Kolbe’s Top 15 Window & Door Trends at IBS 2023

Kolbe’s Top 15 Window & Door Trends at IBS 2023

February 08, 2023

At the 2023 International Builders’ Show, Kolbe showcased unique window and door applications in a simulated residential environment, with emphasis on whole home solutions.

Kolbe’s vast capabilities and continuous innovation allow our windows and doors to help create functional spaces specifically designed for comfort, convenience and connectivity throughout the home. This year’s booth design was inspired by the visionaries who use our products every day, and incorporates some of today’s most popular window and door design trends.
 
Browse through each living space to see how Kolbe skillfully incorporated these trends into a modern floorplan. In such realistic scenarios, it’s easy to envision Kolbe® windows and doors in your living space.
 
Missed the Show? Recap with us below to understand why – We’re for the visionaries.®



Great Room

1. Oversized Entrances
Over 5 feet wide and approaching 10 feet tall, an Ultra Series pivot door grandly greets visitors in contemporary style, with a Reconstituted Rosewood panel and horizontal glass insets. A Rockwood® GeoMetek pull handle in Black Suede accentuates the verticality of the door by extending the full height of the door, while flanking floor-to-ceiling direct sets and a horizontal transom across the entire entryway extend daylight and views.

Oversized Custom Entrance Doors

2. Detailed Design
A trio of narrow 8-foot-tall VistaLuxe WD LINE casements with a Sapele wood and Clear Coat interior have a center stationary window flanked by two venting windows. Square profile performance divided lites precisely align in a custom Prairie style pattern across all three windows, with vibrant Copper Canyon exteriors. The outer windows open in opposite directions; one features a Matte Black Ashlar handle and locking lever, and the other has an Evo operator with a traditional lock.
Modern Prairie Styled Windows

3. Indoor-Outdoor Living
A vast opening to the outdoors connects the home to the landscape, while a row of direct sets above layers light into the space. Kolbe’s VistaLuxe WD LINE complementary sliding door spans almost 20 feet wide by over 10 feet tall, and features Summit Automation with touch-screen operation. Coordinating with the Black Anodized exterior, the Ebony-stained Alder interior is completed with a Matte Black narrow flush pull handle with dual-point lock.
Vistaluxe WD Sliding Door Direct Sets Interior

4. Geometric Windows
Geometric windows bring light into odd-shaped spaces while accentuating the silhouette of the home. At IBS, a VistaLuxe WD LINE trapezoid direct set with square performance divided lites and a floor sill spans over 10 feet tall, for a floor-to-ceiling appearance. The Coal Black Accent style exterior and coordinating interior cleanly outline the large, angular window. In the opposite corner, a VistaLuxe AL LINE trapezoid direct set also spans a similar height, with an all-aluminum frame and an Ultra Pure White powder coat finish that recedes into the opening to disappear from view.
VistaLuxe WD Direct Set Trapezoid


Kitchen

5. Reclaim Lost Space
Adding windows to underutilized walls can bring daylight into spaces where there typically is none. We installed a nearly-13-foot-wide by 2-foot-tall Ultra Series beveled direct set beneath a row of kitchen cabinets as a unique alternative to the traditional countertop backsplash, maximizing views and natural light in common food prep spaces. The Maple Wood interior with Clear Coat finish coordinates with the surrounding cabinets, Dutch door and adjacent window frames, while the gray, Shale exterior offers a trendy alternative to black.
Ultra Series Beveled Direct Set Kitchen Interior

6. Automation
To allow easier operation of large panel doors or hard-to-reach awnings, Kolbe offers various automation options for select products. As seen at IBS, an 18-foot-wide by 9-foot-tall VistaLuxe AL LINE all-aluminum pocketing multi-slide door is fully automated and finished on the interior and exterior with an Ultra Pure White powder coat. White integrated handles and a standard weep sill allow smooth operation for enhanced indoor-outdoor living.
  
Above this multi-slide door is a VistaLuxe WD LINE bank of awnings, fully automated with Assa Abloy® electronic operators. The flush style exterior has a matching finish, while the Pine Wood interior is painted Bright White.
Vistaluxe AL Multi Slide Door Awnings Interior

7. Corner Views
A VistaLuxe WD LINE 90˚direct set window with a 22-inch jamb creates a wide bench seat that wraps around the corner for a cozy nook with unobstructed views. The Alder Wood with Clear Coat interior offers a solution in which modern design can feel warm and organic, while the Maize flush style exterior frames boldly outline the three-dimensional shape against the rustic black siding.
 
