KCMA survey shows decrease in cabinet sales for August

Overall cabinet sales for August decreased 1.7 percent compared to sales for August 2009, according to the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) monthly Trend of Business Survey.The survey also found that stock cabinet sales decreased 5.6 percent, custom sales decreased 10.9 percent and semi-custom sales rose 4.3 percent. The year-to-date cabinet sales numbers showed a decrease of 1 percent, with stock sales down 2 percent, custom sales down 14.3 percent and semi-custom sales up 3.1 percent.KCMA survey participants include stock, semi-custom and custom companies whose combined sales represent over 50 percent of the U.S. cabinet market.

KCMA survey shows drop in cabinet sales for July

Cabinet sales for July 2010 decreased 5.9 percent compared to sales for July 2009, according to the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association monthly Trend of Business Survey.
The survey also found that stock cabinet sales fell 4.4 percent, semi-custom sales fell 4.2 percent and custom sales fell 19.9 percent. The year-to-date sales show a decrease of 0.9 percent, with stock sales down 1.5 percent, custom sales down 14.7 percent and semi-custom sales up 2.9 percent. Survey participants included stock, semi-custom and custom companies whose combined sales represent more than 50 percent of the U.S. cabinet market.

US cabinet demand to reach $15.2B in 2014

U.S. demand for cabinets is forecast to expand 7.4 percent per year to $15.2 billion by 2014, according to a recent study from The Freedonia Group Inc.
Gains will be spurred by a rebound in housing completions from the depressed levels of 2009. Although housing completions will remain below the level reached at their cyclical peak in 2006, the expected recovery may fuel gains in the residential cabinet market through 2014.
The residential market is expected to account for more than 90 percent of the approximately $4.5 billion increase in overall total cabinet demand through 2014.
New housing is forecast to boast the most rapid increases in cabinet demand through 2014, and the improvement and repair segment will account for the majority of residential demand.
Kitchen cabinets, which represented 80 percent of cabinet demand in 2009, are expected to lead advances through 2014, rising 7.8 percent per year. Growth is also expected to be supported by design trends calling for homes with more and larger-sized cabinets to store food products and kitchen equipment. Demand for bathroom cabinets is forecast to grow 6.9 percent per year through 2014.
Demand for other cabinets, such as those found in offices, home entertainment centers, laundry and mudrooms, garages and other areas, is expected to rise 3.8 percent annually.
During the same period, demand for cabinets in the nonresidential building market is anticipated to rise 2.8 percent annually.

Glitzy out, functional in

Without the large appreciation in home values between 1995 and 2005, kitchen and bathroom design has become more modest. Meanwhile, residential architects are continuing to report declining business conditions, according to the American Institute of Architects Home Design Trends Survey for the fourth quarter of 2009. The survey focused on kitchen and bathrooms.
This survey indicated that functionality is now preferred to more and larger kitchens and bathrooms in U.S. homes. Households are planning more importance on products that promote energy efficiency. Products that are adaptable in the use of space for seniors and people with accessibility concerns are also becoming more important.
Overall, homes continue to be smaller on average than they were during the past 10 years, says Kermit Baker, AIA chief economist. "But since kitchens remain the nerve center of the home, doing more with less space is a key consideration. "Integrating kitchens with family space remains a design priority."
Baker says that homeowners want areas devoted to recycling, pantries, computer workstations and spaces devoted to recharging cell phones and PDAs. The most popular kitchen products and features in the most recent survey were: recycling center (52 percent); larger pantry space (47 percent); renewable flooring materials (46 percent); renewable countertop materials (46 percent) and computer area/recharging stations (43 percent).
In the bathroom, Baker says that homeowners are moving away from glitzy features such as steam showers and towel warming drawers/racks and instead are looking for water-saving toilets, radiant heated flooring and LED lighting options. Popular bathroom features included water-saving toilets (63 percent); radiant heated floors (52 percent); and accessibility/universal design (50 percent).
Although it is too early to think that the residential market has fully recovered, there are two encouraging signs in the survey. Overall business conditions are far better than they were a year ago at this time, and there is improvement in those housing sectors that need to lead a broader improvement in the housing market: remodeling and alterations of existing homes. Both segments were reported to be growing.

NKBA unveils 2010 kitchen, bath trends

Even though the economy is sputtering, kitchen and bathrooms continue to be rooms that homeowners want to trick out, update or gut. Here’s what the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is predicting for 2010 kitchen and bath trends based on surveys from its members.

Traditional is cool again. Traditional is the most popular kitchen design style but contemporary isn’t far behind. Shaker cabinets are experiencing a strong resurgence and neutral tones are favored. Shades of white and off-whites are the most popular kitchen colors and brown, beige and bone hues are also finding favor.

Cherry rules. Cherry is the most popular wood for kitchen cabinetry followed by maple and alder is also gaining ground. For finishes, medium natural, dark natural, glazed and white painted are preferred. Other colors of painted cabinetry and light natural finishes are in decline including distressed finishes.

