Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
Issue link: http://kitchenbathdesign.epubxp.com/i/493213
April 2015 | ForResidentialPros.com | 39 with a client mix that includes Gen X, Gen Y, Baby Boomers and Matures. Designers and dealers working with each generation say Baby Boomers are most likely to frequently splurge on their kitchen projects, followed by Gen X clients. Gen Y clients are thought to be least likely to splurge. When it comes to the bathroom, more than two-thirds of surveyed de- signers and dealers say his-and-hers vanities are most essential to clients in the projects they design and sell. The top "must haves" for the bath also include water-saving showerheads/ toilets, customized storage, radiant heated floors, natural stone coun- tertops, rainfall showerheads and furniture-style vanities (see Graph 3) . As is the case with kitchens, clients splurge more on countertops than on any other bathroom feature, with half the surveyed dealers and designers re- porting that their clients "frequently" splurge on countertops (see Graph 4) . Vanities, faucets, tubs, shower systems, storage features and foor- ing are also key products when it comes to bathroom splurging – with at least four in fve dealers and de- signers saying their clients splurge either "frequently" or "occasionally" on these items. When budget-conscious clients do splurge in the bathroom, they tend to compensate by spending less on other products (toilets and shower systems in particular). Women are much more likely to splurge on tubs, storage features and vanities than men. In contrast, men are signifcantly more likely than women to splurge on shower systems. Among those designers and deal- ers working with each generation, they say Baby Boomers are most likely to splurge on their bath proj- ects and Gen Y clients are least likely to splurge. 2 Kitchen Products on Which Consumers are Most Likely to Splurge % of Survey Respondents Reporting Clients Splurge Frequently 3 Bathroom 'Must-Haves' % of Survey Respondents Reporting 'Yes' About Their Clients 4 Bathroom Products on Which Consumers are Most Likely to Splurge % of Survey Respondents Reporting Clients Splurge Frequently TOP TIER SECOND TIER 69% Countertops 51% Island 47% Cabinets 46% Refrigeration 45% Cooking Equipment 42% Accessible Storage Features 36% Sink 33% Faucet 33% Lighting 33% Dishwasher 30% Decorative Hardware 28% Range Hood/Ventilation 27% Flooring 9% Automated or 'Smart' Features 69% His-and-Her Vanities 49% Water-Saving Showerheads/Toilets 48% Customized Storage 48% Radiant Heated Floors 46% Natural Stone Countertops 44% Rainfall Showerheads 42% Furniture-Style Vanities 38% LED Lighting 32% Soaking or Jetted Tubs 26% Freestanding Tubs 24% Marble Countertops 13% Floating Vanities 10% Touchless Flushing Options 10% Steam/Sauna Units 8% Sound Systems 8% Programmable Showers 50% Countertops 41% Shower Systems 40% Vanity 31% Faucets 28% Storage Features 26% Tubs 24% Flooring 22% Lighting 22% Toilets 16% Sinks Source: Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence (RICKI) Women are much more likely to splurge on tubs, storage features and vanities than men. In contrast, men are signifcantly more likely than women to splurge on shower systems.