By Tammy Crosby, Editor-in-Chief of The House Designers The International Builders' Show (IBS) is the largest home building show in the world. For three days last week the trade show floor at the Las Vegas Convention Center was packed with builders, remodelers, architects and homeowners checking out the latest home building products and services from nearly 1,000 exhibitors in more than 200 construction categories. We discovered lots of cutting-edge, affordable and energy efficient products to consider before you break ground. Take a look at our top product picks from IBS 2013! |
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Flooring Trends from Lumber Liquidators® Flooring experts from Lumber Liquidators® were on-hand to discuss 2013 trends which included butcher block countertops, a distressed look, wide floor planks with authentic distressed detailing and eco-friendly bamboo. One of our favorite discoveries was gray hardwood flooring. It's a hot new color that creates a beautiful and unique floor. The species of wood, the intensity of the stain and the variation of the plank coloring can give the gray very different looks. Click technology, which is now available in wood, stone and marble like vinyl flooring, has brought a number of DIYers into the market. If you're thinking of tackling a flooring project be sure to check out their new Flooring Tools section and chat with a live flooring expert. Model: Lumber Liquidators® Flooring Tools section > |
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Therma-Tru® Introduces New Doors and Glass Options Therma-Tru® introduced a variety of new doors, decorative glass options and product line enhancements including adding more door styles, an 8' door option and sidelites to their popular Classic-Craft® Canvas Collection®. On display were two new decorative glass options called Lucerna and Arden. A personal favorite was the elegant Arden because it offered the option to select red waterglass or granite accent pieces on the outside border of the glass. The company gets contemporary with Pulse™, a brand new line of doors with crisp angles and clean lines — perfect for a homeowner looking for a vintage or nostalgic flair. They are available in oak-grained fiberglass, smooth fiberglass and steel and come in both 6'8" and 8' heights. Model: New products for 2013 will be available February 25, 2013 > |
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Fypon® Unveils Wide Variety of Products Fypon® had a wide selection of urethane and PVC millwork products on display in various settings so homeowners and builders could visualize the flexibility and beauty of these decorative interior and exterior products. Booth highlights included profiles of cove brackets and corbels, decorative panels, new tile vents, mouldings and plinth blocks. The entrance to the booth was highlighted by columns and beams from the Stone and Timber collection — a personal favorite for adding craftsman and rustic appeal to a home. Model: Visit the Stone and Timber Collection > |
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Delta® Gets Touchy with Kitchen & Bath Faucets Delta® was all about smart solutions particularly in the kitchen where functionality is key. They had some amazing new faucets on display featuring their trademark Touch2O® Technology which works with a simple tap and showerheads with H2Okinetic™ Technology that deliver powerful pressure without using more water. A personal favorite is the classic design of the Cassidy™ kitchen collection. Model: Cassidy Kitchen Collection with Touch2O® Technology > |
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Whirlpool's® Ice Collection Whirlpool® never disappoints when it comes to style and innovation. Taking center stage was the Ice Collection, a new streamlined collection of kitchen appliances featuring refrigerators, wall ovens, ranges and dishwashers. It's available in a White Ice (our personal favorite) and Black Ice finish. A highlight to the collection is a 17,000 BTU Flex Power™ burner and TimeSavor™ Plus True Convention, which makes it easy to create delicious dishes. When it comes to clean up, the AquaLift™ self-clean technology is amazing. With just a little water and minimal heat your oven will stay sparkling clean. Check out all the great built-in products in this collection by clicking here. Model: Whirlpool® Built-In Ice Collection | MSRP: $750 to $2,600 |
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Schlage® Shows Off Touchscreen Deadbolt The company who has offered some rather high-tech door locks in the past that use a keypad allowing you to unlock the door without a key has gotten more high tech with a new line of touchscreen deadbolts that can be managed anywhere in the world using home automation technology from Nexia™ Home Intelligence. According to Schlage® it has an American National Standards Institute grade 1 security rating, which is the highest residential rating awarded on the market. What's great is it can hold up to 30 unique access codes so every family member can have their own code. The lock will be priced between $199-$229. A subscription is required for the remote management capability at $8.99 per month. Model: Camelot Touchscreen Deadbolt with Alarm | Model Number: BE469NX CAM 619 |
