Pendant Power
Often referred to as the jewelry of the space, accent lighting can have a dramatic impact on the overall look and function of a kitchen. While task lighting is vital to illuminating tasks, and ambient lighting sets the tone for the day or night, pendants can light the task, set the tone and add the finishing touch to the overall design.
Today’s pendants come in all types of styles, finishes and colors, adding that contemporary edge to take the modern kitchen to the next level, or delivering that industrial vibe to enhance the overall aesthetic. Whether they are single or multiple bulb, round or elongated, elegant or rustic, pendant lights demand attention in today’s rooms.
Following are just a few of the trends in lighting and pendants:
–LEDs are becoming a must, delivering long-lasting life, convenience and cool or warm tones in the space.
–Glass pendants remain popular, though their design is being elevated to include not only colorful combinations, but interesting shapes and techniques such as crackling and seeding.
–Modern, sculptural designs are now more available and more intricate than ever, thanks to the popularity of LEDs and strips, which can be manipulated into a range of shapes.
–Natural elements are becoming a mainstay in lighting, in keeping with the trend to earthy tones and sustainable pieces.
–The outdoor kitchen isn’t being ignored in this category, as many of the latest fixtures are UL listed for use indoors and out to bring high design outside.
–Metal finishes of all types – including powder-coated white and matte black – are being incorporated, providing a dramatic contrast to other fixture elements.
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Activity, Confidence Reported Up Among Remodeling Firms
PALO ALTO, CA — Residential construction professionals experienced their busiest quarter since at least 2015 in the first three months of 2021, with confidence among remodeling construction and design firms running high into the third quarter, according to Houzz Inc.
The Palo Alto, CA-based online platform for home remodeling and design, reported positive results for its “Q3 2021 Houzz Renovation Barometer,” a quarterly gauge of residential renovation market expectations, project backlogs and recent activity among businesses in the U.S. construction, architectural and design services sectors.
“The residential construction and design industry has continued to thrive under strong demand,” said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz senior economist. “In fact, our Expected Business Activity indicators are at some of the highest levels we’ve seen across both sectors since we began tracking the Barometer.”
However, the heightened activity is not without its challenges, according to Houzz, which reported that supply chain delays, extreme weather patterns, rising product and material costs and labor shortages “continue to create major headwinds for the industry.” Specifically, more than nine in ten construction businesses report labor shortages, including carpenters, laborers, framers, cabinet specialists and plumbers, Sargsyan said.
More than three quarters of businesses in both the construction and architectural and design services sectors report that product and material shortages and costs impacted their businesses in the second quarter of 2021, while more than half of firms in both sectors report labor shortages and costs impacted their businesses, she added.
In other findings:
n More than nine in 10 businesses across all business sectors reported increases in costs for lumber, copper, steel and aluminum in Q2, although about half of surveyed businesses do not believe that costs will continue to increase in Q3. Additional materials that construction pros anticipate rising in cost include plastic, concrete, paint, foam and drywall. Interior designers anticipate increased third-quarter prices for appliances, furniture and cabinetry.
n More than nine in 10 construction businesses (92%) report moderate to severe skilled labor shortages in Q3, with carpenters, laborers, framers, cabinet specialists and plumbers in particularly short supply. Forty percent of pros report shortages in cabinet specialists, up from 21% in 2019. Shortages for plumbers, painters, framers, concrete specialists and flooring specialists, saw a nine-percentage-point or more increase from 2019, as well, Houzz said.
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NAHB Touts White House Meeting on Supply Chain Issues
WASHINGTON, DC — The National Association of Home Builders is “thankful” that White House officials have heeded NAHB requests to meet regarding home building material supply chain issues that continue to impact both new construction and remodeling.
NAHB officials expressed their gratitude this week after participating in a virtual meeting hosted by the White House regarding potential solutions to production and supply chain bottlenecks that have resulted in soaring material prices. The meeting was “the culmination of a year-long effort to educate the public and policymakers about how rising lumber and building material prices are harming home builders, home buyers and the economic recovery,” according to the NAHB.
“NAHB is thankful that the White House heeded our concerns to hold this urgent and timely building material supply chain meeting,” said Chuck Fowke, chairman of the Washington, DC-based NAHB.
“For the past year, rising building material prices and supply shortages, particularly for framing lumber, have hurt home builders, home buyers and the economy by adding tens of thousands of dollars to the price of a new single-family home,” Fowke said, adding that the NAHB “stressed that it is imperative that lumber mill producers boost production in order to meet rising demand.”
