Kitchen Magic Expands Services to Other Rooms
NAZARETH, PA — Kitchen Magic, the Nazareth, PA-based kitchen remodeling/refacing company, has expanded its remodeling services to tackle additional rooms in the home, the company announced.
The company’s expanded efforts include solutions for laundry rooms, pantries and storage solutions throughout the home, Kitchen Magic said. To complement this initiative, the company has launched a new line of affordable cabinetry named Barwen. Homeowners will also have access to custom cabinet upgrades, according to Kitchen Magic, which serves Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
“The initiative to apply 40+ years of innovation and experience to rooms beyond the kitchen was put into motion as the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns uncovered emerging client needs aimed at making homes more efficient in the work-from-home era,” said Kitchen Magic President Brett Bacho. “We jumped at the opportunity to create solutions that streamline and declutter the home … as well as introduce Kitchen Magic to a wider group of homeowners seeking remodeling.”
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Doing White Right
When designers hear their clients utter the request, “I want a white kitchen,” it can be met with dread or excitement…or a mix of both. Regardless, whether designers love them or hate them, white kitchens continue to be immensely popular with homeowners.
Often defined and characterized by their foundation of white cabinetry, a white kitchen’s impartial palette gives it a go-with-anything neutrality that can serve as a backdrop for the introduction of color and personality via other design elements. However, when combined with an abundance of white elements, especially countertops and backsplashes, white kitchens can turn into a monochromatic sea of sameness.
This month, KBDN asked designers to share projects and design tips that take white kitchens to a new level.
Jena Bula collaborated with Ekren Construction to include white cabinetry as a base that is complemented with dark gray quartzite countertops and a lighter warm gray porcelain tile backsplash for dimension.
Jena Bula, principal designer
Delphinium Design; Charlotte, NC
When discussing white kitchens, Jena Bula’s clients still often ask for white cabinetry.
“They want an aesthetic that is lighter and brighter with an airy feel,” she says. “While there are different ways to achieve that, people often associate it with white.”
However, she has noticed a bit of a shift in what exactly that means and what else is included.
For starters, white doesn’t always mean bright white.
“There are so many different ways to do white,” she says. “It can mean bright white, but it can also mean a warm white or a country white depending on the space, the aesthetic and what other colors are included.”
Plus, clients also seem more open about bringing in other colors.
“There was a time when white kitchens were a lot of
white-on-white-on-white,” she indicates. “But now, they seem to have a little more dimension. People are mixing in different colors and warmer materials. White kitchens aren’t always all white cabinetry, white countertops and white islands.”
Such was the case for a recent kitchen remodel completed in collaboration with Ekren Construction. White shaker cabinets serve as the base, but Bula brought in dark gray quartzite countertops and a lighter warm gray porcelain tile backsplash for added dimension.
“She didn’t want a white-on-white kitchen,” says the designer. “Countertops are an important element in the space. My client needed something durable because she cooks a lot for her family, so the dark quartzite was a great choice for functionality. It also has some texture from its honed and leathered finish, which gives it dimension. It’s a really special element, and in person you can really see that texture.”
Flooring is another way that Bula freshens up today’s white kitchens. Often, she chooses to use warmer toned hardwood for balance. Lighting and plumbing fixtures as well as hardware can also add diversity.
“We used dark hardware in this kitchen, which gives it great balance so everything isn’t all light and bright,” she says. “Fixtures, such as a really cool faucet or fun pendants, and hardware are also a great way to add personality.”
Crystal Kitchen and Bath Design Build – 2506 Tournament Players Cir S, Blaine, MN 55449
Mary Maney, CKBD, ASID, CLIPP
Crystal Kitchens + Bath; Crystal, MN
As a designer with a remodeling company, Mary Maney sees a lot of outdated kitchens, especially those from the 1980s with their distinctive abundance of oak…including oak cabinetry, oak flooring and oak trim.
“People want to tone that down so everything isn’t the same,” she says. “They also want to get rid of the busyness of oak, which, in those dated kitchens, usually has a lot of grain. Often, they do that by keeping the oak floor, and sometimes the oak trim, but they replace the oak cabinetry with white cabinetry. White doesn’t necessarily designate a decade or date a kitchen as much as wood like oak, maple or cherry. White is also popular because it allows everything else – such as a countertop, backsplash, flooring and island – to stand out.”
White inset cabinetry serves as the ‘quiet’ backdrop for one recent kitchen remodel where Maney’s client wanted a ‘statement’ ventilation hood that would serve as the focal point for the room. Reconfiguring the space, the designer eliminated an awkward, angled walk-in pantry to pave the way for the inclusion of a walnut hood that echoes the tones of the dark floor and island base cabinetry. She also tied the kitchen into the adjacent living room by replacing the existing maple bookcases that flank the fireplace with walnut bookcases.
“My client had redone the maple floor a few years previous with a dark stain,” she indicates. “She didn’t want an all-white kitchen, so it seemed logical to include other dark elements. We chose walnut because it allows some grain to show through, which provides texture and isn’t quite as harsh as black. Walnut also gives the kitchen an ‘upscale’ look that she wanted.”
A quartz countertop with a subtle gray veining pattern with ‘movement’ and a backsplash that features a light crackle finish reinforce the white theme while offering variety.
“You don’t want elements of the same color to all have the same tone,” she says. “When that happens, there’s nothing to define the different planes. It’s important to have some contrast.”
Adding paned glass doors to select perimeter wall cabinets also adds interest and makes this space feel special.
In this kitchen Scott Dresner celebrates timelessness and diversity by combining white perimeter cabinetry, white paneled refrigerator and white quartz countertops with gray cerused oak island cabinetry ‘framed’ in a waterfall of white quartz.
Photos: Jim Tschetter
Scott Dresner
Dresner Design; Chicago, IL
Scott Dresner credits, in part, his love of white kitchens to growing up in a modern home with a white kitchen in Detroit, MI. Now, he incorporates that love of white into his kitchen design business.
“I’m pro-white kitchens,” he stresses. “The white kitchen – and stainless – is my favorite. White kitchens definitely are not dead.”
Part of that affection is due to its classic design appeal.
“A white kitchen will stand the test of time,” he says. “There are still mill shops making the same [cabinet] door they made in the ‘80s. A white kitchen is like Jackie Onassis and Marilyn Monroe…beautiful and timeless.”
Dresner also appreciates the hue’s diversity.
“There’s super modern bright white, warm white, cream white, off white…” he says, referencing a variety of white kitchens posted on his website. Some showcase multiple white elements, including one recent renovation that includes sleek, smooth, bright white back-painted glass cabinetry and a white quartzite countertop with a waterfall edge. Silver trim border details on the cabinets tie them to the countertop’s gray veining pattern, floor and stainless steel appliances. Conversely, another white kitchen features more traditional paneled cabinetry painted in a creamier white, similar to the color of a cameo, which he contrasted with a brighter white coffered ceiling to create separation. Dresner also included a natural stone white/gray veined countertop and matching accent wall and stainless steel appliances.
