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/572251
34 | Kitchen & Bath Design News | September 2015 what a kitchen costs long before they meet with a designer. They will set a budget and stick to it, making smart decisions about where to invest their dollars," adds Reep. WHAT MILLENNIALS WANT Most want a good deal more space than they have now, and they're willing to accept unfnished spaces to get it, according to the National Association of Home Builders' 2015 International Builders' Show presenta- tion. They also want completely open kitchens, laundry rooms, Energy Star- rated appliances, garage storage and walk-in pantries, according to the NAHB study. Those are all business opportunities for kitchen and bath pros. On their most "unwanted" list, surprisingly, are shower-only master baths and wine coolers. The study's author, Rose Quint, NAHB's assistant v.p. for Survey Research, noted that the desire for energy-efcient appli- ance increases with income. RICKI's study digs even deeper into Millennial kitchen wants. Islands and entertainment areas ranked high, and customized cabinet storage, back- splashes and pet centers showed up, too. "I want my kitchen to say a lot about me," is the leading sentiment among Millennial respondents. They are also the likeliest of all demograph- ic groups to be using and charging their phones, laptops and tablets in the kitchen. Best of all, for the kitchen industry itself, is that more than half of these Millennials plan to remodel or improve their kitchen in the next 12 months. Since their second greatest source of project ideas after TV is shopping, it's not a bad idea to prepare your show- room staf on how to serve them. WORKING WITH MILLENNIALS While they are the largest demographic group heading into the home buying and remodeling segments – one-third purchased a new home in 2014 alone – they tend to spend less on their home improvement projects than older home- owners. (Interesting to note, RICKI's study revealed that close to half wished they had spent more.) Nino Sitchinava, principal econo- mist at Houzz and the home design site's lead researcher on its 2015 Houzz & Home Survey, has some theories as to why that is. "Reducing the scope of their project is one way that Millennials are working to keep the costs of their renovation projects down. Additionally, Millennials are more likely to take on all or parts of their projects as DIY, or hire subcon- tractors directly without a general contractor. "Given how early Millennials are in the homeownership cycle, it is not surprising that they prioritize resale value more than other generations. Trading up to a larger home is a logi- cal next step in the cycle," Sitchinava adds. However, he cautions, "It is im- portant to note that they prioritize improving look, feel and function- ality above increasing resale value. More than anything, Millennials are interested in making their new homes their own." Just factor into your working re- lationship that they're going to do as much of the work as they can them- selves, hire the rest out to the lowest bidder, put some on their credit cards and pay cash for the rest. LAST WORDS Sarah Reep said it best, "Millennials are our future. It's worth taking the time to understand [them] and build a busi- ness plan around their needs. Many Millennials also have aging parents and will begin making more decisions for them in the upcoming years. Millenni- als are here to stay!" Jamie Gold, CKD, CAPS is an indepen- dent designer in San Diego, the author of New Kitchen Ideas That Work and upcoming New Bathroom Idea Book (Taunton Press), and a blogger, design journalist, seminar developer and in- dustry consultant. F Hands-free faucets support Millennials' health and sustainability goals. G Members of this generation use their laptops, tablets and smart phones regularly in the kitchen. C Separate laundry rooms top the Millennial house want list. D Garage organization for Millennials creates a new designer sales opportunity. E Self-professed 'neat freaks,' Millennials love custom organizers. Trend Spotting E C D F G Photo: KraftMaid Cabinetry Photo: GE Appliances Photo: Moen Inc. Photo: Erin Kelly/A New Bloom Photo: Gladiator GarageWorks