Posts Tagged ‘KBIS’
Monday, May 4th, 2009
Designers Urged to Show Value
On Sunday, John Gidding of HGTV’s Designed to Sell addressed interior designers and kitchen/bath industry members in a session entitled “Design and Inspiration.” Gidding emphasized that designers must provide value in order to succeed in the current economy.
He advised designers and industry professional to abide by the three principles below:
- Modify existing and prefabricated products – bargain shop at furniture floor sales and national prefabricated wholesalers. Don’t limit your thinking by accepting pieces as they are, consider adding new fabrics, knobs or even turning a piece into something entirely different.
- Rethink familiar materials - Gidding recommended using butcher block for countertops and back splashes and shared examples of added plywood to these countertops for additional design elements.
- Innovate looking forward – think about designs that are sustainable, thus proving value to the homeowner and practicing environmental good choices.
Tags: bath trends, KBIS, kitchen and bath, kitchen trends, LED lighting, sustainable products, WaterSense
Posted in Live Coverage, Trends | No Comments »
Monday, May 4th, 2009
Homeowners Incorporate Essential Luxuries into Their Homes
At the National Kitchen and Bath Industry Show this past weekend, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and Interior Designer Carole Freehauf from This Old House held a session on “Technology and Trends.” Thoughts were shared regarding how the economic strain is impacting homeowners and the smart decisions they are making in response to it.
As homeowners seek solace from the current economic crisis in their homes, they are focusing on incorporating essential luxuries into their spaces, including easy-to-use products and those that offer sustainability, organization and energy efficiencies.
The speakers also shared the following two findings from a recent AIA study.
- Homeowners are seeking smart makeovers in their homes including larger pantry space, dedicated recycled centers and renewable materials.
- With a focus on better living, there is a decline in unnecessary products like pot fillers, wine refrigerators and warming drawers.
So, what’s next for kitchens and baths? According to these experts, homeowners can expect the kitchens and bathrooms of the future will include smarter products that make living spaces more energy efficient and create optimal organization within a space.
Tags: bath trends, KBIS, kitchen and bath, kitchen trends, LED lighting, sustainable products, WaterSense
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Monday, May 4th, 2009
This past weekend, the city of Atlanta hosted the annual National Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS). Attendees enjoyed a plethora of innovative new products specifically designed to enhance kitchens and bathrooms.
Below are a few product and trend highlights from the show:
- Space savers – As more homeowners want to make the most of their spaces without having to undergo an expensive remodel, manufacturers are developing new products that save space and time. Compact washer and dryer units are not only more stylish, but also more efficient than ever before. Additionally, cabinetmakers introduced innovative racks, ironing stations and various organizational storage solutions.
- LED Lighting – LED lighting is being heavily promoted as an extremely energy efficient light choice as well as an ideal solution for under cabinet lighting. LED is also showing up in unique places include sinks, tubs, faucets and showerheads – it brings a fresh design application to kitchen and bath products while also offering task lighting.
- Color Trends – Several booths revealed new color lines including muted pastels, earth tones, whites as well as bolder colors in the kitchen.
- Sustainable Products – Several innovations to sustainable living were introduced including bamboo outdoor cabinetry, WaterSense certified faucets, water saving toilets, waterless urinals, water efficient showerheads and solar water heating systems.
Tags: bath trends, KBIS, kitchen and bath, kitchen trends, LED lighting, sustainable products, WaterSense
Posted in Live Coverage, New Products, Trends | No Comments »
Monday, May 4th, 2009
The house was packed for our expert green presentation at KBIS this weekend. Our very own SVP of Home & Building, Shawn Draper, in partnership with Sarah Gutterman of Green Builder Media, shared a few secrets behind determining if a product is really as green as it’s touted to be. And if not, just how do you authentically market green product lines?
Here’s some key stats coming out of the presentation:
- 90% of buyers age 25 and under are purchasing brands that support a cause
- 40 million baby-boomers using their $3 trillion in buying power to purchased environmentally safe brands
- 80% of corporate sustainability executives from Fortune 500 companies across North America plan to increase spending 73% on sustainability and clean technology by 2010
- Shift of economic values to encourage conservation, efficiency, and more innovation
- Planned product obsolescence
- New,virtuous business cycle in which sustainable thinking begets sustainability
With market forces driving demand for green products, the opportunity for green marketing is growing daily and the risk of undermining consumer confidence is growing right along side it.
Courtesy of 2008 PriceWaterhouse Cooper Survey
We touched on best practices for green marketing last week, but here are some areas every manufacturer, builder, designer and architect should keep in mind when touting their organizations’ green attributes.
