The NKBA’s Kitchen and Bath Show may not be the sprawling spectacle it was in the early 2000s, but it’s still the premier event to get a first glimpse of the materials, colors, fixtures and technology manufacturers are offering up for kitchens and baths in coming months. Here are some observations from this weekend’s show in New Orleans:

Hang ten. A lot of us have been talking for years about how wall-mounted toilets save space and make bathroom cleaning easier, yet they command only a sliver of the U.S. market. That may change with the introduction of Kohler’s Veil, a wall-mount commode that can be installed at seat heights ranging from 15 3/8 to 28 ½ inches. Meanwhile, in-wall tank maker Geberit is offering the Monolith, whose slim, rectilinear tank-paired with a floor-mounted fixture-approximates the wall-hung aesthetic without relocating the waste pipe.

Surface appearance. If imitation is the highest form of flattery, countertop manufacturers are reaching new heights in their mimicry not only of natural materials, but each other. Both Formica and Wilsonart are boasting cleaner edges, and the latter is moving into the solid-surface game with six colors to be released this fall. Formica, marking its 100th birthday, has introduced a celebratory lineup of 12 bright new colors, as well as additions to the high-definition (180fx) series it launched a few years ago. Cosentino, meanwhile, has introduced a soft suede finish (think honed granite) on its top Silestone colors. This new finish, though, may well be overshadowed by the Spanish manufacturer’s entirely new solid-surface material, Dekton. Cloaked in a secretive curtained booth at the show, Dekton is described as an ultra-compact surface made of non-organic materials that’s UV resistant and exceptionally strong. The company foresees its use in everything from countertops to cladding.

Cool & Groovy. Of course, the best fun at these shows lies in checking out the beautiful, the clever and the edgy. Ann Sacks can always be counted on to deliver in the first instance, and this time around it was Chinois by Robert Kuo that caught my eye. Keeler Lighting gets an A in the smart category for their Light Integrated Trim (LIT). And Brizo offered a logical answer to the question of how best to fill a freestanding tub with an array of freestanding tub fillers. Both elegant and efficient, they spout out water at an impressive 8 to 12 gallons per minute.

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