“I often use stainless steel appliances in white kitchens,” he says. “The combination is like peanut butter and jelly.”
While variations of white with stainless steel dominate some designs, others highlight a mix of materials, including one kitchen that combines white perimeter cabinetry, white paneled refrigerator and white quartz countertops with gray cerused oak island cabinetry ‘framed’ in a waterfall of white quartz. Dark wenge drawer interiors, visible when exposed, provide dramatic contrast.
“It certainly feels like a white kitchen, and everyone considers it a white kitchen,” he says.
This time, the designer blended the cabinetry with the wall color and ceiling beams to create a seamless visual.
“I wanted the cabinetry to essentially go away, to blend into the wall so the huge picture windows ‘speak’,” he says. “There is a lot of white in this kitchen, but it isn’t a sterile space. There are parts of ‘sterileness,’ such as the countertop that is white and shiny. But the rest of the whites have a matte finish so that, overall, there is a Zen, quiet feel to the space. People love this kitchen.”
Christina Simon and senior designer Brittany Gunst joined forces in this kitchen to create a modern farmhouse vibe with timeless elements, plenty of storage and an open concept…all with a foundation of white cabinetry, white countertops and a white backsplash. The reclaimed wood shelves serve as a statement piece and the taupe/gray painted island complements the veining pattern in the countertops.
Photo/Styling: Stylish Productions; Charlotte Safavi and Robert Radifera
Christina Simon, CKBD, ASID, president
c|s Design Studio; Clifton, VA
Christina Simon works in a relatively traditional part of the country – the Washington DC suburbs – where she often fields requests for white kitchens.
“People here simply love them, and we’re happy to oblige,” she says. “White is timeless, clean and bright…all things people want for their kitchens. White is also neutral and plays well with others, making it easy to coordinate with appliances and hardwood floors, which is a big element for us.”
These days, the white kitchens she designs often include updates via natural and rustic elements as a complement.
“We introduce texture and contrast into the space to make it more interesting,” she explains.
As an example, she and senior designer Brittany Gunst recently joined forces on a remodel where the clients wanted their new kitchen to have a modern farmhouse vibe with timeless elements, plenty of storage and an open concept…all with a foundation of white cabinetry, white countertops and a white backsplash, as well as a white farmhouse sink, which is another popular choice for her clients.
“When there is a lot of white, it’s important to bring in some statement pieces,” she notes. “In the case of this kitchen, the statement piece is some reclaimed wood corner shelves.”
Additionally, Simon indicates that black accents can add contrast, so she brought in black cabinetry hardware and lighting. In another recent remodel, she made a striking statement with a black ventilation hood.
To provide differentiation amongst white elements, Simon utilizes a variety of sheens throughout a space, such as in this kitchen where the matte finish of the cabinetry plays against the glossy sheen of the elongated 3″x12″ subway tile backsplash.
“This client wanted a simple subway tile backsplash,” she reports, “but its glossy sheen sets it apart from the other white elements. We also like to use handmade tile, which can have different glazing or it may be a slightly different white, such as an off white. We’re seeing a lot of people using a variety of different whites in their kitchens.”
When using white as a countertop, Simon likes to include materials with some veining, such as a marble or marble-look quartz.
“Instead of plain white, we like to use something with a light veining pattern against a white background, because those veins allow us to pull in other colors,” she explains, citing the marble-look quartz in this kitchen that gave them the opportunity to incorporate a taupe/gray painted island.
In this remodel, Nicole Zeigler contrasted the white cabinetry and white backsplash tile with a custom edge-grain walnut bar top on the island and walnut floating shelves that coordinate with floor, as well as a custom hot-rolled steel ventilation hood.
Photo: Lucy Call
Nicole Zeigler, NCIDQ
enzy design; Salt Lake City, UT
With a trend towards design that integrates a furniture-style appeal, Nicole Zeigler sees many of her white kitchens offering an assortment of materials beyond just white.
“White kitchens are definitely still popular,” she says. “They never go out of style. They have always been around, and they will continue to be around. But I am seeing more mixed materials rather than straight white. I think that’s because, overall, there’s a trend in kitchen design that incorporates furniture-look pieces, rather than all of the same cabinets. For example, you might see an island with a wood finish and a furniture-style base, or something unique.”
Zeigler sees that updated look as offering a way to add personality and warmth to the space. In particular, wood – or even wood-look vinyl – floors are popular. The designer also adds personality via ventilation hoods or accent cabinets and hardware, which she dubs as the ‘jewelry.’ She also indicates there is still a trend for open floating shelves in a material or finish that offers a contrast to white.
Several of those elements were included in a recent renovation, where gloss white wall cabinets are combined with natural rift-cut oak base cabinets. The hood and the cabinets around it feature a charcoal finish.
“It’s stunning,” she says. “I feel like it’s still a white kitchen, but it’s not an in-your-face-white kitchen because of the other elements we’ve added to it.”
In another kitchen, where she collaborated with cabinet maker/installer Paramount Cabinet and builder Spiro Brothers Construction, wall and base cabinets are white, as is the island cabinetry and the backsplash, which is comprised of elongated hexagon-shaped subway tile. The tile’s glossy finish adds reflectivity while its geometric shape adds interest, without making it busy. However, to mix it up, she included a custom edge-grain walnut bar top on the island that coordinates with the floor and a few floating shelves that frame the window to make it feel more open.
“The wood bar top and shelves bring natural elements into the room and add some contrast,” she says. “They also bring up some of the darkness from the floor to create more balance, without overwhelming the light space.”
Another ‘dark’ element is the custom hot-rolled ventilation hood.
“It’s a really simple box shape,” she says. “But it has a beautiful finish that offers natural depth and subtle marbling. It’s gorgeous against the white backdrop.”
Quartz countertops that mimic honed concrete and slightly oversized pendants that offer the feel and look of linen also prevent the white space from being too sterile.
“Having those elements – the backsplash, the shades, the bar top, the ventilation hood and the countertops – are all important to make this white kitchen more inviting and less institutional,” she says, “especially since it has white slab cabinetry.”
Tamra Pumpelly often uses white cabinetry’s door style and construction to set the tone in a space. In this kitchen, inset cabinetry was appropriate given the historic value of the home. She included a flat-cut white oak island, stained in Driftwood, to add warmth and depth. Incorporating it as an accent on the ventilation hood brings up the eye and ties the perimeter and island together.
Photo: Steve Hershberger
Tamra Pumpelly, operations manager
District Cabinets; Washington DC
Even though Tamra Pumpelly indicates that white kitchens can be a ‘safe’ choice for her clients, that doesn’t mean they can’t be special and beautiful.
