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G 2017 marks the fourth year of the successful Design and Construction Week collaboration, as the KBIS and IBS shows move from Las Vegas to Orlando next month with expanded floor space, new educational offerings and a host of new products. KBIS Heads to Orlando oing into its fourth year, Design and Construction Week has moved from Las Vegas to Orlando and will be taking over the Orange County Convention Center next month. Some 80,000+ design and residential construction professionals and more than 2,100 exhibitors are expected for the event, which brings together the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show and the International Builders' Show in one venue. KBIS and IBS, hosted by the National Kitchen & Bath Association and the National Association of Home Builders, respectively, are expected to fill more than 900,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space with a wide array of products, demonstrations, live presentations and more. Both show floors will be open Tuesday through Thursday, Jan. 10-12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., occupying the North/South and West Halls of the Convention Center. New this year, through a partnership with CEDIA, the trade association for the residen- tial technology industry, is the creation of the CEDIA Smart Home Pavilion. The space will showcase exhibitors who specialize in technolo- gy solutions for the home. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS The concurrent events will offer diverse pro- gramming, along with a wide array of demon- strations, networking opportunities and more. Some of this year's highlights include: • The Magic of Design Opening Party, featuring the NKBA Design Competition & Industry Awards, held Monday, Jan. 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the World Showplace in Disney's Epcot. • The Opening Ceremonies, which will take place from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 10, featuring football MVP Peyton Manning. • The State of the Industry Address, with a panel discussion exploring recent industry research findings and trends. Panelists will include Bill Darcy, NKBA CEO; Manuel Gutierrez, NKBA Consulting Economist and principal of Manuel DJ Gutierrez, LLC, and Brad Farnsworth, president and CEO of the Farnsworth Group. • The Innovative Showroom award ceremony and the Best of KBIS Product Awards, which will be presented on the KBISNeXT Stage. • The Bash, hosted by the NKBA and held at Mango's Tropical Cafe, on Wednesday, Jan. 11 from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. • The IBS Closing Spike Concert with Little Big Town, held on Jan. 12 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Orange County Convention Center West Concourse. EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE Once again, the Voices from the Industry Conference will bring together more than 70 separate educational sessions, many offering continuing education units (CEUs). The hour- long informational sessions will offer attendees the chance to hear presentations from industry peers on a variety of subjects, and participate in a few interactive labs. All sessions are aligned to one of NKBA University's learning paths: Design & Inspiration, Focus on the Customer, Business Management and Sales & Marketing. Sessions on tap cover a wide array of top- ics, including showroom strategies, outdoor kitchen design, kitchen and bathroom trends, Universal Design, key mobile apps and social media marketing. A number of new and notable additions are planned for 2017. One such addition is the KBISNeXT Experience, a grouping of new, se- lect locations within the North/South Building of KBIS, each with its own programs and events. KBISNeXT Experience locations are: The KBISNeXT Stage KBISNeXT will offer a variety of program- ming, and showcase the industry's latest trends and insights shared by leading kitchen and bath experts. The Design Bites sessions, which is similar to "speed dating" for brands, will take place at KBISNeXT Stage. It allows each brand three minutes to showcase its newest innovations, followed by a two-minute Q&A; session with the audience. It will be hosted by HGTV's Jeff Devlin and This Old House's Kevin O'Connor. The Backyard A new destination for KBIS 2017, The Backyard is an outdoor space for attendees to relax, grab a bite to eat and discover some of the hottest new products in outdoor living. The Backyard is an extension of the Outdoor Products Area located inside on the show floor. Design Milk X Modenus Social Lounge New for 2017, Design Milk and Modenus are co-launching the first ever Social Lounge for bloggers, social influencers and design VIPs to connect, chat and (re)charge. The lounge will feature a series of talks and discussions on topics focused on blogging, social media, trends and the business of design. Entrance into the social lounge is by invitation only. Those who would like to apply for an invitation can email florence@modenus.com. Virginia Tech FutureHAUS; Bedroom of the Future. Returning in 2017 is the Virginia Tech FutureHAUS, which this year will showcase the Bedroom of the Future. Portfolio Review Attendees will have the opportunity to share their work with kitchen and bath editors and receive valuable feedback. ▪ Photo: Courtesy of Visit Orlando December 2016 • KitchenBathDesign.com 65 KBIS 2017