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Bath Remodels Most Popular Home Project, Study Finds

SEATTLE, WA — Bathroom remodels are the most popular project for homeowners to tackle, with consumers seemingly willing to pay a premium for “spa-inspired” bathroom features, a major new research study has found.

According to the study, conducted by the real estate website Zillow, more than half of the homeowners surveyed would consider a bathroom renovation in 2022. Buyers also are willing to pay a premium for spa-inspired bathroom features such as curb-less showers (3.6% price premium), heated floors (3.2%) and free-standing bathtubs (2.6%), Zillow said.

Kitchen remodels are also widely popular, with Zillow’s research finding that 46% of homeowners would consider that project in 2022.

“Luxury kitchen amenities were must-haves over the past year, and that will likely continue as people spend more time cooking and eating at home,” Zillow said, adding that 72% of the homeowners surveyed will consider at least one home improvement project in the coming year.

“Most homeowners say they plan to stay in their current home for at least the next three years, and while uncertainty, pandemic precautions and affordability concerns keep many homeowners in place, most are willing to consider improving their current home,” said Manny Garcia, a population scientist at the Seattle-based Zillow. “From adding a backyard cottage to improving a bathroom or renovating the kitchen, most homeowners say they would consider at least one home improvement,” Garcia observed.

Creating more livable space is a consideration for many homeowners, Zillow survey data shows. Projects that are highest on their wish lists for 2022 include adding or improving an office space (31%), finishing a basement or attic (23%), and adding an accessory dwelling unit or guest house (21%), company researchers said.

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KBIS Plans Proceeding Amidst Strict Virus Protocols

HACKETTSTOWN, NJ — The National Kitchen & Bath Association and its partners for February’s Design & Construction Week continue to consult with Epistemix, a third-party modeling system that predicts the progression of disease outbreaks, as plans proceed to stage the 2022 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) and concurrent International Builders Show (IBS) as live events in February, show organizers said.

The NKBA and its trade show partners, Emerald and the National Association of Home Builders, announced that, based on the latest data modeling from Epistemix and current DCW Health & Safety protocols, “we feel confident we are creating a safe environment to conduct business” at the annual event, scheduled for Feb. 8-10 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. The 2021 KBIS and IBS were converted to digital events in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The countdown to KBIS 2022 and Design & Construction Week in is on, and we are looking forward to hosting over 60,000 residential design and construction professionals for a fantastic in-person event,” said Brian Pagel, executive v.p., and Jason McGraw, group v.p. for Emerald. “As the event is quickly approaching, the safety and wellbeing of our attendees, partners, exhibitors, site workers and staff remains our top priority.” Pagel and McGraw said that show organizers will continue to monitor health and safety recommendations through additional Epistemix modeling in early January. The KBIS show team will host a webinar in mid-January to outline their findings and detail the health and safety protocols.

All attendees and exhibitors at the three-day event will be required to provide a negative test OR proof of vaccination to access the convention hall. Masks will also be required in the Orange County Convention Center, as well as on official shuttle buses, show organizers said.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Orlando for an incredible show experience,” Pagel and McGraw said.

Current health and safety protocols for Design & Construction Week can be accessed at the NKBA’s web site, www.nkba.org.

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Domestic Cabinet Sales Termed ‘Healthy’ Through November

RESTON, VA — Major domestic kitchen cabinet/vanity manufacturers continued to report “healthy” sales through November of 2021, according to the latest in a series of monthly surveys conducted by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association.

The KCMA’s latest “Trend of Business Survey” reflected a year-to-date sales increase among participating cabinet manufacturers of 14.6% through November, compared to the same 11-month period in 2020. Custom cabinet sales through the first 11 months of 2021 were reported up 20.1% over the same period the previous year, while semi-custom sales rose 10.8% and sales of stock cabinets gained 16.2%, the Reston, VA-based KCMA said.

Survey participants include stock, semi-custom and custom companies whose combined sales represent approximately 75% of the U.S. kitchen cabinet and bath vanity market, according to the KCMA.

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Collaboration Transforms Kitchen

Rowayton, CT ­— Karen Berkemeyer and Leslie Dunn often work together to create their clients’ dream kitchens and baths, with the former focusing on kitchen/bath design skills and the latter incorporating interior design touches for their respective companies of Karen Berkemeyer Home in Westport, CT, and Dunn Designs in Norwalk, CT. This kitchen, along with the master bath and a guest bath, was no exception…however, this time the resultant collaboration was showcased in Dunn’s personal residence.

