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/599136
10 | Kitchen & Bath Design News | November 2015 Consumer Buying Trends { Demographics & buying patterns for the home } WASHINGTON, DC — Homeowners con- tinue to prioritize investing in outdoor living spaces while exhibiting a signif- cant surge in popularity in "smart-home" technology that can help automate en- ergy consumption. Those are among the key fndings revealed in the latest in a quarterly se- ries of "Home Design Trends Surveys" conducted by the American Institute of Architects. The survey, which cov- ered home-related activity during the second quarter of 2015, focused on emerging home features, technologies and special-function rooms. The poll was conducted by the Washington, DC- based AIA among a panel of more than 500 architecture frms that concentrate their practice in the residential sector, including involvement in kitchen and bathroom design. According to the AIA, homeowner interest in outdoor living and special- function rooms – including mud rooms, home ofces and au pair/in-law suites – is increasing ( see Figure 1 ). Also gaining in popularity is a wide range of energy efciency and home automation options, as well as technologies and products that include tankless water heaters, LED light- ing and water-saving fxtures and fttings ( see Figure 2 ). Products and systems that ease home management are similarly growing in popularity. These features double as en- ergy saving solutions, reducing utility costs, according to the AIA. "With the tremendous interest in well-designed outdoor living spaces, it's a pretty strong indication that the days when houses were viewed as a way to fip for a big proft are long gone," said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker. "Signifying a renewed interested in practicality and use, demand for mud rooms and dedicated guest rooms are also quite high." Baker added: "Automation is on its way to becoming standard functionality within homes as there are systems avail- able to regulate temperature, lighting, home audio and energy usage." The fndings of the survey are con- sistent with those of recent research initiatives, all of which have pointed to a pattern of homeowner spending that's refective of an improving econo- my, strengthening housing market and uptick in consumer confdence ( see re- lated Barometers, Page 8 ). Recent AIA surveys have also revealed a ramp-up in homeowner spending for kitchen and bath design. Outdoor Spaces, Smart-Home Technology Seen Gaining Ground 1. THE GROWING INTEREST IN SPECIAL-FUNCTION ROOMS % REPORTING POPULARITY OF PRODUCT INCREASING MINUS % REPORTING DECREASING 2. POPULARITY OF 'SMART-HOME' PRODUCTS AMONG HOMEOWNERS % REPORTING POPULARITY OF PRODUCT INCREASING MINUS % REPORTING DECREASING Outdoor Living 62% Mud Rooms 45% Home Offces 34% Au Pair/In-Law Suites 33% Home Automation Mgt. Rm. 19% Exercise/Fitness Space 12% LED Lighting 88% Low Maintenance 60% Smart Thermostats 59% Energy Effcient 50% Energy Star-Related Appliances 44% Reclaim/Salvage Materials 41% Water-Saving Fixtures/Fittings 40% Source: American Institute of Architects Source: American Institute of Architects SALES GROUP SALES DIRECTOR AND MIDWEST MANAGER Paul DeGrandis (847) 920-9510 Paul@SOLAbrands.com EAST/SOUTHEAST Joanne Naylor (201) 891-9170 Joanne@SOLAbrands.com Beth Emerich (781) 710-4745 EmerichB@SOLAbrands.com WEST/SOUTHWEST Reed Fry (949) 223-1088 Reed@fry-comm.com PRODUCT & LITERATURE SHOWCASE/CLASSIFIED ADS Mike Serino (630) 699-2004 Mike@SOLAbrands.com EDITORIAL Janice Anne Costa, Editor (516) 605-1426 Janice@SOLAbrands.com Anita Shaw, Managing Editor (631) 581-2029 Anita@SOLAbrands.com Ashley Lapin Olian, Associate Editor (312) 685-1334 Ashley@SOLAbrands.com PUBLISHING SOLA Group, Inc. 724 12th St., Suite 1W Wilmette, IL 60091 (847) 920-9510 Paul DeGrandis, Publisher Paul@SOLAbrands.com Eliot Sefrin, Publisher Emeritus Eliot@SOLAbrands.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Kitchen & Bath Design News Circulation Dept. P.O. Box 3007 Northbrook, IL 60065-3007 (866) 932-5904 circ.kbdn@omeda.com MAILING LIST RENTAL Elizabeth Jackson (847) 492-1350 ext. 18 ejackson@meritdirect.com KitchenBathDesign.com ®