Multifamily developers and their AEC project teams are adopting new kitchen + bath products and systems for the first time, according to early results from our inaugural MULTIFAMILY Design+Construction Kitchen+Bath Survey 2022.
To take the survey – with a chance to win one of 10 $50 debit cards – go to MFDC K+B Survey. To be qualified to participate, your company must be actively involved in multifamily design, development, or construction, and you must give your name, company name, and email, at the end of the survey.
NEW SPECS: FROM 'HANDS-FREE FAUCETS' TO 'MOBILE KITCHEN ISLANDS'
We asked: "What new Kitchen + Bath amenity (or amenities) have you used for the first time in the last 12-24 months? Please specify (including brand and model, if applicable.)"
More than half of the initial respondents said they had taken the plunge, despite the long-standing belief that the construction industry is reluctant to try anything new, Among the kitchen + bath products they had greenlighted for the first time in their multifamily projects:
- Hands-free faucets
- Lighted mirrors
- Trough-drain ADA shower pans
- Radiant-heated ceiling panels
- Under-counter wine/beverage coolers
- Rain shower bath faucets
- ADA-compliant shower panels
- Icemakers (not in refrigerator)
- Pull-out trash/recycling cabinets
- Standalone tubs
- Under-counter microwaves
- Soaking tubs (for penthouse applications)
- Panel shower systems
- Steam showers
- Mobile kitchen islands
FIRST-TIME KITCHEN PRODUCTS
Respondents got brand specific in detailing what new products they were using for the first time. One reported using Foremost Lagoon semi-frameless sliding shower doors, which come in 60-inch wide X 76-inch high configuration with a silver look.
Induction cooktops, which are gaining popularity among multifamily specifiers who want to go all-electric in their projects, were also mentioned.
The Frigidaire Gallery Series slide-in induction range with front controls earned praise from this respondent: "Creates a clean, modern look for a minimal cost increase."
Quartz countertops were a new adoption for one respondent. Here's an example:
Pulldown spring faucets – which are growing in popularity among renters and condo owners for their ease of use – were the choice of one respondent. American Standard is one manufacturer of such devices.
Yet another respondent liked the "low-flow accelerator" aspect of faucets from manufacturer Brizo.
Samsung appliances were a new choice for one specifier. Here's an example of the manufacturer's appliance line.
In a separate report, on supply chain problems caused by the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine – "Specifiers ask: Where are all the refrigerators?" – multifamily developers and AEC teams bemoaned the difficulty of getting deliveries not only of refrigerators and other appliances, but also cabinetry.
One respondent was happy to be able to obtain cabinets from manufacturer Advanta.
FIRST-TIME BATHROOM PRODUCTS
Moving into the bath area, respondents said they were specifying new faucets and tub/shower systems.
"Black matte on plumbing fixtures" was the preferred style of one specifier. Here's an example:
One respondent expressed satisfaction with the choice of this shower base, from Mincey Marble.
Tub/shower surrounds from Aquawall were noted by this respondent: "Panel system for tub and shower surrounds that offer a tiled look.:
WASHER/DRYER COMBO FROM BEKO
Beko appliances won kudos from a survey respondent. Here's a Beko washer/dryer installation.
TAKE THE SURVEY, ENTER FOR A CHANCE AT A $50 DEBIT CARD
Join these early respondents and let us know what kitchen + bath products you're using for the first time, which ones you're having trouble getting, and what K+B products you're using on a regular basis – all valuable information to serve the $106 billion U.S. Multifamily design and construction sector.
To take the survey – with a chance to win one of 10 $50 debit cards – go to MFDC K+B Survey.
Related Stories
| Dec 17, 2010
Toronto church converted for condos and shopping
Reserve Properties is transforming a 20th-century church into Bellefair Kew Beach Residences, a residential/retail complex in The Beach neighborhood of Toronto. Local architecture firm RAWdesign adapted the late Gothic-style church into a five-story condominium with 23 one- and two-bedroom units, including two-story penthouse suites. Six three-story townhouses also will be incorporated. The project will afford residents views of nearby Kew Gardens and Lake Ontario. One façade of the church was updated for retail shops.
| Dec 7, 2010
Prospects for multifamily sector improve greatly
The multifamily sector is showing signs of a real recovery, with nearly 22,000 new apartment units delivered to the market. Net absorption in the third quarter surged by 94,000 units, dropping the national vacancy rate from 7.8% to 7.1%, one of the largest quarterly drops on record, and rents increased for the second quarter in a row.
| Nov 3, 2010
Senior housing will be affordable, sustainable
Horizons at Morgan Hill, a 49-unit affordable senior housing community in Morgan Hill, Calif., was designed by KTGY Group and developed by Urban Housing Communities. The $21.2 million, three-story building will offer 36 one-bed/bath units (773 sf) and 13 two-bed/bath units (1,025 sf) on a 2.6-acre site.
| Nov 3, 2010
Rotating atriums give Riyadh’s first Hilton an unusual twist
Goettsch Partners, in collaboration with Omrania & Associates (architect of record) and David Wrenn Interiors (interior designer), is serving as design architect for the five-star, 900-key Hilton Riyadh.
| Nov 1, 2010
Sustainable, mixed-income housing to revitalize community
The $41 million Arlington Grove mixed-use development in St. Louis is viewed as a major step in revitalizing the community. Developed by McCormack Baron Salazar with KAI Design & Build (architect, MEP, GC), the project will add 112 new and renovated mixed-income rental units (market rate, low-income, and public housing) totaling 162,000 sf, plus 5,000 sf of commercial/retail space.
| Nov 1, 2010
Vancouver’s former Olympic Village shoots for Gold
The first tenants of the Millennium Water development in Vancouver, B.C., were Olympic athletes competing in the 2010 Winter Games. Now the former Olympic Village, located on a 17-acre brownfield site, is being transformed into a residential neighborhood targeting LEED ND Gold. The buildings are expected to consume 30-70% less energy than comparable structures.
| Oct 13, 2010
Apartment complex will offer affordable green housing
Urban Housing Communities, KTGY Group, and the City of Big Bear Lake (Calif.) Improvement Agency are collaborating on The Crossings at Big Bear Lake, the first apartment complex in the city to offer residents affordable, eco-friendly homes. KTGY designed 28 two-bedroom, two-story townhomes and 14 three-bedroom, single-story flats, averaging 1,100 sf each.
| Oct 13, 2010
Residences bring students, faculty together in the Middle East
A new residence complex is in design for United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain, UAE, near Abu Dhabi. Plans for the 120-acre mixed-use development include 710 clustered townhomes and apartments for students and faculty and common areas for community activities.
| Oct 13, 2010
Community center under way in NYC seeks LEED Platinum
A curving, 550-foot-long glass arcade dubbed the “Wall of Light” is the standout architectural and sustainable feature of the Battery Park City Community Center, a 60,000-sf complex located in a two-tower residential Lower Manhattan complex. Hanrahan Meyers Architects designed the glass arcade to act as a passive energy system, bringing natural light into all interior spaces.
| Oct 12, 2010
The Watch Factory, Waltham, Mass.
27th Annual Reconstruction Awards — Gold Award. When the Boston Watch Company opened its factory in 1854 on the banks of the Charles River in Waltham, Mass., the area was far enough away from the dust, dirt, and grime of Boston to safely assemble delicate watch parts.