“We work really well together,” says Berkemeyer, noting a mutual respect for each other’s talents, which makes for great collaborations. “As a kitchen and bath designer, I focus on making sure these spaces technically and functionally work correctly. Partnering with another professional, such as an interior designer, gives clients the best of two worlds since multiple people are working on the same project. I love working with Leslie because she is so creative and has great taste. She is especially talented and creative with paint.”

Contrasting color

Paint, at opposite ends of the color spectrum, is a focus of Dunn’s kitchen, where the bright white island is contrasted with dark black perimeter cabinets.

“The use of color – combined with very simple cabinet door styles, which are a great choice for today’s kitchens – makes this design stand out,” says Berkemeyer.

Black perimeter cabinets served as the starting point for color. “She really wanted to do black cabinets,” Berkemeyer indicates.

As a contrast, the island was designed to look like a table that Dunn found, notes the designer. “Island and perimeter cabinets don’t necessarily have to match in cabinet style or color,” she says. “In fact, when done well, like in this kitchen, having them not match shows a lot of creativity and makes for an interesting design.”

Keeping cabinet styles simple is the key to making a ‘mismatch’ work, says the designer in reference to the flat-panel, flush-inset Wood-Mode perimeter cabinets and full-overlay, shallow-cut, Shaker-style Signature Custom Cabinetry cabinets on the island. Both are sheathed with custom colors selected by Dunn.

“You would never do this perimeter with oak raised-panel doors on the island,” she says. “This perimeter features a very simple door style, as does the island. They play off of each other well. This entire kitchen has created so much interest from people. They see things they would have never thought of doing…and they like the result.”

The designers also kept the cabinet hardware unpretentious. Pulls on the perimeter cabinets bring to mind cleats used to anchor boats to a dock, giving the space a bit of a nautical vibe that pays homage to the water just beyond the kitchen windows. For the island, they incorporated drawer pulls that resemble those found on a filing cabinet. Berkemeyer also designed the island with seating for four, positioning stools at a right angle to facilitate conversation between guests. The designer also added custom brushed steel accents at each leg base.

“They add another texture to the space and make the island more interesting,” she says.

To continue the contrast between light and dark, Berkemeyer topped the island with white marble, which she built up with a 2″ mitered edge. The perimeter features median-black, charcoal-colored quartz with a leathered finish for added texture.

White 3″x6″ subway tile covers the walls, extending from the countertop to the windows and beyond. Its undulated surface offers a rippled appearance while its stark light color juxtaposes against the blackness of the shallow-depth soffit on the ceiling.

“I thought the kitchen stopped too abruptly in the corner,” notes Berkemeyer in reference to the soffit. “I suggested that we add the soffit, extending it to the refrigerator on one wall and across the length of the windows on the other. It really helps pull the whole kitchen together.”

Additional dark-hued accents include the deep blue paint that adorns the window trim. “She really likes to include the unexpected!” she says.

Overcoming storage challenges

To make better use of the kitchen’s footprint and gain a few extra feet of space, the designers removed walls between the living room and kitchen, eliminating a hallway in the process. To provide visual differentiation between the two spaces without adding a physical barrier, they added reclaimed antique beams in the ceiling, extending them into the living room.

“Previously, her home had an enclosed little kitchen with separate living room,” says Berkemeyer. “Now, the kitchen is more open and looks so much larger. Taking down the wall also made it possible to include the island.”

Even with the additional space gained by removing the hall, storage was a challenge for the relatively petite kitchen. “When spaces are smaller, like in this kitchen, the biggest design challenge is usually storage,” she says. “It’s important to make the most of whatever space you have, and to make everything accessible, especially focusing on corners. Taking cabinets up to the ceiling maximizes the space. It’s important, too, to pay attention to clearances, ensuring that walkways are technically correct and easy to maneuver.”

To overcome storage concerns in Dunn’s kitchen, Berkemeyer included specialized corner organization accessories, recycling bins, pull-out drawers and several large drawers to make contents easy to access.

Glass panels in the wall cabinets provide a brief glimpse of their contents and keep the space visually ‘light.’ “Like the rest of the kitchen, the glass is kept clean, without any mullions, to maintain the desired look for the space,” she concludes.

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Gains in Single-Family Housing Expected to Increase in 2022

WASHINGTON, DC — Breaking an eight-year trend, there have been more single-family homes under construction in recent months than multifamily units, according to the National Association of Home Builders, which predicted additional gains in single-family construction in 2022.

Despite some cooling earlier this year, the continued strength of single-family construction in 2021 means that there are now 28% more single-family homes under construction than a year ago, said Robert Dietz, chief economist for the Washington, DC-based NAHB.

“These gains mean single-family completions will increase in 2022, bringing more inventory to market despite a 19% year-over-year rise in construction material costs and longer construction times,” Dietz said.