“White cabinets can become a backdrop of a kitchen, rather than them being the focal point,” she explains. “Quality cabinetry is expensive, and I think homeowners see it as an investment they want to get right. Elements like hardware and lighting are easier to change out.”
As the foundation, those same white cabinets can also set the tone with their door style and construction.
“An inset or mission door style sets a completely different tone than a slab door,” she says. “The sheen factor also changes a kitchen. A rich matte finish represents a completely different style than a gloss finish.”
As an example, in one recent kitchen remodel, the designer collaborated with Build by Four Brothers to incorporate white inset Elmwood cabinets into their clients’ new kitchen.
“Inset cabinetry was appropriate for this kitchen because of the historic value of the house,” she says. “Clients often are concerned with losing storage with inset, but it immediately elevates a kitchen without looking fussy.”
The team also included a flat-cut white oak island, stained in Driftwood, to add warmth and depth. Incorporating it as an accent on the ventilation hood brings up the eye and ties the perimeter and island together.
The white cabinetry also complements the existing hardwood floor.
“Maintaining the floor was important to the client, so we didn’t want to take away from it,” she says. “The white cabinetry allows the floor to be the focal point and we built the kitchen around it.”
In addition, with a neutral foundation of white cabinetry, Pumpelly sometimes brings color or a wood element to an island to ground it while adding warmth and personality.
“Pops of color can also be used in the lighting, and we love mixing metals and textures in white kitchens,” she adds.
In addition, white cabinetry allows countertops and backsplashes to be the stars of the show in a traditional white kitchen, such as in a recent renovation where white cabinetry and white backsplash tile give the dark gray countertop and gray/white chevron backsplash insert the opportunity to stand out. 
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Connected Serenity
The desire to create a spa-like environment in the bathroom, a place to rest and rejuvenate, has long impacted trends in shower systems. With multiple users in the home, flexible, innovative products that allow each person to tailor the experience as needed are in high demand.
“At Duravit, it is essential that our product offerings, integrated technology and design sensibility aid designers and homeowners in creating and enjoying a bathroom space that is relaxing, rejuvenating and offers benefits to achieve a healthy lifestyle,” says Tim Schroeder, president of Duravit North America in Duluth, GA.
Patrick Weidl, director, business development at ThermaSol in Round Rock, TX offers, “Homeowners understand the importance of self-care, and more and more they want to incorporate steam showers and all the attending attributes…chromatherapy, aromatherapy and yes, even technology.” From a design standpoint, he adds, “Less is still more. Minimal design in showers remains a strong trend.”
“People want more than ever to be able to relax and enjoy their time in the shower,” states Jayson Auger, product designer at Kalia, based in Sainte-Marie, Québec, Canada. “They want to be able to activate multiple accessories at the same time, up to two or three items, such as the rain head, hand shower or tub spout,” he adds.
Technological advancements also have an impact on shower space. “Consumers continue to be excited about the convenience offered by smart technology and voice-activated products, and the bathroom is no exception,” stresses Lindsey Jovanovic, director, marketing – bath for Moen, based in North Olmsted, OH.
Other top shower system and enclosure trends include attention to sustainability, convenience and flexibility, and continued interest in both matte black finishes and a natural look. That’s according to manufacturers recently surveyed by Kitchen & Bath Design News.
Personal Refuge
Customizing the shower system allows homeowners to create an individualized restorative space in which to relax and rejuvenate. Flexibility is key in allowing all family members to create their own spa-like experience at home. Features such as music, chromatherapy and variety in spray are all essential to creating these experiences, manufacturers remark.
“Moen understands that consumers are really looking for a personalized experience in the shower and want to feel like their space suits their needs,” Jovanovic says. “The new Nebia by Moen Quattro products offer four distinct showers all in a single showerhead – individually designed to relieve, soothe, clarify and cleanse unlike ever before. Now, everyone in your home can dial in the perfect shower to meet their preferences, while also saving nearly half the water of a traditional showerhead,” she explains.
The features available to customize the showering experience vary widely. Manufacturers say that music is one important feature and having speakers that hold up well is essential.
“Music continues to be among the most popular elements to customize your showering experience; streaming the right playlist or meditation practice into your shower instantly transforms a more utilitarian moment of the day into one that focuses on relaxation and self-care,” stresses Tom Sindelar, performance showering product manager for Kohler Co. in Kohler, WI.
“Just as with our other showering systems, Kohler has developed innovations at various price points to make this experience an attainable one, whether it’s with the Moxie Showerhead + Wireless Speaker, or integrating the amplifier module into the DTV+ system,” he reports.
“Good solid speakers are very much in demand; if you’re going to listen to music or watch a soothing video, you’ll want the best in-shower speakers,” Weidl says.
“Chromatherapy is becoming more and more recognized for its ability to both soothe and/or energize,” he adds.
In addition to features that create a soothing environment, such as music, scent and color, variety in how the water flows is also an important consideration. “The demand for multiple water delivery outlets, such as body sprays, handheld showers and rain heads, continues to grow,” says Sindelar. “We’re also seeing a growth in demand for showerheads and hand showers that deliver multiple functions, empowering the user to transition between full coverage sprays [and] massage settings to customize the experience even further.”
“While it’s important for designers to dial into their clients’ desired experiences, it’s also especially important to address who in the household will be using the shower regularly,” he adds. “For families with young children, solutions like the HydroRail and hand showers can help ensure different users can make the necessary adjustments for an enjoyable experience.”
Sustainable Showers
Manufacturers strive to be environmentally responsible in their practices, and with showers that means finding ways to conserve water, not only to meet legal restrictions in various regions, but also to satisfy consumer demand for sustainable options.
“There has been a shift in the way products are designed from the get-go,” notes Stephanie Dietrich, marketing, Blu Bathworks based in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. “The environment and sustainability have been placed in the forefront for most consumers and designers alike, and water conservation is no exception. While places like California are forced to put in place regulations to conserve water, many conscious consumers across North America place importance on purchasing an environmentally focused product regardless of regulation.”
“There continues to be consumers who are looking for more sustainable options in the shower. For those who are interested in an eco-friendlier showerhead, the Nebia by Moen spa showers are a perfect fit,” offers Jovanovic. These showerheads use atomization, the process of breaking up water into tiny droplets, to create the sensation of more water while using nearly half the water of traditional showerheads, she says.
“Duravit has long had a respect for water conservation and environmental awareness – it is a part of our company heritage and applied widely across our product design,” explains Schroeder. “We are a proud WaterSense partner and are always following along with updated regulations.”
Sindelar reports, “Rather than scaling back to one showerhead, designers are instead using it as a moment to educate and show homeowners how digital valves or mechanical diverters enabled for water usage from one outlet at a time can address water conservation without compromising on the ability to customize the experience.”
Auger says that new requirements for hot water regulation also have led to the development of new products, such as a thermostatic pressure balanced shower valve that has a hot water temperature limit of 43°C (109°F), making it suitable for the new senior residences (SR) standards of safety in their territory.
