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
| Aug 11, 2010
Sustainable features central to independent-living building
Architecture firm Perkins Eastman, together with Saint Johns on the Lake retirement community, plans to open a 21-story, 88-unit independent-living building for seniors by mid 2011. When the $46-million project is complete, it will offer residents a streetside café, art gallery, spa and wellness center, classroom, and community performance space.
| Aug 11, 2010
Historic building to be restored in Kansas City
Construction has begun on the conversion of the historic 17-story Home Savings Association building in Kansas City, Mo. The transformed structure, to be known as Grand Boulevard Lofts, will house 134 apartment units. The $18-million project, designed by architect Rosemann & Associates, follows a revitalization of downtown Kansas City, where there is high demand for affordable housing to ser...
| Aug 11, 2010
Old factory converted from hearth to home
A former briquette factory in Cologne-Frechen, Germany, was converted into a mixed-use building by Astoc Architects & Planners, Cologne, in association with Rheinischen Amt für Denkmalpflege—the Rhenish agency for historic preservation. The roughly 172,200-sf building includes a mix of residential condominiums, lofts, and leased commercial space.
| Aug 11, 2010
And the world's tallest building is…
At more than 2,600 feet high, the Burj Dubai (right) can still lay claim to the title of world's tallest building—although like all other super-tall buildings, its exact height will have to be recalculated now that the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) announced a change to its height criteria.
| Aug 11, 2010
Luxury high-rise meets major milestone
A topping off ceremony was held in late October for 400 Fifth Avenue, a 57,000-sf high-rise that includes a 214-room luxury hotel and 190 high-end residential condominiums. Developed by Bizzi & Partners Development and designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects, the 60-story tower in midtown Manhattan sits atop a smaller-scale 10-story base, which creates a street façade t...
| Aug 11, 2010
Mixed-use Seattle high-rise earns LEED Gold
Seattle’s 2201 Westlake development became the city’s first mixed-use and high-rise residential project to earn LEED Gold. Located in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood, the newly completed 450,000-sf complex includes 300,000 sf of Class A office space, 135 luxury condominiums (known as Enso), and 25,000 sf of retail space.
| Aug 11, 2010
Triangular tower targets travelers
Chicago-based Goettsch Partners is designing a new mixed-use high-rise for the Chinese city of Dalian, located on the Yellow Sea coast. Developed by Hong Kong-based China Resources Land Limited, the tower will have almost 1.1 million sf, which includes a 377-room Grand Hyatt hotel, 84 apartments, three restaurants, banquet space, and a spa and fitness center.
| Aug 11, 2010
Brooklyn's tallest building reaches 514 feet
With the Brooklyner now topped off, the 514-foot-high apartment tower is Brooklyn's tallest building. Designed by New York-based Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel Architects and developed by The Clarett Group, the soaring 51-story tower is constructed of cast-in-place concrete and clad with window walls and decorative metal panels.
| Aug 11, 2010
RMJM unveils design details for $1B green development in Turkey
RMJM has unveiled the design for the $1 billion Varyap Meridian development it is master planning in Istanbul, Turkey's Atasehir district, a new residential and business district. Set on a highly visible site that features panoramic views stretching from the Bosporus Strait in the west to the Sea of Marmara to the south, the 372,000-square-meter development includes a 60-story tower, 1,500 resi...
| Aug 11, 2010
'Feebate' program to reward green buildings in Portland, Ore.
Officials in Portland, Ore., have proposed a green building incentive program that would be the first of its kind in the U.S. Under the program, new commercial buildings, 20,000 sf or larger, that meet Oregon's state building code would be assessed a fee by the city of up to $3.46/sf. The fee would be waived for buildings that achieve LEED Silver certification from the U.
