An orange carpet snaked its way into the Museum of Contemporary Art on Friday night, where kitchen and bath fixture company Kohler hosted a reception celebrating the first night of the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show. Kohler used the party as an opportunity to show off its new faucet, the Karbon, to an audience of show attendees, Kohler execs, and other designophiles. "This is an annual event for Kohler, but this year is special because this is the first time we're launching a faucet worldwide," said Kohler project coordinator Audra DeSombre, who oversaw the event's production.
The Karbon faucet figured prominently in the event plans, with Event Creative setting up video and projection screens to show images of the new design in the museum's main room. A stylish commercial for the faucet created by branding company MetaDesign played on continuous loop above three orange pedestals that displayed the malleable faucet, which guests could tinker with on the spot. "Considering we're in a contemporary art gallery, we wanted to work with the space and keep everything simple," DeSombre said.Cool white Eames-style love seats and plexiglass tables topped with white votives and floral arrangements tempered the orange carpet and pedestals. Lounge-style seating along the museum's back wall flanked a buffet dinner from Wolfgang Puck Catering. Servers circulated hors d'oeuvres, such as crostini with white-bean puree and proscuitto, vegetable empanadas, and mini crab cakes, as well as truffles provided by Craverie, a chocolate café at Kohler's Wisconsin resort.
The entertainment included DJ Dominic (Event Creative's resident DJ), who played dance beats while three dancers positioned on high pedestals struck poses aimed at mirroring the movements of the faucets. Uplit plexiglass bars served White Truffle and Orange Bliss martinis, plus wine and cocktails.
As the event wrapped up around 10 p.m., employees from V.I.P. Valet held big white umbrellas over guests as they walked to their awaiting cars in the rain.
The Karbon faucet figured prominently in the event plans, with Event Creative setting up video and projection screens to show images of the new design in the museum's main room. A stylish commercial for the faucet created by branding company MetaDesign played on continuous loop above three orange pedestals that displayed the malleable faucet, which guests could tinker with on the spot. "Considering we're in a contemporary art gallery, we wanted to work with the space and keep everything simple," DeSombre said.Cool white Eames-style love seats and plexiglass tables topped with white votives and floral arrangements tempered the orange carpet and pedestals. Lounge-style seating along the museum's back wall flanked a buffet dinner from Wolfgang Puck Catering. Servers circulated hors d'oeuvres, such as crostini with white-bean puree and proscuitto, vegetable empanadas, and mini crab cakes, as well as truffles provided by Craverie, a chocolate café at Kohler's Wisconsin resort.
The entertainment included DJ Dominic (Event Creative's resident DJ), who played dance beats while three dancers positioned on high pedestals struck poses aimed at mirroring the movements of the faucets. Uplit plexiglass bars served White Truffle and Orange Bliss martinis, plus wine and cocktails.
As the event wrapped up around 10 p.m., employees from V.I.P. Valet held big white umbrellas over guests as they walked to their awaiting cars in the rain.

Dancers posed on pedestals in the museum's main room.
Photo: Courtesy of Kohler

An orange carpet and a Kohler gobo marked the entrance to the event.
Photo: Courtesy of Kohler

Kohler's new Karbon faucet had its unveiling at the reception.
Photo: Courtesy of Kohler

Projection screens showed images of the new faucet's design.
Photo: Courtesy of Kohler

Dancers from Event Creative mimicked the movements of the adjustable faucet.
Photo: Courtesy of Kohler

Several bars could be found throughout the museum's event space.
Photo: Courtesy of Kohler