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LOS ANGELES — Dwell on Design offers Southern California designers and homeowners the chance to see some of the latest design prod- ucts and trends on display in the Los Angeles Convention Center every June. It provides a single space to see some established kitchen and bath brands like Monogram, Brizo and Hansgrohe, while discovering some upstart firms and artisans you probably won't find at KBIS. The most popular features at Dwell seem to be the experiential ones – like walking through the prefab homes on the show floor, or test- driving a new Prius. The lines were long for these, even on Friday's trade professionals day. None of the trends on display were especially new – though some of the features they high- lighted were – but many point toward great new benefits for homeowners. CONVENIENCE EMPHASIS As kitchens and baths continue to offer more features and complexity, it's nice to see some trends toward a homeowner's convenience. Hansgrohe has added ease to hands-free fau- cets and showering. Its Select feature makes it easier to turn on its hands-free kitchen or bath tap, and change shower modes with wet, soapy hands. (No longer do users have to slide a shower face with wet hands; a button simpli- fies adjustment greatly.) Select was introduced at an earlier show, but Dwell saw its expansion into the hands-free faucet realm. Canadian manufacturer Julien also intro- duced convenience into its new Fira design. Each fireclay apron front sink has a built-in ledge, letting users slide a cutting board across the top for a user-friendly work surface. Another example of increased homeowner convenience was Marvin's Ultimate Multi-Slide Door's Automatic Control. A door may not immediately strike one as a kitchen or bath prod- uct, but with the increasing integration of indoor and outdoor living, massive glass doors that slide open have become popular. The challenge is that many are heavy, and when one is carrying dishes from the kitchen to the deck, opening them with one hand can be awkward. A remote control automates the process and makes outdoor entertaining more accessible. (This can definite- ly empower the mobility-challenged, arthritic, balance-challenged or smaller host, too.) OUTDOOR ENHANCEMENTS Perhaps its Southern California location has much to do with it, but outdoor living is a strong area for Dwell on Design. If you design kitchens in the Sunbelt, you've probably been called upon to design an outdoor kitchen by an indoor client at some point. Even just attending shows like Dwell or KBIS, you've seen the upscaling of outdoor cooking, refrigera- tion, cabinetry and countertops as a continuing trend. As one LA-based architect attending Dwell this year shared, his clients now have more appliances in their outdoor kitchens than in their indoor ones. Those appliances continue to get more sophisticated and specialized. No longer do homeowners have to cross their fingers and hope the wine fridge doesn't die on the patio, knowing its warranty is void by Dwell On Design 2016 BY JAMIE GOLD, CKD, CAPS Convenience features, more upscale and sophisticated outdoor spaces, rose gold and copper finishes and new surfacing options were among the hottest trends at the recent Dwell on Design show in California. New options increase convenience in Hansgrohe's tap-on kitchen and bath faucets. Handsome finishes and easy care fabrics combine in increasingly attractive outdoor furniture lines. A remote control makes opening a wall of doors more convenient for outdoor entertaining. Photo: Marvin Windows and Doors Furniture designs by Jamie Durie/Photography by Tonya McCahon Photo: Hansgrohe 30 Kitchen & Bath Design News • September 2016 TREND SPOTTING