That's right. On the morning of January 19th, 2011 I'm boarding a plane bound for Cologne (that's Köln to those of us who are in the know) where I'll be attending the annual internationale möbelmesse. The internationale möbelmesse is better known as the IMM and it's the world's premier showcase of new furniture and products for the home.
Last year's IMM had 1500 exhibitors and had 100,000 visitors from all points of the globe. This year's expo promises to be even bigger and for the first time in the 62 years of the show's existence, there will be a separate exhibit for the international kitchen and bath industry and they're calling it The Living Kitchen.
The Living Kitchen has its own website and from the looks of things it will surpass the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in the US in size and scale.
Needless to say, I'm beyond excited about this. I'll be blogging and Tweeting from Germany as part of an industry press junket courtesy of Blanco. I cannot thank them enough for this opportunity.
Blanco is a German sink and fixture manufacturer and their products are widely available worldwide. I sit on Blanco's Design Council, an honor I've held for the last year. It's through my involvement with Blanco's Design Council that I'm Cologne bound.
There are five other Design Council members going on this trip. That all six of us know each other already will make this trip even more memorable that it would have been otherwise. My traveling companions to Cologne are Jamie Goldberg, Cheryl Kees-Clendenon, Susan Serra, Leslie Clagett and Kevin Henry. Five out of the Cologne Six are are part of the Blogger 19 interestingly enough. What year this has been. Whew!
In addition to experiencing the sights and sounds of Cologne and the IMM, We'll be touring a Blanco factory and meeting with Blanco Germany's industrial designers.
Needless to say, I'm beyond exited. Thank you again and in advance to Blanco and their representation in the US for this honor.
