Emerging Design Trends in Housewares at IHHS 2018
The International Home and Housewares Show (#IHHS2018) is not only a great opportunity to reconnect with friends, retail partners, and some of our favorite celebrity chefs in the cooking theater, it’s a great way to see and understand what’s happening in the home and housewares industry as these new product ideas emerge as consumer trends.
This year was no exception. We’ve got a houseful of new inspiration that we can’t wait to share, including details about our NEW Linen Collection. The bottom line is people want to see growth; products that get better and better over time.
Linen Collection
There’s nothing like seeing a person’s reaction to stepping on a WellnessMat for the first time – they experience unmatched comfort and often don’t want to step off. We pay close attention to our Retailer's feedback as well as consumer demands, which is why we introduced the Linen Collection – a new and versatile option to our ever-growing selection. The subtle, yet striking design became an instant fan-favorite during IHHS 2018.
- 12 colors from rich, bold hues to elegant, antique finishes.
- The subtle texture creates the appearance of a woven fabric.
- Tastefully add visual complexity to any room!
- Same ergonomic & therapeutic qualities you expect from a WellnessMat.
Comfort for Everyone
It’s impossible not to focus on ‘steps’ given the size of the show, especially since there were giveaways for people with the most steps. The amount of walking and moving that happens at the show presents a huge benefit for WellnessMats: people need something better to stand on. A combination of walking through the show, wearing the wrong shoes and having nowhere to relax (other than the Cooking Theater) took its toll on everyone. Naturally, people couldn’t help but migrate to the WellnessMats booth, kick off their shoes and experience ultimate comfort. We were the retreat for everyone with sore legs and tired feet. But WellnessMats are much more than a comfortable retreat during a long day. They are the foundation of a healthier lifestyle. It was our pleasure to show everyone how WellnessMats can improve their lives anytime and anywhere.
Give People What They Want
More efficient, more functional and more style! As a company founded on making your life easier by promoting health and comfort, we are inspired by the products we saw. Here are a few trends that got our attention...
Health Conscious Innovation: Consumers won’t settle for the same old thing anymore. The world is moving fast and we want our kitchens to keep up - healthier, safer, easier to use.
- Air Fryer: Air is the new oil. Anything that you can cook in oil (fried chicken, french fries, egg rolls and onion rings), you can cook with hot air and without the guilt! All the taste and texture while eliminating the added fat of an oil fryer.
- Hydration: While you might think that water bottles have become the ubiquitous object of the early 21st century, think again. There are more innovative ways to keep your thirst quenched than ever before. ‘Stay thirsty, friend’ is now an obsolete turn of phrase with vendors creatively solving waste and consumption problems with a variety of new ways of repurposing post-consumer waste items.
Functionality: The form should serve the function, that’s how we think at WellnessMats. The functionality lives in the design. A good design is something that looks nice while working both effectively and ergonomically. We saw this concept put into practice with many of the popular cutlery brands. Knives are becoming more efficient and easier to wield, saving you time and energy. They are lightweight but can still cut through the hardest surfaces with ease.
Smart Products: Products that self-regulate, adapt and adjust as needed. They even shut themselves off or reduce heat after a specific duration, temperature or when cooked to perfection. How does it know when it’s perfect you might ask? It’s A.I. folks...who knows how they know, but they know!
Seeing More Than Color
Finishes: From shimmering metallics to rustic hues, finish is everything! The right color or texture can be ruined without the proper finish. It’s like serving what should be a gourmet dish without adding any spices or seasoning.
Color: Remains a very popular trend in the industry – ranging from muted, earthy tones to bold and bright. Color cannot just stand alone, it needs to be married with the right patterns and textures to bring out its full potential. We’re also loving Pantone’s color of the year: Ultra Violet.
Textures: We saw the hand of the artist return in finishes and rustic, hammered finishes imbued with lush patinas.Texture is as much about the feel as it is about the look: the way the light hits every angle adding complexity to the color; the use of patterns and rhythm that elevate design; the “I need to touch that to see how it feels” factor. We’ve brought these concepts to life in our WellnessMats designs, especially our newly introduced Linen Collection, which masterfully creates the illusion of texture.
WellnessMats works hard to stay on the cutting edge of popular design while elevating aesthetics for our well-discerning consumers and fans. We’re proud of our work and we like to show it off, especially to our friends in the Cooking Theater...
Celebrity Chefs and Famous Mats
As a sponsor of IHHS2018 and the Cooking Theater, WellnessMats has one main responsibility: To provide comfort underfoot for every chef and crew member in the Theater. We accomplished that mission and really impressed quite a few chefs in the process.
Chef Judson Todd Allen (personal chef to comedian and TV personality, Steve Harvey) expressed his interest in introducing WellnessMats to his restaurant, Taste 222. He believes they will be great for the kitchen.
Chef Rick Bayless has been a fan of WellnessMats for years. He didn't hesitate to tell his audience how much he loves standing on them.
“I love being here because I like standing on these WellnessMats…I don’t know if you guys have stood on them but we have them in our test kitchen and they really do feel like you are standing on clouds!”