Tile trumps wood. Ceramic, porcelain tiles and natural stone remain popular for kitchen floors. As for countertops granite is still the most favored, edging out quartz. For backsplashes, ceramic, porcelain tile and glass are most wanted.

Cabinet trends. When pitching a new kitchen design, here are a few options to mention: under counter refrigeration and dishwasher in a drawer. Both will require special cabinetry and electrical and plumbing considerations.

Bathrooms

Traditional beats edgy. Maybe it’s the economy or maybe people don’t want industrial looking bathrooms anymore. Traditional is the most popular design style for 2010 with a neutral color scheme.

Hard surface flooring. Ceramic and porcelain tile is the dominate flooring material for bathrooms this year including natural stone. For vanity tops granite is king but quartz and marble are also popular options.

Cabinet sales decrease 25.1% in Oct.

Cabinet sales for October 2009 decreased 25.1 percent compared to sales for October 2008, according to participating members in the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association monthly Trend of Business Survey.
Stock cabinet sales decreased 23 percent, semi-custom sales decreased 25.9 percent and custom sales decreased 31.3 percent.
The year-to-date sales show a decrease of 30.2 percent, with stock sales down 25.6 percent, semi-custom sales down 32.9 percent and custom sales down 37.2 percent.
Survey participants include stock, semi-custom and custom companies whose combined sales represent over 50 percent of the U.S. cabinet market.

Are you more talented than a 12th grader?

Before you answer, check out the 2009 Veneer Tech Craftsman’s Challenge Woodworking Competition Grand Prize winner (see above), Andrew Prioli, a graduating high school senior in a WoodLINKS program at Cedar Ridge High School, Hillsborough, N.C. Prioli earned the top honor and $3,000 for “Inverurie,” a walnut dining room table with inlays of curly maple, cocobolo, maple burl and walnut burl veneers depicting three stallions and Celtic knots. Certainly Wood, distributor for the project, received a cash award of $2,000, and salesman Jim Carroll received $1,000, in recognition of their participation in the supply chain.
“We were very impressed with the caliber of the student work. They gave the pros a real run for the money,” says Will Sampson, editor-in-chief of CabinetMaker magazine, one of three judges for this year’s competition that rewards excellence in woodwork featuring natural veneer and wood product applications. “This speaks well for the future of the industry. We all should be looking over our shoulders at the up and coming talent.”
Prioli is headed to the Rhode Island School of Design in the fall aiming to be a furniture design major. He also was a 2008 Craftsman’s Challenge honorable mention winner in the Student Designs category.
This year’s competition category winners, each receiving $1,000, are:

*Architectural Woodworking, Fetzer Architectural Woodwork, Salt Lake City, for the Alice Tully Hall at the Julliard School of Music, designed by Diller, Scofidio & Renfro
*Cabinetry, Paul and Robin Mann of Paul Mann Custom Boats, Manns Harbor, N.C., for the sportfish yacht, Ann Warrick
*Furniture, John W. Harper of EMC Woodworking, Phoenix, for “Office Piece;” in Specialty Items, for the second year in a row, Geoffrey Kaiser aka Tockhwock, and Bruce Grimes, Santa Rosa, Calif, for “Sunset on the Aegean,” a reproducing grand piano
*Store Fixtures, Mark Ramsey of Tahiti Cabinets Inc., Anaheim, Calif., for “Something Silver;”
*Student Designs, Michael Poorman, Appalachian State University, Boone, N.C., for the dinner table “A Poor Man’s Legacy.”
*Honorable Mention, In recognition of his striking use of marquetry, Chuck Sharbaugh of Sharbaugh Woodwork, Holly, Mich, received a special judges’ plaque for his furniture entry, a standing cabinet titled “Tribute.”
The Veneer Tech Craftsman’s Challenge entries for 2010 will be accepted beginning September 30, 2009. The results of next year’s competition will be announced at the IWFshow in Atlanta, Ga. CabinetMaker+FDM magazine again will be Craftsman’s Challenge partner sponsor.

Eco-friendly elegance rewarded

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry awarded Superior Woodcraft Inc. 2009 Contractor of the Year in the category Residential Interior Under $100,000.
The library is an exquisite blend of luxury and sustainability. The project used ESP-certified (KCMA Environmental Stewardship Program) custom cabinetry from plantation grown lyptus (a highly renewable hardwood), domestic core no-added urea formaldehyde plywood, rapidly renewable cork paneling, low VOC finishes, as well as products and processes recognized and approved by the Forest Stewardship Council.
This green modern media room has all the trappings of a traditional library including wainscot paneling, cabinetry, and a coffered ceiling, which seamlessly integrates with state-of-the-art media. The contest was judged by an independent panel of industry experts who looked at functionality, problem solving, aesthetics, craftsmanship, innovation and degree of difficulty.

