The Changing American Home

Kitchen and bath clients – in the wake of COVID-19 – are increasingly viewing their home as a sanctuary and a shelter that reflects their heightened focus on the impact of interior living spaces on

At the same time, homeowners are reportedly spending more time at home than prior to the pandemic, while investing in a widening array of sustainable, health-related products and features inside and outside the kitchen and bathroom – a reflection of post-COVID attitudes, lifestyles and household compositions, as well as a growing desire for flexible, multi-purpose residential spaces.

Those are among the key findings of a nationwide survey of kitchen and bath design professionals conducted by Kitchen & Bath Design News in conjunction with its exclusive research partner, the Research Institute for Kitchen & Cooking Intelligence (RICKI). The survey, which was fielded in May among 300+ dealers and designers, was aimed at assessing how kitchen and bathroom design, along with homeowner lifestyles, product preferences and design needs, have changed in the wake of COVID-19.

According to the findings of the online poll, 63% of surveyed dealers and designers say that their clients are looking more than ever to their home as a sanctuary that provides them with an all-important sense of physical and mental health and wellness. In contrast, only 7% of survey respondents say their clients view their home as less of a sanctuary now than before the pandemic, while 30% say they believe their clients view their home about the same now as pre-COVID.

Two in three of those surveyed report their clients are generally spending more time at home now than before the pandemic. A sizable percentage say their clients, in general, are more environmentally conscious in the wake of COVID, and are casting an eye toward a wealth of sustainable products and design options in their home.

More than half of those surveyed (53%) also say that more attention is currently being paid to kitchens than before the pandemic, while a majority (57%) report that the kitchens they’re designing have increased in square footage, and 60% say their clients are willing to invest more in their kitchens than before the pandemic.

By comparison, only 42% of the dealers and designers surveyed say that more client attention is currently being paid to bathrooms compared to pre-COVID, while 55% say that about the same amount of attention is being paid to bathrooms. Two in five (42%) report that bathrooms have increased in size in the wake of the pandemic, while 56% say that the bathrooms they design are about the same size. In a similar vein, about half of the survey’s respondents say that bathroom spending has increased in the wake of the pandemic, while 42% say it has remained about the same, and only 6% say it has declined.

Home offices, followed by outdoor living spaces, laundry areas, smart phone/mobile device charging stations, and mudrooms are reported by surveyed dealers and designers to be the leading other-room projects rising in demand in the wake of COVID (see Figure 1, above).

Products seeing the greatest increases in client requests include organizational features, universal design/aging-in-place elements, smart/WiFi-connected products, outdoor kitchens and hands-free products (see Figure 2).

Some three in five (59%) of those surveyed report seeing higher interest in accessibility and aging-in-place projects, while 43% report higher interest in second (vacation) homes, and 37% say they are seeing a rise in multi-generational living arrangements (see Figure 3).

Among the survey’s other key findings:

Coffee bars, larger countertops and islands with flexible functionality, beverage refrigerators and walk-in pantries lead the list of kitchen features that clients have shown increased interest in lately, surveyed design pros report (see Figure 4).

Large showers, freestanding soaking tubs, grab bars, multiple showerheads and walk-in closets, and easy accessibility (for example, doorless zero-clearance entries to showers) are among the bathroom features exhibiting a recent spike in interest (see Figure 5).

More clients are interested in the idea of an integrated, smart-home experience and internet-connected home devices now than before the pandemic. Among the smart-home elements seeing the highest interest are remote (smartphone) apps, energy-conservation technology, tech-enabled appliances and voice controls, especially for lighting, heating/cooling, home security and appliances.

LED lighting and energy-efficient appliances top the list of environmentally beneficial products seeing increased interest on the part of homeowners. Low-E windows and doors, VOC-free paints and voice-command products are also growing in interest among clients, dealers and designers told KBDN.

Open-floor plans or flexible wall systems aimed at connecting adjacent living spaces and creating a sense of openness remain a far more popular type of layout than closed floor plans that provide for privacy or separate living spaces, design pros report.

Warm, earthy, muted colors and light wood tones are, far and away, the most-requested kitchen and bath color schemes, followed by white/gray and organic neutrals. ▪

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