Smooth integration of technology in the kitchen and bath is key for homeowners.
By Ed Wenck
From the desire for seamless video communications in the kitchen to temperature control and water conservation solutions in the bath, NKBA’s 2021 Design Trends report shows that the public’s awareness of and demand for tech solutions continue to grow.
But there’s more to tech in these in spaces than consumers may be aware of, says Kristin Reinitz, director of business development for Admit One Home Systems, Edina, Minn., a full-service integration firm that designs and installs custom residential technology systems.
“The kitchen is such a space for entertainment and people don’t always realize that,” says Reinitz. Beyond connected communications like a view to the video doorbell (a big ask from consumers, according to Reinitz) or a simple flat-panel screen on a wall, the options for speakers and lighting control with pre-set and customizable scenes are limitless. “When it comes to these spaces, it’s really about education and ensuring the client knows what’s possible.”
Indianapolis-based architectural designer and NKBA member Adam Gibson, CMKBD, CLIPP, CAPS, has found that the entry-point for tech in the kitchen and bath is a desire for audio-video solutions. “They want to be able to listen to podcasts, watch the news and watch movies without having to leave the room,” says Gibson.
He notes that a real eye-opener for a great many of his clients is their introduction to distributed audio — the ability to move from room to room and hear their preferred content without any delays or other oddities in the signal. “There doesn’t have to be a lag between spaces. They’re really interested in that — and I don’t know of a way to achieve it without some sort of integrated system.”
And with recent tech advances, those speakers can disappear into the design of any room, Reinitz points out.
“There’s all sorts of places we can find or where we can put speakers that haven’t been considered by the consumer or the design/build team,” she notes. That’s one of the reasons both Gibson and Reinitz recommend bringing in a technology integrator at the earliest stages of the planning process.
“Whatever we’re tasked to integrate, we want it to be hidden or enhance the design,” says Reinitz. “There can be friction when all of a sudden a company comes in and wants to propose all this technology and it doesn’t work with the design that’s already been in place. I don’t ever want to impede anyone’s vision.”
Visual displays can be stashed away, too, Reinitz notes. “For the bath, mirror TVs have come a long way. In the kitchen, it’s all about finding a way to hide that TV, whether that’s some sort of swivel mount or [hiding it] in the ceiling with a drop-down mechanism that can fold away.”
Lighting Makes Strides
Whether it’s controlled by the sound of a voice, a trigger from a motion detector or the press of a touchpad, customizable lighting is gaining ground with homeowners. “When they find out that they can control all the rooms within a space or the spaces within a room, or they can control their shading systems along with their lighting, they get really interested in that,” says Gibson.
Lighting that not only illuminates but enhances the design of a kitchen and bath is something that Reinitz sees as having a lot of potential. “I think a lot of the tunable lighting that’s available is still very under-utilized,” she says.
The challenge? “I think the biggest thing — with bathroom and kitchen spaces, especially — is that there are so many lighting loads,” she adds. “There’s a lot of design that goes into those spaces. There’s custom cabinetry and countertops and all this fine little detail. Without proper lighting control, you’re not even getting to enjoy the full design of what was put in. Now, if, if I can get somebody who’s really committed to working with us on lighting control and we can program some dramatic scenes for them, I can help maximize all the lighting to really show off the design that they worked so hard on.”
Another big part of meeting the aesthetic demands of a beautiful kitchen or bath design? “The right controls enable you to get rid of all that wall clutter,” says Reinitz. “If you have eight switches, you’re going to remember what the first two do and nothing else. They’ll just be sitting there, looking ugly.”
The Intuitive Experience
Even as tech solutions improve, though, there’s still some reticence among consumers. “I always hear, ‘Am I going to understand it? Will it be too complicated? I don’t understand how technology works,’” says Gibson. Fortunately, these interfaces are becoming ever-more intuitive. “I’ll pick up a tablet and show them that when you go to control your HVAC, it looks just like your thermostat. And when you go to audio, it looks just like your music system on your phone — same with the alarm system, same with the TV. Once they get over that intimidation, when they realize it really is familiar stuff — it just happens to be all in one place. They like that.
“The other question I get is, ‘How do I future-proof? How can I plan for the obsolescence of these devices?’” he adds. “I usually address that by specifying conduit to critical locations. We don’t know what the technology is going to be in 10 years, but it’s probably going to have wires, so let’s just make a way to get the wires to it and then they’ll be fine. And that really gives them some peace of mind.” (A note: Wi-Fi is great, but its bandwidth is very limited.)
To stay abreast of what’s available — and what’s likely coming next — both Gibson and Reinitz recommend a trip to CEDIA Expo. The annual trade show, which returned to an in-person event in Indianapolis this year, is a gathering of integrators, manufacturers and design/build pros that features all the latest smart-home solutions. “My background is interior design,” says Reinitz. “When I came into the tech world and I walked onto the floor of CEDIA Expo my first time – well, I had no idea what I did not know.”
“Beyond the sheer delight and ecstasy about all the beautiful things that can be done, it’s a good business move,” says Gibson. “You’ll be ahead of the competition because probably only 10% of us are actually learning this stuff. And you find you’ll that you don’t have to know everything — all you have to know is whom to ask.”
A complete report of the NKBA 2021 Design Trends is available in the NKBA store under “Market Research Reports.” The study is included in NKBA membership; non-members may purchase the report for $2,995.
