As the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) approached its 60th year, the show was on track to be its largest yet. Sharp was engaged to collaborate with the KBIS team to cultivate and engage the A&D audience at the show. We developed the LUXURY Lounge, a place for the architecture and design community, design media, influencers, and high-end brands to explore what luxury is—and can be—in the kitchen and bath.
The intimately designed space - directly on the show floor - brought in HomeThreads as a title and furniture sponsor to deliver an elevated lounge-like seating. Ten programs and events embraced luxury as something that’s multifaceted and subjective, addressing a variety of perspectives. The format created an oasis for conversation; rather than formal panels on a stage, informal talks on bar stools invited audience participation and exchange, resulting in several standing-room-only sessions.
To support the Lounge, Sharp programmed seven events and secured 25 speakers, including leading editors, influential designers as panelists, and a major author for a book signing. We also worked closely with six brand sponsors, including HomeThreads, Bertazzoni, Danver Outdoor Kitchens, and Forte.
Among the top-tier editors who served as moderators were:
- Aspire, Jennifer Quail
- House Beautiful, Carisha Swanson
- Forbes, Amanda Lauren
- Interior Design, Helene Oberman
- Interiors, Erika Heet
- Traditional Home, Jill Waage
- Veranda, Grace Haynes
The resulting buzz also generated 16 stories, across outlets like Designers Today, INTERIORS, Furniture Lighting & Decor, and Veranda.