Integrated Lighting Takes the Stage at Builders’ Show & KBIS

In addition to the lighting brands you know, there are more non-lighting companies incorporating lighting into their products at this week’s International Builders’ Show and the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Orlando — and that’s both good and bad news for lighting showrooms.

As more building materials companies begin integrating lighting into their products as value-added benefits, it’s important that lighting showrooms capitalize on homeowners’ interest by emphasizing those same qualities when consumers come in to renovate a room in their homes or are in the stages of moving into a new residence.

Lighting showrooms are expertly positioned to capture sales in the accent lighting arena — a category that, in the boom times of home building, they might not have pursued due to it requiring more time-consuming calculations and netting smaller dollar amounts versus the larger profit center that whole-house lighting purchases provide.

Times have changed, however. The builder market has slowed over the past year or so due to higher interest rates and an earlier supply-demand problem. Now manufacturers in other areas of the home building process are stepping up and capturing those ancillary sales by tapping that consumer interest in lighting’s aesthetic and safety benefits and integrating LED lighting into their products with great success.

The other lighting-adjacent areas in renovation and new construction that are attracting homeowner dollars are decorative hardware and high-end switchplates. These are two areas that are a perfect fit for lighting showrooms, and fortunately many have begun including them in their assortment.

Whereas the challenge for lighting showrooms in the past was to convince homeowners to spend on these discretionary purchases while buying their lighting for the home, now other companies – kitchen and bath cabinet suppliers, staircase and deck railing companies, and kitchen and bath design firms – are successfully capturing that business by getting to that customer earlier in the buying process. For all of the great strides made in consumer awareness of lighting, it still is the last category on homeowners’ purchasing lists.

By seeing how non-lighting companies are encroaching on their territory through these highlights from this week’s Builders’ Show and KBIS, lighting showrooms might be better prepared to reach homeowners earlier in their renovation/new construction journey or consider partnering with local firms such as custom cabinetry businesses and kitchen and bath design boutiques in a mutually beneficial arrangement.

*Hettich has just added an integrated lighting component to its rotating cabinet line.*

Hettich, a leader in premium functional fittings and engineered hardware, will debut the next iteration of its FurnSpin rotating cabinet – called FurnSpin Illumination – at KBIS. The FurnSpin Illumination’s integrated lighting was designed to turn the company’s FurnSpin line “into a glowing centerpiece,” according to Matthias Bertl, CEO of Hettich America. “Our engineers perfected swivel-activated lighting that makes FurnSpin Illumination an enviable luxury, balancing the necessary need for lit storage with the drama and impact of a motion-sensing glow. The effect of this glow will be felt at KBIS 2026, where we’ve developed a booth equipped with many layers and types of lighting to show off the technology.”

FurnSpin Illumination is equipped with a swivel-activated lighting mechanism, a solution that the company notes was previously limited by the challenge of routing and hiding wires in a motion fixture. With FurnSpin Illumination, the cables are hidden from view by being routed down through the furniture piece. The hardware is compatible with any type of lighting – such as strip lighting or pinhole lighting – and is completely customizable, turned on at a touch of a finger.

*The Hettich booth at KBIS will emphasize new lighting capabilities for its furniture.*

Among Richelieu Hardware’s newest product introductions for KBIS is a kitchen cabinet that rotates 360-degrees – allowing contents to be concealed or displayed on demand. And, through a new collaboration with European manufacturer of accessible kitchen and living solutions Granberg, it will unveil the VERTI 840 motorized lift for upper cabinets, which helps users avoid stretching and straining. With a simple touch, the smart electric height-adjustable lift system smoothly, silently and safely brings cabinet shelves down to countertop level.

*Richelieu is debuting its latest version of the FlexyLED line for built-ins.*

Richelieu’s FlexyLED systems provide seamless illumination for an elevated look. The FlexyLED AT6 is a flexible linear module with silicone-encapsulated technology, delivering smooth “dot-free” light in a compact profile for recessed or surface installation. The FlexyLED SEH4 fits straight, curved, or circular grooves, integrating effortlessly into cabinetry and built-ins. Both systems are easy to install with pre-wired cables and deliver clean, minimalist lighting for any space.

*Richelieu’s U-Design hardware tubes can be filled with whatever the consumer wants.*

Richelieu’s U-Design hardware pull encourages design expression with its clear acrylic tubes that can be filled with confetti, beads or other tiny treasures for a unique and personal statement.