Ongoing single-family and multifamily housing production accelerated in November, due to strong demand, with overall housing starts increasing 11.8% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.68 million units, according to U.S. government figures.

Despite inflation concerns and ongoing production bottlenecks, builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes also edged higher for the fourth consecutive month on strong consumer demand and limited existing inventory, the NAHB added.

“While demand remains strong, finding workers, predicting pricing and dealing with material delays remains a challenge,” said Dietz. “Building has increased but the industry faces constraints, namely cost/availability of materials, labor and lots. And while 2021 single-family starts are expected to end the year 24% higher than the pre-COVID 2019 level, we expect that higher interest rates in 2022 will put a damper on housing affordability.”

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Demand Seen Strong for Aging-in-Place Remodeling Projects

FOSTER CITY, CA — A significant percentage of American homeowners across multiple home-improvement trades plan to explore aging-in-place projects for themselves or a loved one in the coming year, a newly released survey reveals.

According to the survey’s findings, some 63% of the homeowners polled report that they will explore aging-in-place home improvement projects for themselves within the next 12 months, while another 6% plan to do so for a loved one.

The November survey, which involved some 2,110 respondents in the U.S., was conducted by Modernize Home Services, a Foster City, CA-based online firm that connects homeowners with contractors and other home-services professionals. The company operates in more than 15 home segments, including bathrooms and kitchens.

Among the primary projects to be considered, researchers said, are bath remodels that feature walk-in tubs and seats within a shower. Other aging-in-place products in high demand include medical alerts, non-slip flooring, stair lifts, grab bars and wider hallways.

“There are a few projects that offer more safety and security – such as installing brighter lightbulbs – that can be done by any homeowner, but more complex projects like walk-in tubs and concurrent bath and kitchen upgrades require professionals,” said Modernize V.P. Gregg Hicks. “This study shows an opportunity for contractors to capitalize on the increased demand for aging-in-place home improvement projects in the coming years.”

 

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Wellness Features Termed a ‘Necessity’ for Today’s Homes

INDIANAPOLIS — Well­ness fea­tures, impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and an elevated awareness of indoor envi­ron­ments’ impact on phys­i­cal and men­tal health, are no longer a lux­u­ry, but rather a necessity in today’s homes, a leading wellness expert contends.

According to Dr. Jie Zhao, exec­. v.p. of Delos, a New York-based well­ness real estate and tech­nol­o­gy com­pa­ny, COVID-19 has literally reshaped the way homes – including kitchens and baths ­– will be designed, built, equipped and remodeled in years to come.

“Peo­ple are much more cog­nizant of the impor­tant role that homes play in our lives, and how these envi­ron­ments can have a pos­i­tive or neg­a­tive impact on the well­ness of their inhab­i­tants,” Jie said.

At the recent “Insights Sum­mit,” an annual event sponsored by the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI), Jie outlined four key wellness trends that he believes will have the greatest impact on home improve­ment in the post-pan­dem­ic world. Among them:

Indoor Air Quality: Because virus­es spread through the air much eas­i­er than by sur­face con­tact, the pan­dem­ic shed light on the impor­tance of indoor air qual­i­ty, or IAQ, as a com­po­nent of a healthy home, Jie said.

“Air fil­tra­tion is vital to the reduc­tion of par­ti­cle trans­mis­sion,” he observed. “Not only can air-clean­ing tech­nolo­gies improve peace of mind when it comes to invis­i­ble health threats like COVID-19, they also tack­le vis­i­ble parti­cles in the air such as smoke and oth­er harm­ful particles.”

Jie said that ven­ti­la­tion and/​or ion­iza­tion tech­nol­o­gy will be at the fore­front of the fight against con­t­a­m­i­nat­ed air in home spaces. ​“For this rea­son, IAQ may be the biggest well­ness trend to have emerged from the pan­dem­ic,” he noted.

Mental Wellness: Men­tal well­ness issues per­sist­ed long before the emer­gence of the coro­n­avirus, but the amount of atten­tion devot­ed to the top­ic increased sig­nif­i­cant­ly after­ward, Jie said, noting that men­tal health came to the fore­front of con­ver­sa­tion due to iso­la­tion dur­ing stay-at-home orders.

Jie observed that one result of this for the home-improvement industry is the gen­er­al migra­tion away from con­gest­ed cities in favor of larg­er res­i­dences, more nature and less com­mut­ing time. Jie also point­ed to the effect of men­tal well­ness on increased demand in cer­tain prod­uct cat­e­gories, including home enter­tain­ment, artists’ sup­plies, sports equip­ment and pets.

Home Offices: Anoth­er major change emerg­ing from the pan­dem­ic is the increased impor­tance of the home office.