Steam showers are a spa-like feature in the bath that offer therapeutic benefits without using excess water. “The average steam shower uses less water than the average shower, and once everyone learns this they are (a) surprised and (b) relieved,” says Weidl. “On average, a 30-minute steam shower uses just two gallons of water, and that’s considered a long steam. Showers use that amount or more per minute. The average American shower lasts about eight minutes, so water consumption for a traditional shower can surpass 16 gallons.”
Smart Spray
Smart technology has woven its way throughout the home and has made it into shower system controls as well, manufacturers say. Digital controls add convenience and the ability to easily personalize the shower experience.
“As existing technology advances and new technology is developed, we have seen more and more inclusion throughout the household,” Dietrich notes. “The bathroom is no exception. The popularity of digital controls is growing in the market as they offer desirable features such as superior temperature control and flow-rate customization.”
“As smart home controls play a bigger role in how people live and interact with their homes, there’s an increased demand for bringing that same level of control and connectivity to their showers and baths,” Sindelar explains. “Digital showering systems, including our budget-friendly DTV Prompt and more luxurious DTV+ Systems, offer a streamlined, clean aesthetic – eliminating the need for multiple valve trims on the wall.”
Jovanovic remarks, “We’ve seen smart, connected products become more popular in the bathroom, especially products that offer consumers options to customize their experience. When our U by Moen Smart Shower launched in 2017, we were first-to-market with this kind of technology. It provides homeowners with countless ways to create their ideal showering experience – including the ability to set up to 12 personalized presets for everything from shower temperature to the length of your shower, and three choices to control the shower: voice activation, a smartphone app and an in-shower controller.”
Moen has recently expanded U by Moen’s capabilities, she says, to offer even more innovative ways to interact with water. These include enhanced functionality with Amazon Alexa, and compatibility with Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant. “Homeowners can have the shower incorporated into their smart home ecosystem and enjoy the ease and convenience of a totally connected lifestyle,” says Javonovic.
ThermaSol’s steam system is also compatible with Alexa, Weidl reports. “People may think that technology and steam showers are contradictions, but in fact our ThermaTouch controls are completely waterproof, and they allow users to customize their steam shower experience from water temperature, chromatherapy colors, downloadable videos, music, sports channels – whatever it is that makes them feel comfortable,” he adds.
When incorporating technology into shower products, convenience and ease of operation are imperative, manufacturers say. “People are looking for user-friendly products in every aspect of their life,” explains Auger. “Keeping that in mind, customers are starting to look at shower valves with the push-in button for the diverter, to go from one accessory to the other instead of operating a handle. The shower valve is then as easy to ‘control’ as a car dashboard with multiple options for AC/Radio, etc.”
Schroeder says Duravit has seen an increased interest in thermostatic valve technology in the shower space. “Duravit’s Blue Box offers easy installation and is temperature controlled with an anti-scald setting. The shower cartridge comes with trim to avoid damage during construction or installation and can use any of the different trims pending the installation type. The Blue Box has a six-point fixation, allowing for uneven surfaces and adjustable alignment of the handle and plate up to 3.5mm. This type of flexibility in installation and design is what consumers and designers are looking for to create a seamless aesthetic from start to finish,” he remarks.
Individual Style
Finishes, tile patterns and door styles depend heavily on the consumers lifestyle and taste. Manufacturers strive to offer a wide range of options to meet this demand. Still, there are some finishes that stand out, including matte black, brushed gold and natural looks.
“We are seeing a lot of matte black being specified, along with the perennial favorites of polished chrome or nickel,” says Weidl.
“In finishes, matte black is still growing in popularity, and brushed gold is also trending upward,” concurs Kiersten Jung, director of marketing for Basco Shower Enclosures in Mason, OH.
Auger agrees that matte black is a high trend for every bathroom product, including shower doors, faucets and even shower bases. “What we call an ‘Italian shower base’ is also in demand, which is a very shallow base that is nearly as thin as the floor,” he adds. Shower shields, like the company’s Pratika, “are a way to build your own Italian shower, which is very minimalistic,” he remarks.
Dietrich says that, along with matte finishes, “We have seen a design focus on the inclusion of organic materials and finishes. Things like Blu’s solid surface blu•stone, which emulates the look and feel of natural stone, helps to cultivate a native atmosphere in the bathroom setting.”
Products that allow consumers to express their sense of style are essential, but the way the products operate is equally important. “Consumers want beautiful looking fixtures for their homes that won’t sacrifice on function,” Jovanovic stresses.
For door styles, Jung notes, they see trends in heavy glass and frameless enclosures continuing. “Clear glass is the most popular by far, so that homeowners can showcase their entire shower space design and tile,” she offers.
Barn door style rolling doors are also continuing to add a modern flair into the bath space, Jung adds. “When considering layout, a rolling door often allows for a more generous shower space because there is no need to plan for the out-swing requirements of a swing door.”
Auger, on the other hand, says they are seeing a big comeback of framed structures. “For a long time, frameless shower doors have been in high demand. Now, people who are looking to make a statement in their bathroom choose a framed shower door, especially since black is such a big trend. Our Ikonik shower door is a matte black framed sliding shower door that has become an instant hit,” he notes.
Weidl observes, “While we see a lot of interest in open showers, as the manufacturers of steam showers, we always advise designers to include some sort of separation between the shower area and the rest of the bathroom.”
The footprint of the space often dictates the size of these shower systems. Designers and homeowners make use of all available space, installing a larger shower, when possible, manufacturers say.
“In bathrooms with larger footprints, freestanding baths double as a focal point and beautiful, sculptural element, bringing an energy of luxury and relaxation to the space. This shift toward more organic, sculptural forms reflects a growing preference for contemporary designs and clean lines,” offers Sindelar. “Rather than existing independently, designers are finding ways for showers and freestanding baths to coexist – whether it’s converting the entire suite into a wet room or housing both bathing experiences in a shared space ensconced in tile behind a glass wall to contain and control moisture.” 
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Shining Stars
The recipients of the Chrysalis Awards for Remodeling Excellence for 2021 were recently named, including 24 winning projects in the Kitchen and Bath categories.
The awards, which were launched in 1994, honor designs in 28 categories of residential and commercial remodeling. Winners are selected for each of four geographical regions of the U.S. The regional winners are then judged to select a national winner for each category.
The competition is open to any professional remodeler or designer, and all of the projects considered for the 2021 awards were completed after January 1, 2018. The winning projects were determined based on overall design, creative use of space and materials, and the degree to which the project enhanced the original kitchen or bath.
Kitchens Over $150,000
Studio Stratton
This traditional kitchen was newly built to accommodate the needs of a young growing family. The large windows created some challenges with regard to upper cabinets. The designer chose to solve this issue with a unique glass-fronted built-in cabinet in a different gray color with Cremone bolts to highlight the homeowner’s collection of decorative plates and serving pieces.
