In case you didn’t get to the 2006 International Builders’ Show in Orlando in January or were otherwise occupied during this year’s Kitchen/Bath Industry Show in Chicago in April, you might not appreciate the fact that there’s a race to serve your slice of the business. Manufacturers are courting builders and buyers of the highest-end homes with building products that are bigger, better, faster, more colorful, more flexible, more you-name-it. That’s the impression I took away from these shows.
It was striking to see how consolidation and competition among appliance manufacturers have led them to fill gaps in the marketplace and to up the ante on existing products. Since stainless steel has trickled down to appliances with lower price points, for example, top-tier appliance makers have pushed to introduce new, more exclusive finishes to set their goods apart. So what’s the new stainless steel? Look for appliances in copper and bronze, and in titanium and platinum colors.
But appliance introductions went deeper than skin deep. Several manufacturers picked up on a trend that’s been growing among custom home designers and buyers recently—scattering small appliances throughout the house. They’ve embraced the appliance-in-a-drawer concept, adding new dishwasher, refrigerator, and microwave drawers to their lines. And there are now slim refrigerator towers—decoupled from the freezer—and wine storage towers that allow you to tuck one or more units in convenient places throughout the kitchen. Other upscale offerings include built-in espresso machines, laundry equipment that steams odors and wrinkles away, and—who’d believe it—whirlpool tubs for the family dog.
Speaking of whirlpools, clients can order them with standard jets or champagne bubbles, LED displays, mood lighting, aromatherapy, stereo systems—just about anything short of a servant to scrub their backs. They can outfit their tubs with faucets made with the world’s finest crystal or fashioned by one of the world’s top designers. If your clients prefer showers, no problem. They can be had with enough jets to soothe the sorest athlete. And even though the price of copper was approaching precious metal status last spring, it showed up in profusion in the form of basins, vessels, and tubs.
Of course, there was much, much more on display at these two shows. We’ll be showing you some of the good, the useful, the beautiful, and the over-the-top products we saw in this annual Product Showcase, as well in upcoming issues. So many of the product introductions were intended for the custom market that I don’t think we’ll run out any time soon. It appears that many manufacturers are gearing up to chase your segment of the housing market. So enjoy, because right now you’re it.