*A sampling of new products from Corston includes an expansion of lighting.*

Fresh from its participation in Lightovation last month and a few other select design-oriented trade shows, Corston Architectural Detail will mark its debut at KBIS. The British company known for premium solid brass switches and outlets, hardware and lighting recently opened an East Coast showroom at the New York Design Center and announced plans to open a showroom on the West Coast.

Featured products at KBIS include: 2G, 3G, and 4G two-way toggle switches in Bronze, Polished Nickel, and Antique Brass finishes; rocker, toggle, and dimmer switches in a Clear finish; Malvern large wall light in Pleated Natural Beige with a Polished Nickel finish; Claremont and Richmond medium wall lights in fluted glass and a Bronze finish; plus a curated selection of brackets, coat hooks, and door furniture in Antique Brass.

*Häfele has offered accent lighting for some time, but its decorative hardware (right) is getting more notice.*

Häfele America is presenting its latest lighting, storage, and functional hardware solutions at KBIS. Featured products are: Universal Drawer Light Bar, offering energy-efficient illumination with adjustable color temperature, dimming functionality, and automatic on/off sensor activation; Adjustable Shelf Lighting System, designed to provide clean, flexible illumination for kitchens, closets, and offices while eliminating visible cords; EasyPairing, a simplified setup feature that allows switches and remotes to be paired quickly with Connect Mesh distributors without the need for apps or smartphones; Magnetic Reed Switch, providing discreet and flexible control for drawer and door lighting applications; COB Lighting Solutions such as COB light strips, COB Gold LED with a slim 6mm profile, and the COB Complete system that delivers uniform light without the need for additional diffusers or lenses. Decorative hardware will also be shown, including the Häfele-Exclusive Collections H23 and H25, designed with input from industry professionals.

*Feeney is a railing manufacturer that is keying in on the importance of lighting.*

Feeney, a leading manufacturer of quality architectural products and cable railings, is unveiling its LED Lighting for DesignRail® Modern product. This quick-ship LED Lighting Kit delivers high-output linear lighting for both indoor and outdoor applications. It has a snap-in diffuser lens for soft, even downlighting, and is designed to allow designers and builders to integrate illumination directly into railing assemblies.

*Tresco is gaining traction with the popularity of accent lighting kits.*

Tresco Lighting® is introducing its COB FlexTape® featuring Luniform™ technology for no visible dark spots and no need for covers or filters. It is engineered with reportedly infinite cut locations, available in 3000K and 5000K and can be used for edge lighting, toe kicks, soffits, backlighting, and accent lighting.

Tresco is also debuting its FineLine® 3.0 Ultra-Slim, White-Tunable Cabinet Illumination featuring a 3/8″ (10 mm) pencil-thin LED fixture with Luniform™ technology and white tunable (CCT) capability ranges from 2700K to 6500K to allow designers to shift from warm tones that enhance natural wood grains to cooler light that highlights bright finishes.

*Capturing consumer interest early in the home building stage, Savant is selling the concept of circadian lighting along with its smart controls and fixtures.*

Savant – which acquired GE Lighting in 2020 – is promoting smart lighting to builders with its combination of GE lighting technology and Savant’s software and controls. For example, its Daylight Mode allows users to personalize their circadian rhythms based on their home’s geo-coordinates. According to the company, “Daylight Mode employs advanced logic to adjust intensity and color temperature to support a healthy sleep and wake cycle.”

Through Savant’s partnership with USAI Lighting, users can create Savant scenes with USAI’s recessed lighting and decorative pendants “to turn lights on to the exact color temperature and intensity needed to match the circadian curve at any time of day.”

Savant also has a partnership with Robern for lighted mirrors. For example, the new Framed Cabinet mirrors feature dimmable, color tunable lighting from 2700K warm to 5600K cool temperatures and are equipped with integrated outlets and USB charging ports.

*Two of the latest mirrors (Core and Framed Cabinet models) from Robern and a peek behind the wall of its Plug and Hang installation.*

The dimmable Core Lighted Mirror from Robern and Savant offers dimmable LED task lighting to 1 percent, has defogging technology for a clear reflection, and a warm 2700K color temperature. The mirror has what the company calls “fully encased lighting construction that eliminates exposed LEDs and electrical components.” It comes with hardware with easy installation via its Plug and Hang System, where the mirror is plugged into an outlet behind the mirror, which eliminates the need to bring back an electrician to install or remove it.

Stay tuned for more new products worth paying attention to from both the Builders’ Show and KBIS in the weeks ahead.