- National/Regional Award: Studio Stratton, San Diego, CA
- Regional Award: MA Peterson Designbuild, Edina, MN
- Regional Award: Platt Builders, Groton, MA
- Regional Award: dB Atlanta, Alpharetta, GA
Kitchens $75,000-$150,000
Daniel Contelmo Architects
To update the dated aesthetic of the original kitchen, coffered ceilings were added to help scale down the existing tall ceilings, and the color palette was lightened to keep the kitchen bright. The upper cabinets were made larger and the detailing of the moldings was simplified to provide a cleaner look. The chevron pattern of the tiling is simple but adds texture and definition to the space.
- National/Regional Award: Daniel Contelmo Architects, Poughkeepsie, NY with Tiffany Eastman Interiors, LLC, Fairfield, CT
- Regional Award: TreHus
Architects, Golden Valley, MN - Regional Award: S&W Kitchens, Longwood, FL
- Regional Award: Slater Interiors, Bothell, WA
Kitchens Under $75,000
Studio Stratton
The homeowners of this contemporary kitchen wanted a high-end appearance on a tight budget, so the designer created a luxurious look using a two-tone cabinetry selection. The kitchen was also opened up to adjoining spaces for a more modern and sophisticated approach. Numerous elements were used throughout the kitchen to create a sleek, contemporary feel.
- National/Regional Award: Studio Stratton, San Diego, CA
- Regional Award: Knutson Residential Design, St. Paul, MN
- Regional Award: RS Mannino Architects + Builders, Rutherford, NJ
- Regional Award: Carriage House Custom Homes & Interiors, Franklin, TN
Baths Over $75,000
Innovative Construction
Functionally, the homeowners wanted a lot of storage. The project included recessed medicine cabinets and scads of cabinetry on the his-and-hers vanity. A countertop cabinet was also included in the space. Drawers were created beneath the cabinets and some of the cabinets contained specialty pull-outs, including one for trash and one for the scale.
- National/Regional Award: Innovative Construction, Peachtree Corners, GA
- Regional Award: Marvista Design + Build, Pittsburgh, PA
- Regional Award: Marrokal Design & Remodeling, San Diego, CA
Baths $50,000-$75,000
S&W Kitchens
In the original bathroom, the client wanted a larger shower area, removal of the tub and more storage space. A rich wood vanity provides plenty of storage via doors and drawers, along with a tall linen cabinet. A white countertop with classic pale gray veining provides a dramatic contrast with the cabinets and an elegant look. The large shower features classic neutral tones against a dramatic tile floor and dark-toned fittings and hardware throughout.
- National/Regional Award: S&W Kitchens, Longwood, FL
- Regional Award: Advance Design Studio, Gilberts, IL
- Regional Award: Carnemark design+build, Bethesda, MD
- Regional Award: Studio Stratton, San Diego, CA
Baths Under $50,000
C&R Remodeling
This farmhouse was typical of a bygone era when the main floor bathroom served the entire house. To improve convenience and family harmony, a second-story bath was added that includes a single vanity in an olive green shade, along with an abundance of white subway tile given a fresh upgrade with gray grout. A wet room includes a rainshower, hand-held shower and soaking tub under skylights.
- National/Regional Award: C&R Remodeling, Salem, OR
- Regional Award: Jaque Bethke Design, Scottsdale, AZ
- Regional Award: OA Design Build, Minneapolis, MN
- Regional Award: Great Northern Builders, South Berwick, ME
- Regional Award: TEW Design Studio, Raleigh, NC
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Cabinets Deliver Clever Storage and Style
What are the hot trends in cabinetry this season? Where is it being used in new ways? What materials and finishes are you specifying? What hardware, features, configurations and technology are trending among your clients and in your region? Do you anticipate these trends continuing into the new year? Inquiring minds want to know! So here are the latest takes from across the country and industry:
- National homebuilder Taylor Morrison’s National Design Director Lee Crowder;
- Marine Sargsyan, with online home products giant Houzz.com;
- National Kitchen & Bath Association’s Pamela McNally;
- Philadelphia area designer Liz Walton;
- Designer Shannon Ggem in Los Angeles;
- Minneapolis-based designer Lisa Peck.
OVERVIEW
It’s no secret that our industry is booming, with strong consumer demand and ongoing shortages of skilled labor and products. Nonetheless, homeowners are still seeking to improve their spaces. Despite the challenges, everyone is surging forward and cabinetry has a significant slice of that activity.
Eye-popping color and outdoor cabinetry are both trending.
Photo: Shannon Ggem, Ggem Design // Mike P. Kelley (Photographer)
“Incorporating storage was an important aspect of homeowner’s renovation activities in 2020,” Sargsyan reports. Houzz’s 2021 study found that nearly one in five homeowners cited inadequate storage for enlarging their kitchens, she notes, and “More than half of all kitchen renovations included new cabinetry (57 percent).” Smaller kitchens included even a higher percent of cabinetry replacement (63 percent).
“Storage is one of the top three areas of consumer interest,” McNally agrees, noting that, “Reducing clutter, better organization, easy access all are driving this shift.” Some of this growth can definitely be attributed to the pandemic, especially as homeowners sought to reduce their shopping trips.
Hot Spots: “The pantry is becoming a very trendy place in the home to not only organize but maximize your storage, especially as bulk buying became more popular this past year,” declares Crowder. She notes the popularity of food storage organization. “It obviously starts with a great pantry.” Houzz also saw a surge in pantry upgrades, with nearly half of study respondents improving their cabinetry, an increase over 2020.
Flex rooms are definitely trending with new cabinetry needs. This includes laundry, pet and craft spaces. They’re also popular spots for bulk buying storage to enhance pantry capacity.
Home offices, garages and outdoor spaces have become hot spots for new cabinetry designs, too, because of the pandemic. Working from home, exercising, storing overflow items and escaping safely outdoors are all COVID-19-driven accelerations. “Many of our floor plans offer a mud locker or drop zone built in,” Crowder observes, “The more time you spend at home, you realize how important having a built-in space for those daily essential items at the entrance (usually from the garage) gives you peace of mind and [helps] everyone find what they need when it’s time to leave the house.”
Technology Trends: Smart home features are making their way into cabinetry as well. “Kitchens, baths and entire residential environments have been embracing fully integrated technology, and storage is a key area,” McNally says. The goals include accessibility, better visibility and security, the NKBA executive observes. “Smart home sensors help facilitate leak detection, temperature and lighting controls and are being designed into pantry areas, lower cabinets, shower enclosures, under sink drawers and under cabinets in kitchens. LED lighting is now a standard in virtually all cabinetry installs,” she reports, and the designers agree. Chargers are also being built into cabinetry to reduce clutter.