“Many employ­ees have made invest­ments in their home offices and have got­ten used to work­ing from home,” Jie said, pointing to surveys which found that 80% of work­ers want to be able to work from home three days per week, and 92% want at least one remote work­day per week.

“There has been a rise in office fur­ni­ture and acces­sories that sup­port health and well­ness, such as the stand­ing desk or ergonom­ic key­board,” Jie said, adding that 20-25% of com­pa­nies are cur­rent­ly reim­burs­ing their employ­ees for well­ness-relat­ed home office sup­plies and fur­ni­ture, “hint­ing at the prospect that work-from-home may be around well into the com­ing years.”

Fitness: While the spread of COVID-19 led to the tem­po­rary clo­sure of most gyms and ath­let­ic insti­tu­tions, it gave rise to new home fit­ness technolo­gies, as peo­ple sought to stay fit with­in the con­fines of their own homes, Jie pointed out.

“Com­pa­nies like Pelo­ton and MIRROR are chang­ing the way we think about fit­ness (and) com­bin­ing the phys­i­cal and vir­tu­al,” he said. “Con­sumers not only pur­chase a piece of gym equip­ment for their home, but they buy into an entire online social and con­tent expe­ri­ence.”

“I expect to see more inte­gra­tion with online fit­ness plat­forms and home décor,” he said. “Peo­ple want con­vert­ible spaces, so the eas­i­er their equipment blends with their home and lifestyle, the bet­ter.”

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Kitchen of the Month Winner for Cabinet Refacing for June

Kitchen Transformation by Kitchen Solvers of Columbus

Project Location: Dublin, Ohio 

Remodel Style: Traditional 

Remodel Type: Cabinet Refacing 

Type of door style: Glen Haven 

Door Material: Cherry – Natural Stain 

Door Color: Java (V3) 

Countertop type: Cambria – Quartz 

Countertop color: Ellesmere 

Backsplash: Quayside 

Flooring: Pre-engineered hardwood 

For more information about this project, please visit Kitchen Solvers of Columbus’ Blog.  

Find a location near you.  

The post Kitchen of the Month Winner for Cabinet Refacing for June appeared first on Kitchen Solvers.

Kitchen of the Month Winner for New Cabinets for June

Kitchen Inspiration by Kitchen Solvers of Raleigh

Project Location:  Apex, NC 

Remodel type: New Cabinetry 

Type of door style: Simple Shaker 

Remodel style: Contemporary 

Color: Naval 

Door Material: Maple/MDF 

Countertop: Quartz 

Countertop color: Alaska White 

Backsplash: Blue/Gray Glass Backsplash 

For more information about this project, please visit Kitchen Solvers of Raleigh’s Blog.  

Find a location near you.  

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2021 Home Spending Continued at ‘Dizzying Pace,’ Report Finds

DENVER — Not only did homeowners spend more on their homes in 2021, but they also completed more projects, according to a new report by Angi, the Denver-based firm that links homeowners with remodeling and other home-related professionals.

According to Angi’s report annual 2021 State of Home Spending Report – entitled The Great Shift: How the Pandemic Put Homes in Focus – surveyed homeowners spent an average of $15,680 on home improvement, home maintenance and emergency repairs in 2021, and took on an average of 14.4 separate home projects.

“The growth in home spending we witnessed continued at a dizzying pace as people have continued spending more time in their homes,” said Mischa Fisher, chief economist for Angi, whose annual report focuses on trends in home spending including drivers, obstacles, top projects and forecasts for the years ahead.

“2021 also presented homeowners with trillions of dollars of unexpected home equity and that wealth has been, at least in part, reinvested in the home through improvements, maintenance and repairs,” Fisher observed. “Pre-pandemic, people were motivated to work on their homes for a return on investment or other financial incentives. Now, they’re prioritizing projects that help their homes better suit their new normal,” she added.

The most popular home project of 2021 was interior painting, completed by nearly one in three homeowners (32%), followed by bathroom remodels (28%) and installing smart home devices (27%). Other top projects include flooring (26.7%), landscaping (24.7%), exterior painting (24.2%), kitchen remodels (23.7%), fencing (23.1%), new roofing (19.6%) and new cabinets (19.5%).

The Angi report also asked homeowners what home projects they would do if given $10,000. While the overall top project was a living room upgrade, selected by 17% of homeowners, the different priorities of men and women were clear. Male homeowners prioritized living room upgrades (18%), outdoor space upgrades (17%) and bedroom upgrades (15%), while women were more interested in kitchen remodels (21%), bathroom upgrades (17%) and outdoor space upgrades (16%).

The State of Home Spending was based on Angi’s analysis of surveys fielded to 6,400 consumers in early October, the company said.

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