Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
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Editorial { Eliot Sefrin, Publisher Emeritus } April 2015 | ForResidentialPros.com | 5 Facebook.com/KitchenBathDesignNews @KitchenBathDesignNews T oday's consumers are send- ing a very clear message to the kitchens and bath design trade, and it's one that should reso- nate throughout the showrooms and ofces of dealers and designers across America. The message is this: We are chang- ing, our homes are changing, our product preferences are changing – and you, the design professional, need to be in close touch with all of that if you're going to earn our business in 2015 and beyond. That message, in reality, is really noth- ing new, of course. Success for dealers and designers has always been defned largely by their abil- ity to design and sell kitchens and baths that refect the needs and tastes of clients. What is new, however, is the spe- cifc palette of products that today's ever-broadening consumer base is gravitating toward these days – the hot buttons that excite clients, the products they deem as "must-haves," what they're willing to splurge on, and what they're willing to sacrifce when budgets get tight. All of those issues are explored in a new market survey conducted exclu- sively for Kitchen & Bath Design News by the Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence (RICKI). The online poll, conducted among more than 300 dealers and designers, revealed that the top "must-haves" for today's kitch- ens include full-extension drawers, trash/recycling bins, a kitchen island, deep drawers, more accessible storage, custom or semi-custom cabinets and LED lighting. The survey also found that clients are most readily willing to splurge on countertops, while women are much more likely than men to splurge on such things as decorative hardware, accessible storage features, sinks, dishwashers, countertops, fau- cets, cabinetry and cooking appliances. When it comes to the bathroom, dealers and designers report that "his-and-hers" vanities are most es- sential to clients, while other leading "must-haves" include water-saving showerheads/toilets, customized storage, radiant heated foors, natural stone countertops, rainfall shower- heads and furniture-style vanities. As is the case with kitchens, clients splurge more on countertops than on any other bathroom feature, and women are much more likely than men to splurge on such products as tubs, storage features and vanities. Separate recent sur veys also indicate that consumer product pref- erences are refecting homes that are smaller, greener, ofer more casual liv- ing space and feature the inclusion of energy-saving technology, as well as custom features that can accom- modate varying levels of mobility (see Consumer Buying Trends, Page 8) . Open shelving, open foor plans, under-counter options, granite coun- ter t op s , n at u r a l fooring materials, ergonomic design – these are but a fraction of the key trends mirrored by a client base that's steadily diversify- ing to include an ever-changing mix of G en X , B a by Boomers and Gen Y, as well as mature adults looking to age in place. Cutting-edge design must refect these kinds of current consumer pref- erences. And cutting-edge designers seeking success must have a firm handle on who their clients are, how they're changing and how their needs and tastes are continuing to evolve. When it comes to building and sus- taining a successful design practice, there is no substitute for that mindset and that knowledge – simply no other way to conduct business. Today's ever-broadening consumer base is very clear about the changing array of products they deem as 'must-haves,' and savvy pros should incorporate those preferences in the kitchens and baths they design and sell. Evolving Consumer Tastes Reshaping Design Landscape "Cutting-edge designers must have a frm handle on who their clients are, how those clients are changing, and what needs and tastes they have." DeltaFaucet.com/Temp2O Take the guesswork out of showering. Delta ® Temp 2 O ™ Technology includes a hydropowered* digital display that changes colors (blue/magenta/red) so users can find the right temperature every time— a feature that helps keep them comfortable and safe. *Tub/shower option requires batteries. Circle No. 3 on Product Card