KITCHEN STORAGE TRENDS
The heart of the home has definitely gotten some transplant improvements. With pantries taking on more importance, sometimes beyond the kitchen, these areas are being freed up to serve more comfort roles.
Specialized Zones: NKBA’s study sees separate spaces for wine and coffee usage. Houzz sees dedicated areas for baking, snacks and beverages and homework. Among the specialty spots, pantries and wine bar storage have the greatest resonance in NKBA’s study. Kitchens are catering to personal preference and specialized zoning.
“We love to include coffee and wine stations with all the associated storage laid out for clients, like a mug drawer and fridge drawer for cream if they use it, or a pod drawer and a nearby wine fridge for bottles not yet being dispensed by the wine dispenser,” shares designer Ggem. Peck is seeing smoothie stations become a trend, along with coffee and beverage centers, and Walton says just about all of her kitchen projects have coffee/breakfast bars.
Comfort zones like wine and coffee centers are trending.
Photo: Eolo Design / NKBA
Configurations: “Our clients no longer want upper cabinets, preferring instead deep drawers with peg systems for plate and glass storage,” Ggem notes. Open shelves are still popular but used sparingly, as homeowners realize the dusting required to keep their contents clean, Walton points out. Peck sees narrow pullouts, as well as the general lack of wall cabinets and well-equipped bases and pantries. NKBA’s study cites large pull-out drawers with dividers.
Peck also sees an increase in secondary kitchen spaces, both as “back areas” for cleaning and storage, and auxiliary for older relatives to live independently with the family.
Styles and Finishes: Houzz has Shaker as the most popular style (57 percent), flat panel/slab at 21 percent and raised panel at 17 percent. In terms of finishes for the kitchen, Walton declares, “Wood tones are coming back in a big way! We are seeing a lot of warm walnut islands paired with soft white perimeter cabinets. Painted wood cabinets especially in navy or a powdery blue are very popular and pair well with white and warm wood tones.”
“Self-expression through color in cabinetry is definitely a trend,” Peck says. “We have done orange, yellow, blue and teal cabinetry in the spirit of this trend. We are also seeing a return to mixing painted cabinetry with wood. Rift cut white oak is a strong contender here in the Midwest. In modern kitchens we are seeing the use of acrylic slab door panels in gloss and ultra-matte finishes,” she adds.
Across the country, L.A. designer Ggem is seeing matte finishes and wood, including textured, fluted panels trending in materials. Taylor Morrison’s Crowder is seeing earthy hues along with warm neutrals and NKBA finds ash and rift cut oak solids and veneers trending, along with sophisticated high-pressure laminates.
One final note on finishes: “Wellness is huge in the kitchen conversation. Toxins and off gassing are no longer tolerated, and all clients inquire,” proclaims Ggem.
BATHROOM STORAGE TRENDS
The bathroom has also gotten enhancements. “Just like in kitchens, many people are having electrical outlets and charging stations built into their cabinets,” reports Taylor Morrison’s Crowder. “Another technology item popping up is cold storage,” she observes. “Adding a mini fridge into your cabinet bank allows you to store beauty items that require being cold – but they can also help keep creamers cold so you can make your coffee while getting ready in the bathroom.”
Configurations: Built-in vanities far outstripped freestanding in popularity, with floating styles trending upward, Houzz reports. “The floating vanity helps create visual space, making the vanity feel less heavy within the space,” Walton suggests.
Peck is seeing appliance garages migrate to her midwestern bathrooms, she says. They include chargers for hygiene and grooming tools and magnifying mirrors. She’s also seeing an emphasis on accessible cabinetry and nontoxic materials.
Taylor Morrison homebuyers like open shelves in their bathrooms, Crowder shares. They also want auto-opening and closing doors, outlets and charging stations.
Shaker is still a leading style trend for kitchens and bathrooms alike.
Photo: Caroline Sharpnack © Houzz
Styles and Finishes: Bathroom style trends track pretty close to kitchen, with Shaker, slab and raised panel in similar proportions. Walton sees natural wood tones like white oak and warm walnuts mixed with white or dark gray. Taylor Morrison is seeing light washed warm wood tones and textured woods in low maintenance matte finishes. The builder is also seeing painted looks, especially dark green, trending. Peck is seeing personalized colors, like teal and blues, along with rift cut woods, especially oak and walnut topping trends. Ggem sums up her clients’ preferences this way: “A minimal aesthetic is what is happening right now – slab doors, hidden pulls, quiet and clean.”
LAST WORDS
If your business is based on cabinetry manufacturing, distribution, installation or sales, this should be a strong season for you. It can also be a strong season for those who are “cabinetry adjacent,” like technology providers with a growing area of opportunity. Knowing and predicting the latest trends is essential to staying successful and a candy land full of fun and flair. 
Jamie Gold, CKD, CAPS, MCCWC is an author, wellness design consultant and industry speaker. Her third book, Wellness by Design (Simon & Schuster), published September 2020. You can learn more about her Wellness Market presentations, books, Wellness Wednesdays Clubhouse conversations and consulting services at jamiegold.net.
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Adapting in a Changing Business Climate
Under normal circumstances, part of our job is to prepare plans for our clients to prime them for changes to their homes and lifestyles. Unfortunately, the pandemic crumbled remodeling hopes for many homeowners, and it had a serious effect on us as designers. First, we went from comfortably busy to zero in about two months. Then we were stagnant for almost a year. That dormancy was followed by a mind-boggling recovery, one that Eliot Sefrin, editor emeritus of KBDN, referred to as a “tectonic market shift.”
I survived the 2007-2009 recession and decided not to give in to the same negative feelings that plagued me until 2010. Instead, I used the pandemic downtime to work on my business, taking classes that had been on my bucket list for five years or more. At the same time, I read over 75 marketing books and white papers. It was not as gratifying as working with clients, but it was a major accomplishment.
Building, maintaining and marketing a unique brand reputation is challenging. There are excellent books and many courses to help us, but your choices need to be carefully considered. I learned the hard way during the recession and ended up wasting time and money on courses that didn’t work. During the pandemic, I avoided repeating the same mistakes.
Two exciting possibilities arose from free webinars recommended by acquaintances. Each marketing coach offered a new direction that sounded promising. One program is $3,500 and requires a commitment of at least six months. The other course costs over $10,000 and involves a year of classes. It’s easy to say “yes” to the compelling reasons the coaches present until we stop to think about our ROI. Curiosity helped me gain clarity to say “No” to the programs. Finally, I said “yes” to another customizable opportunity with great ROI possibilities.
NAVIGATING THE NEW NORMAL
Everyone is now adjusting to a new normal: higher remodeling investments and lower availability of labor and products. Homeowners are anxious to proceed with pandemic-delayed remodeling projects. Our 15-month business famine has become an overflowing feast.