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Sustainable Living Seen Reshaping Housing Market
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — A trio of emerging trends in neighborhood design and sustainable living practices should continue to shape the market for new housing and residential remodeling as the “mindset of consumers continues to shift in a dynamic social climate,” according to a new report from the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI).
According to HIRI’s recently issued Future of Housing Trend Report, new and remodeled homes will likely be shaped by a growing homeowner passion regarding issues such as climate change, sustainability and minimalism, resulting “in an increased emergence of eco-friendly materials and 3D-printed technology to designs focused on cultural inspiration and reversible architecture.”
Among the key trends identified by HIRI researchers are the following:
n “Hyper-local neighborhoods”: Architects, developers and local governments are proposing neighborhoods centered on community building and local businesses. These spaces are intended to be car-free, with all necessities reachable via a short walk or bicycle ride.
n Flight from the cities: “As urban centers expand in size and population, consumers are recognizing that their quality of life is suffering — whether that be due to alienation, affordability issues, lengthy commutes or pollution,” HIRI said. As a result, many are moving away from city centers and turning to community-based neighborhoods, which provide a sense of belonging while also satisfying the need for convenience and cleaner air.
n Sustainable Housing: With sustainability as a top priority, architects and designers are embracing different eco-friendly concepts, among them “reversible design” (the architecture of structures that can be easily deconstructed, that can be reused or with parts that can be removed and added easily) and 3D-printed housing (homes that offer sustainable and protective construction that avoids structural issues in the case of extreme weather).
“Contemporary consumers are wary of the impending consequences of climate change, and a large number are becoming increasingly aware that simply shifting their lifestyle and practicing ecological mindfulness are likely not enough,” HIRI said. “As a result, many are demanding that brands and creators take the environment into consideration.
n Simplified Living: Building off of the desire for more sustainable living, the emergence of simple, more minimalist design emphasizes homeowners’ functions and needs.
“Contemporary consumers in fast-paced urban centers are looking to balance the demands of their daily lifestyle with a comfortable home environment,” HIRI said. “Many are prioritizing minimalist designs and additional spaces that can optimize and elevate their living situation without compromising aesthetic appeal.”
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Appliance Shipments Post Sharp Gain in First Half of 2021
WASHINGTON, DC — Reflecting growth in new construction and residential remodeling, domestic shipments of major home appliances continued their marked rebound from the impact of COVID-19 in the first half of 2021, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers reported in July.
According to the Washington, DC-based AHAM, an April-to-June spike of 23.7% over the same quarter a year ago was largely responsible for an overall year-to-date gain of 26.6% in major appliance shipments compared to the same six-month period in 2019. First-half gains were posted in all key product categories, including food preservation (+31.6%), home laundry (+27.7%), cooking (+24.1%) and kitchen cleanup (+17.4%), the trade association noted.
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Cabinetworks Parent Acquires Major Flooring Distributor
LOS ANGELES, CA — Platinum Equity LLC, the global investment firm that recently acquired the nation’s largest independently owned manufacturer and distributor of kitchen and bath cabinets, Cabinetworks, has acquired Paramount Global Surfaces (PGS), a major flooring products distributor, from Linsalata Capital Partners, the companies announced.
Terms of the July transaction were not disclosed.
The Miami, FL-based PGS is a leading developer, importer and distributor of premium, proprietary porcelain tile and other hard surface floor coverings used primarily in both residential and commercial remodeling projects. The company goes to market through a pair of floorcovering brands: Happy Floors, which serves a diverse base of more than 6,000 independent dealer customers throughout the U.S., and Ceramic Technics, which serves some 1,800 architecture and design firms, and 4,000 contractors/installers and corporate customers across multiple commercial and multi-family end-user segments, according to Platinum Equity.
Aside from its recent purchase of Cabinetworks – which includes such brands as Merillat, KraftMaid, Medallion, Cardell,and Quality Cabinets, among others – Platinum Equity recently acquired Interior Logic Group, the largest national provider of interior design and finish solutions for the homebuilding industry; PrimeSource, a national distributor of specialty building materials including fasteners serving the new construction and remodeling markets; and Nilco, a wholesale distributor of specialty building materials and industrial products.
“PGS serves a critical link in the value chain connecting high-quality tile manufacturers with thousands of end customers in the U.S. residential and commercial markets,” said Platinum Equity Partner Jacob Kotzubei. “COVID and demographic trends are also driving a shift in consumer lifestyle that is stimulating increased new home construction and renovation activity, and we
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Further Strengthening Expected for Home Remodeling
CAMBRIDGE, MA — Annual gains in homeowner improvement and maintenance spending are poised to accelerate in the second half of the year and remain elevated through mid-year 2022, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA).
