Due to the tough economic environment, some high end kitchen and bath products and designers have begun to lose some of their appeal to consumers. Other design elements and products have remained solid, however, and even gained in popularity despite the economic downturn. According to the American Institute of Architects, there has been a gaining interest in two fields in particular, the designs and products related to increasing accessibility throughout the home (universal design) and sustainability designs and products. These two segments highlight excellent areas for companies and designers to target in order to continue to produce popular, high end products and services for the home.

Compared to a year ago, architects are seeing the rate of growth decline in the number of new kitchens people are renovating and redesigning, yet some features still remain very popular. Pantry space is just as popular as it was a year ago according to the AIA survey, and spaces for electronics in the kitchen (such as computers, cell phones, wireless devices etc) are also sustaining their popularity. Radiant heated floor systems, doorless showers and hand showers are also reporting gains in the marketplace. In addition to the before mentioned areas, renovations and designs that are able to combine the kitchen with a communal area such as a family room, are also remaining popular.

Architects are also reporting that there are an increasing number of people who are purchasing architecture remodels and new interior designs that cater to the “Baby Boomer” crowd that would like to continue to live in luxury and live in style, but would like to do so while making it easier to get around their house, have more functional spaces for their special needs etc. This is an interesting segment, as they are accustomed to living in luxury amongst style, which is why we agree that they should want to also “Age in Style”.

Because of the continuing growth of the “Green” movement many home owners are also spending their home improvement dollars on sustainable solutions for their home. Things such as water saving toilets, water filtration systems, spaces designed for recycling within the kitchen and recycled or sustainable building materials for kitchen countertops and flooring are also remaining very popular.

Although new requests for new projects as a whole are falling sharply, there are some glimmers of hope found within this data. There are a number of places that are holding a consistent amount of growth, and even a few areas that are increasing in popularity. If there was ever a time to decide to go in a new direction with your products or services, now is the time and sustainability seems to be the direction. Designers and manufacturers that are able to gain in these markets will no doubt come out of this economic downturn with a new and larger market share. These companies will be stronger than those that miss these opportunities in the future when the number of people purchasing their products and services begins to build again.

To read the full AIA report click here: AIA REPORT