In fact, home remodeling queries on Google went from 38% in March 2020 to 93% in March 2021. The annual Houzz survey verifies that home renovation spending increased 15% in the past year.
But will the trend continue or collapse?
Many variables will affect remodeling in the future, and all we can do as designers is perform our best every day, and stay on top of news reports about the economy, the pandemic and other fluid trends. Being prepared for change helps us cope with it. We can choose our course and correct it before a crisis happens by adapting to change.
The Harvard Business Review offered six tips about adapting to change: 1. Find humor in the situation; 2. Resist talking about your feelings; 3. Don’t stress out about stressing out; 4. Focus on your values instead of your fears; 5. Accept the past (and present) but fight for the future, and 6. Don’t expect stability.
COMPETING AND COMPARING
Competition is as fierce as ever in the design market, with more people entering our profession yearly. For example, 4,199 U.S. students graduated with interior design degrees in 2019. At that time, there were 77,900 interior designers in the nation. The average age of designers is 41 years. We’re all competing to build and maintain our brand reputation, make a living and grow our company (or the company that employs us).
I believe we do better when we compete against ourselves rather than competing against other people. Additionally, we do better when we don’t compare ourselves to others. But, admittedly, this is hard to do in today’s competitive world.
When I was attending design school, every assignment was necessary. I gave each one 115% of my effort, although I believed that others would receive a better grade. I wasn’t competing with them for a grade but rather comparing myself to them.
Before graduation, the faculty and students voted for one student to win the “Student Designer of the Year” award. I was shocked to win because, in my mind, everyone was more qualified than me. The woman who presented the award gave me fantastic advice: “Send press releases to the media.” That established my brand and my reputation, and it attracted clients and referral clients for years.
I continue to give at least 115% to everything I do. Clients’ goals become my goals. I’ve been fortunate to win design awards with this attitude. And while I don’t like to compare myself to other designers, it’s unavoidable. Marketing tools such as SEMRush, UberSuggest, BuzzFeed and Google Analytics provide helpful feedback by comparing me to competitors. It’s uncomfortable but necessary to gather and use this information that mainly relies on keywords we use. But, it’s just as important to not make it the focus of your work. We are each unique, and that should be celebrated!
GAINING THE EDGE
Prospective clients find us using specific keywords or phrases in Google, Bing or Yahoo. Search engines recommend us because we’ve used the same keywords or phrases in our websites, blogs and social media posts. Learning to use the right keywords is an art and a science. It challenges us to comply with specific secretive algorithms. Even Search Engine Optimization experts admit little knowledge about the data. Climbing to #1 of organic searches involves an investment of time and effort.
SEO is a broad subject that I’m still studying, a motivation to revise and write blogs with competitive terms. If your company can afford an SEO specialist, their fee will be $75-$150 per hour, which could add up to $1,500 a month (or more). You can also get monthly SEO services from companies like Fiverr for $14-$345 a month.
How do you know that you’re getting what you want?
Honestly, SEO isn’t a quick process and success isn’t guaranteed. Changes we make now may not show up in search engine results for four to six weeks or longer. To compete effectively, we have to know what keywords our competitors are using to help their ranking in the search engines. Finally, we have to compare ourselves to others who have: A well-known brand, an active website, an up-to-date blog and an active social media presence with good SEO use.
Competing with and comparing ourselves to others in our profession may be uncomfortable, but it’s necessary to adapt if we want to succeed. One of my favorite quotes rings true: “Success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your talent.” [Nolan Ryan] 
Diane Plesset, CMKBD, CAPS, NCIDQ is the principal of D.P. Design in Oregon City, OR and has over 35 years of experience as a kitchen and bath designer. She is the author of the award-winning book, THE Survival Guide: Home Remodeling, and has been the recipient of numerous design awards. Named a 2019 KBDN Innovator, Plesset has taught Western design to students of the Machida Academy in Japan and has a podcast, “Today’s Home.”
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Kitchen Displays Fresh, Transitional Style
Before
Designer Kelly Guinaugh of Interior Enhancement Group was enlisted for the task of updating a couple’s suburban Chicago kitchen shortly after completing a new kitchen for the same clients in their Florida home. The clients wanted a kitchen that would feel as airy and spacious as their vacation home, with improved workability, increased storage and better traffic flow.
After
By widening the entryway from the kitchen to the dining room, Guinaugh was able to create a feeling of spaciousness in the 350-sq.-ft. kitchen. New full-height pantries and cabinetry, as well as a wine cellar, were installed in order to provide plenty of storage. Increasing the width and height of the window over the sink also provided plenty of natural light to make the room feel open and fresh, while removing all soffits and installing taller upper cabinetry created the illusion of higher ceilings. A new, narrower island provides improved traffic flow and facilitates entertaining, and also features increased seating facing the scenic back yard. The end result: a fresh transitional space that flows well into the dining room and great room.
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Showplace Cabinetry Completes $2.5M Expansion
HARRISBURG, SD — Showplace Cabinetry, the Harrisburg, SD-based cabinet supplier, has completed a 16,800-sq.-ft. project linking its two manufacturing plants, the company announced.
The $2.5-million expansion provides a central shipping point for Showplace’s framed cabinetry and frameless cabinet lines, as well as enhanced warehousing and transportation efficiencies companywide, company officials said, adding that the project effectively increased Showplace’s production capacity by 30%. The project also streamlines logistics and handling, increasing shipping capacity for the company and creating a more efficient order flow from production to transportation.
“Demand is up for all our cabinetry lines,” said Bill Allen, Showplace Cabinetry president and CEO. “That demand required us to find an innovative solution to improved logistics and enhanced ShowplaceEVO production. The new warehouse and shipping link solves both challenges.”
“This new expansion gives us the space we need to take our quality production and customer service to the next level,” Allen observed.
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What Story Are Your Financials Telling?
I have always had a burning desire to know how my business measured up to industry peers. Were we above average, middle of the pack or a bottom feeder?
Years ago, while moderating a workshop at KBIS, the workshop presenter invited me to join an industry-specific peer group that he was facilitating. Sensing this is where I could gain some perspective about my business, I accepted the invitation.
My first meeting had me sitting around a boardroom table with owners of eight other kitchen and bath businesses from different geographical areas. The format was simple: sharing information, issues and challenges, and poring over each other’s financial statements.
I arrived at this meeting confident, perhaps even a bit cocky; I knew my numbers. The feeling didn’t last. My peers were starting to ask rapid-fire questions about the financials. I found myself struggling to provide satisfactory answers. Embarrassment and insecurity quickly replaced confidence.
That experience taught me several things. Primarily, I need to spend more time with the financials to understand the relationship between the numbers and the information revealed, and that most kitchen and bath dealers/owners don’t fully understand the importance of their financial statements. The latter is because most have grown up on the design and selling side of the business.