In the opposite corner of the kitchen, a corner direct set with a direct set stacked above has a Bright White interior finish and a Mica Night Sky exterior finish. Offering an even wider viewing area around a bistro set, the slim post and frame recede into the wall to encase diners in views of the landscape.
VistaLuxe WD Corner Direct Sets

8. Functional Style
A Dutch door is a flexible and functional option for households with children or pets. Offering two doors in one, the panels can either open together as a full door, or just the top can open with the bottom remaining closed when accepting packages or greeting visitors. For style that goes beyond function, the Dutch door adds a trendy pop of color with a Mystic Ivy exterior and flat Coal Black frame against the black wood siding of the exterior, while a Maple Wood with Clear Coat interior coordinates with the warm, organic aesthetic of the adjacent kitchen woodwork.
Heritage Series Dutch Door

9. View Corridors
Brighten up a long hallway or capture a view of the landscape or another space in the home. A 3-foot-6-inch by 7-foot Ultra Series XL casement with a Mahogany Wood and Clear Coat interior demonstrates an option for bringing in more natural light and extending the view through the home to the outdoors. A Rustic Umber Ashlar handle allows easy operation of the large ventilating window, and the Green Tea Leaf exterior is a fresh hue that coordinates with the kitchen cabinetry.
Corridors

NEW TECH DEBUT:
Still in development, the QuB Smart Window Operating System debuted at IBS, demonstrating casement window control with a smart phone app and a WiFi or Bluetooth connection. As standard, a built-in moisture sensor automatically closes and locks the window when it starts to rain. Visitors were able to experience this technology, provide feedback and explore the possibilities.
Kolbe IBS 2023 QUB



Bathroom

10. Round Windows
Radius windows create a strong focal point while admitting daylight into bathrooms, closets and stairways. At IBS, a 5-foot-7-inch-diameter Ultra Series full circle direct set window creates a giant porthole over a glass vessel Kohler® sink. The rift-sawn White Oak with Clear Coat interior makes an impressive frame for light and views – a bold alternative to the traditional mirror or medicine cabinet. The slim Coal Black exterior frame recedes into the siding to let the large round window take center stage.
Ultra Series Circular Direct Set Bathroom Interior

11. Privacy Control
While some homeowners desire expansive areas of glass, others prefer to create quiet, private spaces that cannot be viewed from the exterior. Kolbe offers a variety of specialty glass options offering shading, privacy and visual interest – including tinted, colored, patterned and textured. At IBS, seven different glass samples were featured in a custom wall configuration that flanked a Kohler soaking tub.
Privacy Control Glass Options

NEW TECH DEBUT:
To provide automated privacy options, Kolbe has partnered with Gauzy to soon allow the option of integrating Gauzy LCG® Smart Glass Technologies into select windows and doors. Visitors to the IBS booth experienced push-button activation of grey and white tint options that allowed transparent to obscure glass on demand.
Kolbe IBS 2023 Gauzy Glass

 

Home Office

12. The Look of Steel
Kolbe's VistaLuxe WD LINE has the versatility to serve as an alternative to – or in conjunction with – steel products, and presents a perfect solution for the desired aesthetic. The narrow frames, with a choice of divided lite profiles and finishes, offer a similar appearance to steel, with the added benefits of greater energy efficiency, shorter lead times, and lower cost. At IBS, Kolbe featured a VistaLuxe WD LINE French inswing door with interior triangular performance divided lites in a Coal Black finish, with a custom textured Terra Cotta Black exterior finish. Simulated lock boxes with Matte Black Dallas style Hoppe® hardware reinforce the steel aesthetic, while a half-circle transom above adds the crowning touch to the elegant entryway.
modern windows and doors that have the look of steel

COMING SOON:
Anticipated to rollout in the months ahead, this door also featured the latest multi-point locking hardware by Hoppe with an American-style configuration where the deadbolt is located above the handle set. Hoppe’s LokRite™ functionality allows users to quickly lock the door with the deadbolt, which now actuates independently of the multi-point extensions, and no longer needs to be performed in sequential order as traditionally done in the past. In the case of French doors, this lock prevents users from opening the secondary door before the primary door is opened.
Hoppe Hardware Close Up

13. Thoughtful Design
With the popularity of multi-functional spaces that accommodate various needs and activities, strategic window placement is key to making those spaces work for you. For an inspiring backdrop to a remote workspace, a thoughtfully positioned Forgent® Series All Glastra® crank-out awning window above a desk admits views, ventilation, and natural light. The Cloud interior frames recede into the wall opening, while a coordinating White nesting handle subtly completes the unit.
Forgent Series Awning Direct Set Casement Interior
 


Zen Space

14. Mixed Window Styles
An interesting window wall of varied styles and functionality balances light, views and ventilation within a space. A combination of VistaLuxe AL LINE windows creates floor-to-ceiling views for a tranquil corner. The dark-hued units represent how to achieve large walls of glass with mixed stationary and venting configurations. A 6-by-9-foot direct set, a 5-by-9-foot direct set and hopper, and a 4-foot by 9-foot-tall tilt-turn with a transom incorporate various finishes and discreet hardware.
Vistaluxe Direct Sets Hopper Awning Interior door
 


Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)

15. Flexible Spaces
When creating multi-generational or auxiliary living spaces, whether separate or attached to your property, Kolbe’s expansive openings products allow flexible living with a connection to the outdoors. In our triangular-shaped ADU, a 21-foot-wide Ultra Series folding window and door combination demonstrate a custom solution for pass-through and indoor-outdoor living. The window features a recessed weep sill that is flush with the counter, while the doors incorporate a standard weep sill option. A wood-slatted sunscreen on both the interior and exterior provides shading and casts textured light across the bright Emerald Isle exterior and Walnut Wood with Clear Coat interior.
Folding Door Window Combo
At IBS, we not only showcased our most unique products – we demonstrated their versatility by incorporating them into nontraditional applications that further enhance the design of the home. In addition to helping visionaries create architectural impact, a strong focal point, or structural definition with our distinct product lines, we also provided design inspiration and on-trend solutions.


 

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