Themes reflect the evolving needs of today’s homeowner, and how designers plan to address them over the next few years.
By Robert Isler
It may not have seemed so, but there was life in the kitchen and bath industry in 2020 beyond the pandemic. NKBA released two major design studies during the year, one in the first quarter, the other in the fourth. Both involved a deep dive into K&B design, but covered them in very different ways.
NKBA’s 2020 Design Themes, rebranded as “Living Impacts Design,” was one of the first initiatives out of the gate for the year. The study examined design from a new perspective, asking more than 750 designers and other industry specialists about what they believed would be the major lifestyle themes over the next few years that would best reflect and address consumers’ design needs.
Four concepts emerged that have so far proven to be prescient. The first is Connected Living, which focuses not just on the latest technology but on the understanding that the kitchen is becoming more centralized and aligned with the rest of the house. The trend of working from home, which was gaining in popularity even before the pandemic, has made the kitchen an even greater hub of activity. The kitchen is increasingly viewed as a multitasking room — for cooking, entertaining, home schooling and accessing traditional and social media, email, watching TV or live streaming video feeds and more. But it’s also a place where the family connects in person — not just via technology.
Top solutions cited for this theme are led by multiple charging outlets for communication devices, larger islands that can also function as dining tables, and the removal of walls to open the kitchen to the rest of the house, particularly family rooms. The theme of connected living for bathrooms listed integrated electrical outlets as key, as well as separate toilet areas so more than one person can use the bathroom at a time.
The second theme, Simplified Living, is the concept of a home that needs to be less cluttered, easy to clean, with everything well organized and in its place. One of the best ways to get there is to swap out quantity in favor of quality, selectively choosing which items make the cut. This holds true in both the kitchen and the bath. The top solution by far to address this need is the installation of cabinetry that organizes more in less space, followed by targeted storage, and again, larger islands that can also serve several purposes. Generous pantry areas, easy-to-clean materials and spaces and fewer blind spots also contribute to simplified living, as do maintenance-free countertops. The top solution exclusive to bathrooms was less grout for easy care.
Living in Place, another of the top concepts, recognizes the features and layouts that make it easier to navigate both kitchen and bathroom, allowing seniors to remain in their own homes as long as possible. Simple layouts and universal accessibility for all generations fall within this theme. Specific ideas include touch-free faucets that are easier for a smaller child or a wheelchair user, and creative solutions to allow children to utilize counter surfaces or appliances as they grow. The top response for kitchens was non-congested layouts that allow for meal prep and cleanup by multiple people. The most popular bathroom themes are centered around safety for older homeowners. Included are non-slip tiles, seats in the tub or shower, zero clearance/no doors on showers, and attractive grab bars.
The final theme was Healthy Living. For the kitchen, it means healthier food preparation and a closer connection with nature. Smart temperature controls, better and more ample food storage, larger windows to maximize views to the outdoors and interior herb gardens were among the suggestions. Highest ranked features include more refrigerator space for fresh produce, meats and dairy, and large, integrated areas for cutting and prepping fresh foods. For the bathroom, it’s about more spa-like space to escape stress; heated floors, and large, roomy showers.
The report also delved into which themes respondents felt would be most popular based on the life stage of the homeowner. In some cases there was overlap, but for others, the needs identified were unique. Top-scoring concepts for Millennials without kids include being health-conscious, having a need for more fresh foods, and wanting the kitchen to connect with the environment. Baths also have an environmental focus with the desire to avoid any negative impact.
For Millennials with kids, topping the list are easy-to-prep meals and open layouts for inclusion and visibility, both of which are understandable when small children are factored into the equation. For the bath, multitasking and productivity are the top suggestions. Most popular kitchen ideas for Generation X include open layouts, cozy-calming areas and recipe experimentation for those who enjoy cooking, with online sites a key source for those recipes. A place to escape and wind down from stress are top bathroom themes selected for this cohort. Finally, for Boomers, it’s all about being surrounded by cozy and calming features and areas, with a bathroom that can accommodate and offer more comfort for all ages and generations.