As a business owner, it’s critical to comprehend and own the financial side of the business; otherwise, you may never realize the company’s full income and profit potential. While accountants and bookkeepers play an essential role, it’s the role of owners to learn the meaning of these financial statements and determine what should be done to improve company performance.
So, a little primary education in this arena will set the stage for understanding the crucial values derived from knowing what your financial statements are saying about the state of your business.
The Difference in Financial Statements
Financial statements are divided into three categories: Income Statement (also known as a Profit and Loss Statement), Balance Sheet and a Cash Flow Statement.
An Income Statement measures your company’s financial performance in the current year. It’s measured by how much revenue (sales) has been recorded versus how many expenses have been incurred to generate that revenue level; the difference – revenue minus expenses – is called Net Profit.
A Balance Sheet measures your company’s cumulative performance since the inception of the business. It’s measured by how many assets you have acquired over these years minus the liabilities incurred in the process; the difference (Assets – Liabilities) is called Net Worth. The net worth is derived from several components: initial capital, retained earnings and the current year’s net profit, which is the common link between the Income Statement and the Balance Sheet in any given year.
Cash Flow Statements provide a summary of how cash enters and leaves the company. It measures how well a business manages its cash. Cash is king. Cash is the lifeblood of any business, and how well it’s being managed needs to be documented.
Cash and Accrual Accounting
There is a significant difference between cash and accrual accounting, and not knowing the difference and its impact on a business can lead to severe consequences. The main difference between the two types of accounting is when revenue and expenses are recognized and recorded.
Cash Accounting records revenue when cash is received. A 50% down payment on a newly signed kitchen would show up as revenue on the income statement. With no expenses to record yet, the financials could reveal a sizable net profit. The pitfall for this kind of accounting is that it might overstate the health of the business. Under this scenario, the company could be cash-rich, lulling the owner into a false illusion that the business is profitable when in reality, the business may be losing money.
Accrual Accounting recognizes and records revenue when it is earned. Revenue recognized upon delivery of a product or service aligns with the associated expenses and services provided.
The accrual method provides a more accurate picture of the business’s overall health by including all revenue when earned and all expenses when incurred. This more accurate financial data places an owner in a better position to make sound business decisions and limits the risk of overpaying taxes.
Managing by Percentages
Managing a business by reviewing and looking at strictly numbers can be challenging. It can be easy to overlook a change in revenue or an increase in expenses when focused primarily on the numbers – or, worse, not knowing what the numbers mean. It also makes it difficult to compare one financial statement to another or understand the changes occurring over time.
A more straightforward method to manage is inserting a column into a financial statement where any line item amount is expressed as a percentage of the overall net revenue. Total revenue is listed as 100%, and cost of goods, gross profit and all other line items are expressed as a percent of the total revenue. This method makes it easier to analyze the performance of a business over time and compare it with peers or industry benchmarks.
Benefits of Knowing Your Financials
Your financials tell a story about your business, what is occurring at the moment, and a telling tale about your organization’s history. It’s important to be adept in reading, interpreting and using your financial statements as a guide to making wise business decisions.
There are many benefits to being financially savvy. First, you can protect yourself from possible embezzlement. Placing all your trust in a bookkeeper without having financial know-how creates exposure that is often hard to overcome.
Second, you can better measure your financial performance against others in a group, identifying weaknesses where your business can improve. Third, you can ask better questions of professionals so you can secure better advice. Fourth, you can set more intelligent and realistic goals. Fifth, you can furnish more confident leadership, attracting and retaining quality personnel. And sixth, knowing the financials like you know the designing of kitchens can make you a lot more profit!
Commit to gain a deeper financial understanding of your business. Invest in yourself to learn the financials, and the story conveyed. Financial knowledge comes with reward – realizing the full profit potential of the business and leveraging it appropriately. 
Dan Luck owns Bella Domicile in Madison, WI. He has been an SEN Member since 2002 and has led the SEN Leadership Team since 2018. Visit sendesigngroup/education for more information. Dan welcomes
questions and comments at [email protected].
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Homeowners Seeking Functionality, Style
NEWPORT NEWS, VA — As the nation approaches the year-and-a-half mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, homeowners continue to reevaluate their living spaces, “with many looking for ways to put the ‘home’ back in a more functional house.”
That’s the key conclusion of a major new consumer survey conducted by Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery in an effort to better understand how the global public-health crisis impacted trends in home renovation and updates. The survey, fielded this spring on behalf of Ferguson by G&S Business Communications, involved some 1,100 U.S. adults aged 18+, according to the Newport News, VA-based distributor of plumbing, lighting and related products.
The Ferguson survey, whose results were released in July, found that 64% of Americans made an update of some kind to their home, or to a room in their home, during the pandemic. The most popular reasons for the update included being tired of the home’s current style (34%) and needing to make changes for better functionality (32%), Ferguson reported.
The kitchen (47%) and the bathroom (44%) were the top choices when it comes to specific areas of the home people would want to redesign or upgrade based on spending more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. A growing number of Americans say they would want to redesign or upgrade their outdoor space (30% in 2021 compared to 23% in 2020), Ferguson reported.
Interestingly, the room people spent the most amount of time in last year compared to previous years was the living room (50%), with 33% of Americans working from home in their living rooms during the pandemic. A third (33%) spent more time in their bedrooms and nearly a third (32%) spent more time in the kitchen. Younger generations were more likely than older generations to say they spent more time in the bedroom and bathroom, but just as likely to say they spend more time in the living room.
“There are likely a number of reasons why the living room grew in importance over the past year, since it was used as a gathering place during quarantine, for home schooling and other activities,” Ferguson reported. “We may also see this trend, in part, because people who work from home often set up their workstation in their living rooms.”
Just over a third of respondents (34%) said they started working from home during the pandemic, Ferguson said. Within this group, a third said they have been working in the living room and a third have been working from an existing office, the company added.
Among other survey findings:
- Among those who started working from home during the pandemic, 62% made changes to their lighting in their home office space. Americans prioritized functionality over aesthetics when changing lighting in these spaces. Twenty-eight percent changed their lighting to see their work/computer better, and 22% changed their lighting to look better on video.
- Americans also spruced up their office space in general during the pandemic, creating a more multifunctional space. Eleven percent put a coffee maker in their office and 10% installed a refrigerator to hold coffee creamer, water and other beverages for easy access.
- Nearly half of Americans say they would buy smart home products to make their lives easier (49%), while others say they would buy them to save time (32%) or to improve the energy efficiency of their home (31%).
- As an example of the desire for convenience and hygiene, 41% of surveyed Americans say they would like touchless faucets in their home. Almost a third (32%) would like a refrigerator that notifies them when the door has been left open. And although bidets haven’t traditionally been standard in America, 17% of Americans say they would like a bidet in their bathroom and 26% would like a bidet seat. A quarter (25%) said they want a smart toilet. Younger generations, not surprisingly, are likely to want these products and features (see graph above).
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