Kitchen & Bath Business - January 2020 - 42

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

"If manufacturers produce goods
and services to builders that can
provide a labor savings, those
products will have a competitive
advantage in today's market."
ROBERT DIETZ

chines to raise construction worker productivity
- to build more with less.
"If manufacturers produce goods and services
to builders that can provide a labor savings, those
products will have a competitive advantage in today's market," he added.
For Manuel Gutierrez, consulting economist
for the NKBA, what he noticed in 2019 was the
extent to which the trade situation deteriorated.
He was expecting either the U.S. or China to give
in sooner and says it is imperative for the two parties to come to an agreement suitable for both.
King noted the slower start in 2019, then a
slight uptick and another slowdown as we were
entering the fourth quarter.
"Despite a lot of unrest abroad and political
upheavals in the U.S., the consumer has stayed
resilient, as shown with their spending and mostly
optimistic views of the economy," he added. "We
must remember, two-thirds of our GDP comes
from consumer spending."
DESIGN MOVEMENTS
* HEALTH & WELLNESS

This is no longer a flash in the pan, as people become more educated about what they can do to
make their living spaces better for its occupants
and the environment. ASID is in partnership with
the International Well Building Institute to bring
the 2020 Well Conference, which will target all
industries, including healthcare and workplace.
"We know there was a $4.2 trillion spend on
the global wellness economy in 2017, according to
the most recent report from the Global Wellness
Institute, and this will only increase," said Fiser,
who explained that products will relate their story
to this in the form of lightbulbs that will range in
color depending on time of day and systems that
monitor sleep cycles.
According to the NKBA, more members are
reporting that their clients want their kitchens
and baths to support their healthy lifestyles. Design elements like cold pantries, enclosed herb
gardens and all-in-one range units that allow for
multiple cooking styles are gaining traction. In the

42

bathroom, NKBA designers are incorporating spa-like elements, including
soaking tubs, steam showers and audio/video systems, to enhance relaxation
and help with injury recovery.
* LIVING & AGING IN PLACE

According to Fiser, spaces are not being retrofitted enough to meet this demand, and King says design professionals should be discussing these needs
with their clients and ensuring an opportunity isn't being passed by to make
a home more accessible.
"While many seniors may downsize after their kids move out, seek a
single-story dwelling for easier movement or move to a '55-plus'community
for lower taxes, age-appropriate conveniences and amenities, there's still a
large percentage who choose to stay in the home in which they raised their
family and remain in a community that's familiar," said Darcy. "The biggest
challenge in creating a space in which people of all ages and abilities can live
is ensuring that it doesn't have an institutional aesthetic."
Some of the Living-in-Place needs clients are requesting include bidets,
low- or zero-threshold showers, grab bars incorporated into towel bars and
voice-activated lights and appliances.
* BEING SUSTAINABLE

Fiser says Gen Z is the generation most conscious of being environmentally
friendly, and they are demanding products from and aligning to companies
that support this.
"We have seen the companies that do this outperforming others in the
marketplace," he added.
According to the NKBA, its members are reporting a recent shift toward
greener, sustainable design because homeowners are looking for more energyefficient upgrades to cut costs, improve the quality of their lives, increase their
home's value and minimize their impact on the environment. Bringing in
more natural light and specifying long-lasting appliances and energy-efficient
light fixtures can help cut back on energy bills.
* BEING SMART

"The use of technology in a home will sustain growth for decades; the younger
generations will expect it, and the older generations will be pushed and
pulled into it," said King. "Everything will continue to evolve with newer,
less-expensive technologies and user needs."
According to Darcy, the most important and fastest-growing design and
construction trend is the technology of the connected home because it gives
the consumer control.
"More important than the devices and systems being 'smart' - as in connected to a phone app or the internet - is that the systems are connected to
each other," he explained. "For instance, an activated smoke alarm can signal
the home's fan system to shut down, prevent toxic fumes from circulating,
instruct Alexa to call the fire department and turn on an emergency generator
and lights."
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/ JANUARY 2020 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official publication of NKBA (NKBA.org) and KBIS (KBIS.com)
http://www.KBBONLINE.COM http://www.NKBA.org http://www.KBIS.com
Kitchen & Bath Business - January 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Kitchen & Bath Business - January 2020