The latest LIRA, released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, projects that annual growth in home renovation and repair expenditures to owner-occupied U.S. homes will reach 8.6% by the second quarter of next year.
“Home remodeling will likely grow at a faster pace given the ongoing strength of home sales, house price appreciation and new residential construction activity,” said Chris Herbert, Managing Director of the Cambridge, MA-based Joint Center for Housing Studies. “A significant rise in permits for home improvements also indicates that owners are continuing to invest in bigger discretionary and replacement projects.”
Larger gains in retail sales of building materials also suggest that the remodeling market continues to be lifted by do-it-yourself activity, as well,” according to Abbe Will, associate project director in the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center. By the middle of next year, annual remodeling expenditures to owner-occupied homes are expected to surpass $380 billion, Will said.
In a related development, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released its NAHB/Royal Building Products Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the second quarter, posting a reading of 87, up 14 points from the second quarter of 2020, and a signal of residential remodelers’ confidence in their markets, for projects of all sizes.
“As the market attempts to balance the number of households that want homes and the number of homes available, the value of homes is rising, helping to fuel demand for remodeling,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “This has been sufficient to keep remodelers optimistic, despite the significant headwinds of labor and material shortages,” Dietz added.
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NAHB Pushes Congress to Enact Changes in Housing Policy
WASHINGTON, DC — The housing industry’s largest trade association has called upon Congressional lawmakers to enact a series of policy proposals aimed at helping home builders to expand the housing supply, reduce the housing deficit and improve housing affordability for all Americans.
Jerry Howard, CEO of the National Association of Home Builders, testified during a hearing before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight about expanding housing access to all Americans, noting that rising home prices, apartment rents and construction costs “represent additional risks to housing affordability for prospective home buyers and renters.”
“Over the past decade, the residential construction industry has underbuilt and not kept pace with demand due to several supply-side constraints,” Howard testified. “These include a lack of skilled labor and buildable lots, tight lending conditions, shortages and rapidly rising prices for building materials, and excessive regulatory burdens that have added approximately 25% to the cost of a single-family home and 33% to a multi-family unit. Progress must be made on all fronts to ease the supply-side challenges that are holding back housing production.”
The Washington, DC-based NAHB called on Congress and the Biden administration to “fix” the building materials supply chain, improve the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, and reformulate current homeownership tax incentives.
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Home Office Growth Seen Spurring Sales in Organization Products
CLEVELAND, OH — The COVID-19 pandemic and its demands for social distancing, telecommuting and home-schooling has spurred current and projected growth for home organization products, including those for the kitchen, a major new study has found.
According to the Cleveland, OH-based industrial research firm Fredonia Group, sales of home organization products are forecast to grow 2.1% per year from an “elevated” 2020 level through 2025, reaching a total of $13.5 billion.
“As would be expected, the top reason for buying home organization products in the past year was to improve a home office space or to set up a new one,” Fredonia reported. “Similarly, setting up home study space for telecommuting schoolchildren also was a primary reason for purchases,” researchers added.
A Freedonia Group poll conducted from November to December of 2020 found that 38% of surveyed U.S. consumers bought home organization products in the past 12 months, with purchasing habits varying across demographic groups.
“For example, households with children under 18 were far more likely to have bought home organization products than households who did not,” Fredonia said. “This trend also aligns with the middle age groups who are also more likely to be buying their first home or a home to fit their growing family,” the company added.
Products studied included bins, shelving, accessories, hardware and hanging units, as well as more elaborate installations like custom-built modular units for closets, pantries or garages.
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Interest in Larger Homes Once Again Rising, AIA Survey Finds
WASHINGTON, DC — For the first time in five years, homeowner interest in larger homes increased over the previous 12 months, according to new data from the American Institute of Architects’ latest quarterly Home Design Trends Survey.
The AIA’s Home Design Trends Survey for the second quarter of 2021, focusing on home and property design, also found a “robust uptick” in demand for finished spaces – such as basements, attics and garages – as well as for outdoor living space, including outbuildings such as sheds, barns and pool houses. Home designs that accommodate accessibility and aging in place continue to remain popular, the AIA also noted.
“Since households are doing more at home, they’ve been looking for more space during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Kermit Baker, chief economist for the Washington, DC-based AIA. “This has included focusing more activities outdoors, and adding other buildings to their property,” Baker observed, adding that “the overall strength of the residential market has driven project backlogs at residential architecture firms to pre-pandemic levels.”
The AIA’s Home Design Trends Surveys are conducted quarterly among a panel of more than 500 architecture firms that concentrate their practice in the residential sector.
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