Manufacturing:
- Eliminate toxins & pollutants; Zero-waste & energy;
- High-efficiency processes; Carbon credits
Products:
- Recycled/renewable inputs; Reduce embodied energy; Increase life-cycle and durability; Product recovery and transformation into other products
Packaging:
- Reduce materials used; Use recycled material; Use returnable/renewable/biodegradable packaging; Deliver products in bulk to reduce packaging
Transportation:
- Reduce distances; Route efficiencies; Alternative vehicles & fuels; Invest in tree planting programs to offset transportation impact
Purchasing:
- Buy materials from suppliers that have a sustainability strategy; Analyze embodied energy, resource use, packaging and waste production from product
Corporate Culture:
- Programs to promote sustainable thinking, choices & decisions; Alternative live/work scenarios; Conservation; Morale-building initiatives; Use ‘green’ accounting to reflect full environmental costs of decisions
Download the full presentation here:
How Green is That Product?
And feel free to email us any additional questions you might have.
Tags: Green Builder Media, green products, IMRE, KBIS, KBIS 09, Sarah Gutterman, Shawn Draper
Posted in Green, Live Coverage, Marketing, New Products | No Comments »
Friday, May 1st, 2009
Complements of KBIS09
With the exploding interest in green building, it can be difficult to decipher between authentic green messaging and ‘green washing. Join us at KBIS for a fresh look at how to navigate through the clutter.
May 2, 2009 - 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Track: Center Stage - Show Highlights
Our session will explore the aspects of all that makes a product green, including product certification, embodied energy, life cycle analysis, manufacturing processes, and other important factors that contribute to a product’s sustainability. CEU: 0.1
Here are a few past posts that’ll get you prepped for hitting the KBIS floor with Green in mind:
Tags: Green kitchen and bath products, green products, greenwashing, KBIS, KBIS 09, Sarah Gutterman, Shawn Draper
Posted in Green, Marketing, Trends | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
The 2009 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show is right around the corner, and we are looking forward to hearing about the latest and greatest products and trends from industry experts next week.
According to Christina Trauthwein, Editor-in-Chief, K+BB Magazine, consumers want their kitchens and baths to be a reflection of who they are while remaining conscious of their environmental impact.
Below are the six top trends that Trauthwein identified in a recent release distributed as a preview of what we can expect to see at the show.
Photo Courtesy of lightwavesconcept.com
- Growing Appreciation of Green Products – With today’s consumers being more environmentally conscious than ever, the demand for affordable, stylish green products in on the rise.
- Introduction of a Middle Ground – Affordable Style – Consumers no longer have to choose between the extremely high-end, expensive products or the standard offerings. Now, there appears to be a middle ground that offers stylish and functional products at reasonable prices.
- Pop Colors – Increased focus on colors that make a statement. As we made reference to a few weeks ago, experts are predicting that color will continue to be incorporated into all types of home products, including appliances, cabinets, tile, etc.
- Visual Blending Between Kitchen & Living Spaces – As more homeowners continue to use their kitchens as living spaces, we can expect to see more furniture-style pieces in the kitchen and concealed appliances to “mask the cold stainless-steel ambiance of the room.”
- Automation/Technology – Consumers are continuing to demand products with advanced technology to save time on everyday chores.
- Storage Accessories – Storage is playing a greater role in today’s kitchens because people are spending more time in this particular room of the home.
Tags: bathroom trends, green products, K+BB Magazine, KBIS, Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, kitchen trends, storage solutions
Posted in New Products, Trends | 2 Comments »
Monday, April 20th, 2009
Getting to Know Four New Industry Buzzwords
With industry trade shows like KBIS and PCBC coming up in the May and June, you may hear a few new terms tossed around and find yourself wondering what they mean. Take a look at the four terms below to get a head-start on the latest industry jargon.
- Gastrosexuals – A breed of men who consider cooking more of a hobby than a chore. These men think cooking is cool and even use this pastime as part of their mating ritual. According to experts, this group is on the rise as more and more men find themselves in the kitchen. For this reason, many marketers are targeting this demographic when they launch new kitchen products.
- Prime Timers – Americans who are age 64 and over are being referred to as Prime Timers. In the United States, there are more that 40 million Prime Timers, who are typically looking for products that have easy-to-use features, are lightweight and include an intuitive design. Marketers are keeping this group in mind due to their discretionary income and growing population.
- Burrowing – According to experts, the hot new phrase to use when referring to how more and more Americans are staying at home is “burrowing.” “Burrowing” is being used to describe how Americans are retracting to the home now more than ever before, given the current economic climate and the increased need to save money. What’s important about this to a marketer? Due to this trend, Americans are focusing more on cleaning and organizing and are looking for products to help.
- Deep Green Consumers – This terms refers to the segment of consumers who are most interested in green/eco-friendly products and services. According to experts, this group makes up about 15% of our population – and is continuing to grow. This demographic is the most knowledgeable about green topics and most interested in related products/news.
Tags: burrowing, Gastrosexuals, industry buzzwords, KBIS, PCBC, Prime Timers, trade shows
Posted in Features, Lists, Marketing, Trends | No Comments »