The NKBA’s Design Trends 2021 release took a more traditional route of what’s in store, style-wise, in the near future. This study focused on core issues for kitchen and bath, including layout, style, storage, colors, technology, lighting, flooring, countertops, showers, sinks and more. Over 700 designers, showroom professionals, architects, manufacturers, remodelers and others participated.
Since this study was fielded when the pandemic was raging, some of the near-term trends were influenced by its impact. Layouts that accommodate working from home and home-schooling were seen as popular trends. Larger kitchens for family gatherings — since visiting restaurants for sit-down meals may take a while to recover — were also cited.
A shakeup is expected in kitchen styles. While Contemporary and Transitional remain in the top two spots, Traditional has clearly fallen out of favor, with Organic/Natural taking its place at third-most popular. Overall, words such as “clean, organic, natural, functional and adaptable” were common descriptors of the latest trends. More than two-thirds of respondents said they were most likely to have worked on mid-size kitchen remodels, with the medium spend in the $40,000-to-$55,000 range.
Quartz remained the overwhelming choice for countertops, with whites and off-whites remaining the leading colors. However, other lighter colors, as well as grays, beiges and blues, are beginning to increase their share. For cabinets and storage, full painted wood continues to dominate, followed by full wood grain. Three styles topped the list for flooring: hardwood/engineered wood, luxury vinyl wood plank and ceramic/porcelain tile.
Technology usage in the kitchen continues to expand. Dedicated areas for mobile device and laptop charging/viewing are most likely to be implemented more frequently. Seamless video communication was also high on the list. Other technological applications were more practical in nature, such as emergency backup sources for refrigerator power, and various detection systems to avoid floods and power failures, as well as providing alerts for gas leaks. Still another implementation is voice-activated lighting controls.
Outdoor kitchens are gaining in popularity, another trend that has accelerated due to the pandemic, since backyard dining is safer than a visit to a restaurant. Two-thirds of respondents noted an increase in volume changes for outdoor living projects, with outdoor kitchens leading the way. Particularly impressive were the 40% who said they had created brand new outdoor living spaces. Besides kitchens, other additions include expanded seating areas, fireplaces/fire pits and enhanced weather protection. These top outdoor additions suggest that many homeowners, particularly where the climate is conducive, are planning to make greater year-round use of outdoor living spaces.
The newest trends in primary bathrooms could be summed up with the words “Smart, natural and functional.” Low-flow toilets were identified as a smart feature for the next few years, as were smart bidet toilet seats, adjustable-height toilets and wall-hung lavatories with pipe protection.
The study revealed that the average primary bathroom spend over the past year was between $20,000 and $30,0000, with two-thirds of the finished projects showing an increase in size over the previous layout. The most popular anticipated option for layout change is to remove bathtubs to increase the size of the shower. Another layout change involves taking down walls and connecting to a closet or dressing area. Respondents also noted some of the more popular client requests, including wet rooms, private toilet areas, seating areas in the bathroom and in the shower, and an overall desire for more lighting.
As with kitchens, Contemporary and Transitional styles are leading, with Organic/Natural right behind them as this style gains in popularity. Descriptors here are similar to kitchens as well, with “clean and minimalist” the buzzwords. Lighter colors, greens and wood tones, a “spa-like feel that is spacious and calming” are themes that keep repeating.
Quartz again reigned as the material of choice for vanities and countertops, with wood or wood grain the favorite for cabinet facing. Traditional white is not likely to be replaced any time soon as the top sink color, with the top sink materials lead by vitreous china and porcelain/cast iron.
Flooring is not expected to go through any dramatic changes, as ceramic/porcelain tile is easily the top choice, followed by luxury vinyl wood plank and stone. As for lighting, although dimmer switches led, motion-sensor and voice controlled lighting were not far behind.
Many of the near-term shower features echoed the “Living in Place” theme from the earlier design report. For instance, zero-clearance entry, seats in the shower and fashionable grab bars were all mentioned. Hand-held shower heads and the distinctive rain showerheads were also cited.
Regarding technology for the bathroom, smart temperature controls for both the floor and shower were the top suggestion, but water conservation technology and leak detection for mobile alerts were high on the list from our respondents as well.