The Luxe Life

Jen Renzi -- Interior Design, 2/1/2004 12:00:00 AM

Less a trade show than a curated exhibition, the Luxury Kitchen and Bath Collection arrived in New York last November. The annual event rounded up 70 top-of-the-line manufacturers—Bulthaup, KWC Faucets, Neo-Metro Collection, and Valli & Valli among them.

Interior Design sponsored eight Design Collection vignettes, pairing professionals with manufacturers: Michael Berman with Rohl; Mick De Giulio with SieMatic; Joan DesCombes with Danver; Jamie Drake with PS Craftsmanship, Walker Zanger, Pyrolave, and Harrington Brass Works; Claudia Febres with Poggenpohl and Gaggenau; Jamie Gibbs with Bentwood Kitchens; David Peer and Joan Picone with European Country Kitchens; and Scott A. Stultz with the Corsi Cabinet Company. These installations exemplified the range at the highest end of the spectrum, as attested by Drake's color play, Berman's deluxe deco, and Gibbs's country chic.

"The landscape is changing," says DesCombes. "Manufacturers are creating new lines rather than just adding to existing ones." Luxury, once an extravagance, seems to have become a necessity.