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Boral® Stone Veneer Siding The guys at Boral were busy showing installation demonstrations of Versetta Stone® panelized stone siding. This is a great product for new construction and remodeling projects because it's easy to install. The color and molding replicate natural stone and are perfect for interior or exterior applications. Additional new products include Monterey® Slate 600 lightweight clay roof tile, which emulates the look of cedar shake; Boral TruExterior® Beadboard, which looks like real wood beadboard when painted; Class 4 Hail Resistant Roof Tile and three new stone veneer colors and one new thin brick texture from its Cultured Stone® product line. Model: Cultured Stone® Southern Ledgestone > |
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Lennox® Wi-Fi™ Thermostat The icomfort™ programmable Wi-Fi™ thermostat allows homeowners to monitor and control the temperature in their home from anywhere in the world with a Web-enabled device. The icomfort Wi-Fi™ thermostat is an awesome way to reduce your home energy costs when you're not home. Also on display was the SunSource™ solar-powered home energy system, which is the only heating and cooling system of its kind on the market. It generates electricity for the home by harnessing the sun's energy with roof-mounted solar modules. And it's just as easy to install and maintain as a traditional system. Model: Lennox icomfort Wi-Fi™ thermostat > |
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Elegant, Eco-Friendly Roofing Tiles For the natural, rustic beauty of real cedar shingles without the maintenance, check out DaVinci Roofscapes® Bellaforte Shake polymer roofing tiles because these new shingles look just like the real thing. We were very impressed by the selection of colors which, included 49 colors and a selection of five color blends, including Abruzzo, Espresso (a personal favorite), Tuscano, Verona and Harbor Gray. Model: Contact a DaVinci Roofscapes® Project Specialist > |
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Get Organized with ClosetMaid® Moving into a new home is the perfect time to get organized and ClosetMaid® makes it easy, affordable and aesthetically beautiful. One of our favorites from the show was their ShelfTrack Elite®, which is a fully customizable wall-mounted, adjustable laminate system that combines the flexibility of ShelfTrack™ with nickel hardware and a rich wood finish. They also introduced several updates to the popular MasterSuite® line, including a new "Made to Order" Program (MTO). Model: View the MasterSuite® Collection > |
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Sherwin-Williams® Harmony Sherwin-Williams® had several new products on display for consumers and builders to see, including its reformulated Harmony® Interior Paint for preventing growth of mold and mildew. Thanks to a new odor-reducing technology you can paint and breathe easy. Another cool paint product on display was the Dry Erase 2K Waterborne Clear Gloss. This new coating allows homeowners to transform almost any wall into a fully functional dry-erase board. It's a great design idea for an office, kids room or even a section of a kitchen or game room. Model: Harmony® Interior Acrylic Latex |
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Ultra Smart Ventilation Broan® Known for their best-in-class ventilation products, Broan-NuTone® expanded its line of Broan® and NuTone® ULTRA™ series fans and fan/lights with an additional sixteen models. The new line of fans provides humidity and motion sensing technology while still featuring easy installation for contractors. These fans aren't only best-in-class but also feature quiet operation and energy-efficiency that allows customers to enjoy a humidity-free, comfortable environment more quickly when taking a bath or shower. Model: Broan and NuTone ULTRA™ Ventilation Fans > |
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Integrity® Offers Hundreds of New Sizes Flexibility and affordability are at the core of Integrity® Windows and Doors recently expanded line of Wood-Ultrex® and All Ultrex® Series windows, which includes 322 new standard sizes. Don't forget to check out their new line of easy-to-install exterior trim solutions. Model: Integrity® Fiberglass Wood Ultrex™ Double Hung Windows > |
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GE Appliances® Heats Up Refrigeration The new 29-cubic-foot ENERGY STAR® GE Cafe™ French door refrigerator is the first in its class with a hot water dispenser that can accurately heat 10 ounces of water in minutes. It's great for making tea or quick meals for kids like mac n' cheese or cup o' noodles. Model: GE Cafe™ Refrigerator | Available April 2013 | MSRP: $3,099 |
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Leviton® USB Receptacle Gets More AMPS Leviton® introduced its newest version of its highly popular USB Charger/Tamper-Resistant Receptacle. The device offers improved levels of charging power (20 amps), for faster and more efficient charging of any two USB powered electronic devices simultaneously, plus a traditional wall outlet. Model: USB Charger/Tamper-Resistant Receptacle | T5630-W | MSRP: $25.99 |
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Ply Gem® Exterior Studio You can now upload your own home for a personalized home exterior makeover with the ever-popular interactive Exterior Design Studio. This free tool allows homeowners and builders to select various products, colors and textures to visualize their new home. Be on the lookout this spring for the introduction of 38 new exterior color options for their aluminum-clad Mira Premium Series window and patio door line. Model: View Ply Gem® Windows Mira Premium Series > |
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