The Ferrari of wine cellars

When a bottle of wine costs more than what many people make in a week, a cheap wire rack just won’t do.
Revel Custom Wine Cellars provides high-end collectors a new spin on displaying and storing prized wine collections. Uninspired by traditional diamond bins and standard cork out storage racks, owner, James Cash designed a system that makes the wine the star not the rack.
Revel’s design uses dowel-bottom sliding drawers and carousels, which creates airflow between bottles and reduces wood consumption. It also provides improved bottle visibility and ease of access. All shelves higher than eye level can be stocked with labels facing downward, allowing them to be seen from below.
Similar to kitchen cabinetry, the design uses base units and upper units. Each unit contains a series of sliding drawers that holds multiple bottles as opposed to a matrix of stationary, single-bottle cubicles. Revel’s base units can accommodate either individual bottles or boxes, and are 25 inches deep. Upper units can either be hung from the wall or stacked upon the base unit and are available in 17 inches or 25 inches deep.
The Wine Wheel available in a base-unit height or in a floor-to-ceiling model can accommodate up to 18 standard bottles and operates like a Lazy Susan. The Wine Wheel allows collectors working with limited space to make efficient use of corner space that would otherwise be wasted.

Super sneaky vacuum

I don’t mean a dog. But, if you have a dog, you know whatever food hits the floor will be “taken” care of. Think of the Vroom as a dog you never have to walk.

This sweet vacuum is hidden in a kitchen or bathroom cabinet and is ready to suck up your latest mess. I think I’m in love!
The Vroom features a 24-foot-long hose, and automatically turns on when the hose is pulled from the base and shuts off when it’s put back in place. It also has a built-in crevice tool for hard-to-reach messes and has more suction than handheld or upright vacuums.

Sustainable cabinetry options grow

While the environment and sustainability have taken a backseat to the economy and a potential global plague on the evening news, when it comes time to buy cabinetry or furniture consumers want green options. And manufacturers are listening.
Superior Woodcraft, a custom cabinet manufacturer announced all its products and processes have been certified by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association’s (KCMA) Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP). The ESP promotes the use of lumber from recognized forestry programs, such as the Forest Stewardship Council, and low formaldehyde-emitting wood products. Other features of the program include rewards to manufacturers who implement educational and community outreach programs, and the requirement that companies annually review environmental practices.
Certification is just the latest step in Superior Woodcraft’s environmental efforts, in 2004 the cabinetmaker partnered with the KCMA and The National Arbor Day Foundation to help plant 50,000 trees. The company partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in 2005 to support the Hardwood Forestry Fund by planting more than 19,000 trees in the Susquehannock State Forest.

Let the spin begin: K/BIS feels the heat

As the economy continues to challenge most industry sectors, trade shows and other marketing events are feeling the pain. The International Builders’ Show, (IBS), held in Las Vegas Jan. 20-23. reported an attendance drop of more than 90,000.
According to a statement released from the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference, (K/BIS), “As nearly all other industry shows have experienced a decline in exhibitors and attendees in recent years, false impressions have begun to spread about an equally steep reduction in numbers for K/BIS 2009. This is simply untrue.”
While the majority of the show’s large exhibitors are still scheduled to appear, the question remains will the attendees come?
To generate interest, the show is pulling out all the stops. This year’s show features a plethora of “celebrities.” The following “celebrities” are scheduled to appear:
“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’s” Paul DiMeo,
“This Old House’s” Richard Tretheway and Carole Fruehauf,
John Gidding of HGTV’s “Designed to Sell”,
Aida Mollenkamp of Food Network’s “Ask Aida”,
“The Young & the Restless’” Steve Ford (son of President Gerald Ford),
Presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee.
K/BIS also is offering a lineup of business speakers, including economist Terry Savage and “Green to Gold” author Andrew Winston, as well as Harry Gianetti, former Vice President of Thermador, BSH, Mills Pride, and Elica.
IBS and K/BIS have different core audiences. IBS attracts more builders and general contractors, while K/BIS appeals to custom builders and higher end designers who cater to a recession-resistant clientele. The show’s attendance will be down from last year, but it probably won’t be as much as IBS experienced.
K/BIS 2009 will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center, April 30 – May 3.

Eco-friendly, affordable custom cabinets

Designing a green kitchen doesn’t mean sacrificing style or breaking the bank.
Robin Wilson Home is licensing its name for a line of affordable, eco-friendly custom cabinetry made in the U.S.A. by Holiday Kitchens. The line will launch at the April 2009 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show in Atlanta. The eco-conscious line features more than 100 door styles in green materials, such as bamboo, coconut, wenge and stainless steel. Classic hardwoods like cherry, maple and oak also are available. The manufacturer uses low-volatile organic finishes, paints and stains, and the frameless custom cabinetry has 10 percent more usable storage space compared to traditional framed cabinetry, according to the company.
Another area to consider is how the cabinets are made. And it’s hard to not be impressed with Holiday Kitchen’s green manufacturing principles. According to the company, its manufacturing process uses computerized cutting methods to reduce waste and 100 percent of its wood waste is recycled into cutting boards, animal bedding and landscape materials. Its cabinet lines also use sustainable woods and reconstituted veneer.
I guess it is easy being green.