the standard bath alcove. Another, the Jeu d'Eau, features a seated shower base that doubles as a swirling footbath. Both compact designs are said to be a comfortable choice when space is at a premium. Fifty colors to choose from.
Out of Sight: Faux wood decks made of plastic and reclaimed wood products are the rage among conservationists and people who can afford them. The masses will have to settle for eliminating unsightly screws and nail-pops.
With hidden deck fasteners, wood decks, boat docks and boardwalks can have a clean, uniform appearance without rust or splinters. For use with pre-grooved lumber, fasteners by Tiger Claw of Bristol, Conn., are said to whip all competitors in speed of installation and cost. EBTY of Califon, N.J., makes five different systems for wood as well as composites.
The Forgotten, Part II: One of the fastest growing trends in home building takes the notion of a place for everything to a new level -- the garage. With whole wall storage systems, owners can tidy up their garages so they might just be able to use the space for what it was intended -- parking their cars.
"The garage was invented for a reason," says Michael Dagen of House Wall Garage Systems, an operator of garage organizer franchises based in Weston, Fla. "It doesn't make sense to leave a $60,000 vehicle outside because of a few thousand dollars worth of stuff clutters up the inside."
But House Wall goes beyond wall systems, shelves, hangers and cabinets to also offer the "finishing touch," durable vinyl composite floors in either black or grey to cover up those stained, unsightly concrete pads. The floors are made on interlocking panels and are textured in coin patterns.
The Forgotten, Part III: Answering the plea for more storage space -- builders spend only $1 in the master closet for every $100 they spend in the kitchen -- closet organizer Schulte of Cincinnati has discovered nine more inches of wasted space between the top and bottom sections of double-hung closet poles.
The company's Double Hang O-Box makes use of this prime real estate in three different styles -- one drawer, two drawers or shoe cubby. Available in cherry, white and maple.
Beam Me In, Scotty: Lost your key? Can't remember your key code? No problem. At least not with the SmartScan keyless entry system from Kwikset, a Black and Decker Co.
Taking personalized access control and home security to new levels, SmartScan is activated by swiping a valid fingerprint across an indicator keypad. The system also has a "lock out" feature that allows owners to program specific times of day when it can only be operated by certain users.
SmartScan can be applied to external and internal doors with no hard wiring. Up to 50 user fingerprints can be stored in the system.
Central Casting: Central vacuum systems are another growing trend. Indeed, these behind-the-wall systems were rated in a recent survey as a "must-have" amenity in homes costing over $350,000. But what to do with that 30-ft. hose?
H-P Products, maker of the familiar Dirt Devil, has a new "hide-a-hose" retractable system that allows users to pull out the length of the hose they need and then uses suction from the central power unit to draw the hose pack into the hidden PVC tubing when the vacuum is no longer needed.
Best Seats in the House: Over the top is about the only way to described two new offering from Brondell of San Francisco, a developer of advanced toilet seats.
One model is a four-stage deodorizing seat with a scented fragrance vent. An upscale version also is heated. And then there's "Swash," a heated seat that combines the hygienic benefits of a bidet with endless warm-water washes and a warm dryer.
The deodorizing Breeza seat starts automatically with a built-in, body-activated sensor and is said to "capture odor" through a flow-optimized, in-take channel and ultra-quiet fan. No more sprays, plug-ins or noisy overhead bathroom fans, says Brondell CEO Scott Pinizzotto. "Odor is eliminated at the source."
This is hot stuff! Flush with luxury! But they run on two D-size batteries, so they could result in a shocking experience.
Beam Me Up, Scotty: Opening the oven door is history with the new LiftMatic oven from Gaggenau, a German company whose U.S. operations are headquartered in Huntingon Beach.
With the push of a button, the oven's glass ceramic base lowers from the oven to the countertop level. Once the food to be cooked is loaded on the base, push the button again and the base rises back into the cooking cavity.
Advantages? Minimal workflow between the food prep area and the oven. Less chance of spills. No need to reach into a hot oven to remove cooked food. And perhaps best of all, the oven is placed in a top cabinet location or on a kitchen wall to maximize limited space.
Air Bag for the Home: Some Ryland Homes and D.R. Horton divisions are beginning to install fire escape ladders as a standard feature in their two and three-story models. Manufactured by Pearl (Permanent Escape And Rescue Ladder) of Atlanta, the units are anchored into window-wall studs during the framing stage and are contained in a ready-to-paint cabinet about six inches below the window.
When they are needed, simply open the cabinet door, open the window, toss out the ladder and climb to safety. PEARL holds up to 1,500 lbs., so it is strong enough to carry several people simultaneously.
Thinking Outside the Stud: Now you can install grab bars anywhere you want them. No need to find a stud, or use a poorly placed one, thanks to the new SecureMount system from Moen of North Olmsted, Ohio.
The patented D-shaped flange anchoring system allows for a secure placement anywhere, at any angle, and installs in walls that are only 1/8th inch thick.
Commercial Quality Cooking: You may have noticed the gas and wood-fired hearths at places like California Pizza Kitchen, Cosi, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Wolfgang Puck and Emeril's. Now smaller versions are available from Wood Stone Home of Bellingham, Wash.
These stone hearth ovens are available in several sizes, including an outdoor model with three square feet of cooking space. It has swinging glass doors and a programmable timer.
Solar Made Easy: Designed to work with any conventional residential water tank, a do-it-yourself solar hot water system by FAFCO in Chico, Calif., is said to cut water heating bills in half. Shipped in a single box weighing about 60 lbs., the system can be deployed on a roof by just one person. No need for expensive tools, either. Hot2o's self-locking connectors and flexible polymer tubing make sweating fittings unnecessary.
The system pays for itself in two to four years, the company says, and qualifies for federal tax credits under the Tax Relief Act of 2006.
Recess for Recessed: You won't need to be changing those burned out, recessed light bulbs in your vaulted ceilings nearly as often with LLF Lighting's new incandescent lamp fixture. The bulb lasts for more than 20 years under normal use, the Morrisville, N.C., company claims. And it uses 85 percent less energy than a conventional incandescent and less than half that of a comparable fluorescent.
Published: August 8, 2007
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When Lew Sichelman first started writing about housing in 1969, he was the youngest real estate writer in the country. Now, 37 years later, he's one of the oldest -- and most decorated.
He has been rated the top housing columnist in the country by the National Association of Realtors as well as by his peers in the National Association of Real Estate Editors. Indeed, NAREE has recognized his work on numerous occasions. One year - due to his advancing age, he can't recall which one - he earned top honors in the annual NAREE Journalism Contest in three out of the four major writing categories. It was the first time one writer has won so many NAREE awards in a single year.
Known for his ability to make even the most difficult topics understandable, Sichelman also has been honored by the National Association of Home Builders and the Mortgage Bankers Association.
He began providing in-depth coverage of and consumer-oriented information about housing and housing finance at the Washington Daily News, where he was real estate editor. He
held that same position for nine more years at the Washington Star, which purchased the News in 1972.
The Star, a so-called "writer's newspaper" which also had the misfortune of being an evening paper, was put out of its misery in 1981, and Sichelman, who had begun self-syndicating his column in 1978, decided to become a full-time columnist. Today, his column, "The Housing Scene," is distributed by United Media to newspapers throughout the country.
He also is on the staff of National Mortgage News, an independent newspaper which is considered the bible of the mortgage business. And he writes for numerous other publications, including MarketWatch.com, where he answers readers questions once a week, Sports Illustrated (don't ask), RealtyTimes.com, BigBuilder and others.
Sichelman is married, the father of five and grandfather of eleven.
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