Designer Mick De Giulio Offers Sneak Preview of IBS 2014 Booth Design for Bosch, Caesarstone and Thermador

Award winning kitchen designer, Mick De Giulio, has teamed up with Bosch, Caesarstone and Thermador to create a one-of-a-kind booth for International Builders Showcase (IBS) 2014 in Las Vegas. Over the three days, the brands will share their vision of today’s kitchens and aspirational designs in De Giulio’s masterfully designed booth.

Show attendees can experience the booth from Feb. 4-6, 2014 during Construction Week, but until then, De Giulio gives exclusive insight into his latest design. If you will be at IBS, be sure to stop by booth C3837 on Feb. 4 for a special presentation at 3:30pm.

1. Describe the booth you have designed for Bosch, Caesarstone and Thermador at IBS 2014.
With this being the first year that KBIS and IBS are combining for Design & Construction Week, Bosch, Caesarstone, and Thermador wanted to do something special. Their decision to unite all three brands in one booth set up unique possibilities for my design. They came to me with clear direction on the concept--modern with a look to the future, reflecting the sophistication of their product lines.

I wanted to create a setting that felt friendly and residential--where practical, relatable design concepts would be presented in an open and comfortable environment.They wanted the booth to be a memorable experience for attendees and not just a place to see their products.

Instead of official points of entry or a formal reception counter, I designed sculptural freestanding elements made of Caesarstone as centers for lead scanning, creating a more open and inviting space for representatives to greet clients one-on-one.

Though there are divisions between the brands’ areas, I wanted the overall space to feel unified. Words like transparency and layering helped to drive my design story, and I used elements like bronze grids, floating wood sections, and a wood floor to weave a common thread throughout the exhibit. At the center is a Demonstration Kitchen--which combines and showcases a range of new products and kitchen solutions from all three brands--and a Lounge--which provides a comfortable area for attendees to hang out.

2. What was your inspiration for the booth?
The idea of creating real settings--sophisticated, thoughtful, relatable environments that combine the innovations of all three of these brands is what inspired my design. It’s the experience I have in working with my own designs for clients. The number one thing people are looking for today in their kitchens are spaces they can live in. Bosch, Caesarstone and Thermador embraced this, as it’s what drives kitchen design today. This is what interested other companies (SieMatic, Exquisite Flooring, Kallista) to be a part of this exhibit.

3. How were you able to take three distinctive brands and showcase them all in the same space?
They’re very complementary, so it was easy. I divided the space into real kitchen vignettes and designed a centrally-located Demonstration Kitchen to connect them all.

4. What is one of your favorite highlights of the booth space?
I think the fact that there will be realistic vignettes--actual relatable spaces--is notable. It’s something we have not seen at a major U.S. show in a long time.

I also love the continuity--the common thread that runs throughout the space. In this exhibit, it is the floor that will be done predominantly in wood and elements in bronze and stainless steel throughout.

The Demonstration Kitchen will be great to experience, and the Caesarstone bar in Motivo will be amazing. Caesarstone is also debuting a new, very innovative color at IBS, and I expect it to be a huge hit.

5. What do you want visitors to take away from seeing the space?
I hope visitors leave with real ideas and applications--perhaps something a designer or builder may not have previously considered. I hope they’re inspired and energized about new possibilities.

After all, that’s what these shows are all about. PR