What’s next in the world of home renovation and kitchen and bath design? The House of Rohl has been wondering the exact same question, and now with a bit of recently released research, they have some answers in the form of insights and trends spotted in the numbers.
While this past year saw homes reopening and people using their spaces for a variety of means, House of Rohl found that there was a continued interest in home renovations, in particular: kitchens and baths. More than one in three (36%) respondents said they plan to update their kitchen or bathroom(s) this year or early next year. Meanwhile 44% with a combined household income of at least $150K plan to update one of these rooms.
These insights detail the three overarching trends depicting how the past year transformed how people interact with their homes:
Both Home Entertaining and Relaxation Are Key Drivers
The fact that homes are opening up again means people want them to look, and function, properly for guests. This, in turn, is driving up the interest in renovations. In fact, half of respondents want to renovate their homes with guest entertaining in mind with it increase to 73% for respondents with a combined household income of at least $150K.
At the same time, people want to be able to have a place they feel functions as a sanctuary, 70% to be exact. For many, that means building out the bathroom. A total of half of all respondents say they want their bathrooms to feel like a personal spa.
“We know that many people took time to update their personal spaces while at home this past year, and this new data allows us to further shed light onto the importance of the home sanctuary,” said Eveline Simard, principal industrial designer for House of Rohl. “While we look forward to gatherings, we still want to return to that escape. This is true even in the bathroom.”
Homeowners Are Willing to Invest in an Elevated Experience
All these renovations aren’t just for guests, however. Fifty-seven percent of respondents have admitted that all that time spent at home has shown them the value of a good home experience. One in two have already identified areas for improvement in this way, and 47% are willing to spend a little bit extra that they would have in the past to get that more lavish home space.
“As consumers spent time indoors, they have experienced firsthand the importance of the home and are now willing to transform their space to reflect a need for a more stylized residence,” said Simard. “The motivation to renovate in this manner, and with a higher budget, likely means we will be seeing consumers choose higher quality materials, enlist the help of an interior designer or opt for luxury brands.”
A Lasting Impact on Style
A majority (58%) of respondents agree that, they now want their kitchen and bathrooms to showcase their personal style. This leads to 63% saying they are more likely to select bathroom fixtures if they can personalize them.
Nearly two thirds (61%) of respondents agree that they want to bring more warm and relaxing colors into their spaces to help inspire relaxation. Meanwhile, almost half (45%) stated that they have begun prioritizing outdoor elements into spaces to double down on a relaxing environment.
Fifty-three percent have also said they would consider purchasing motion-activated or hands-free faucet options to help reduce the spread of germs, which highlights consumer need for health and wellness properties. This increases to more than three-quarters (76%) for respondents with a combined household income of at least $150K.
Methodology
House of Rohl conducted its interior design survey between May 25 – May 28, 2021, with a sample of 1,016 U.S. respondents.
Another version of this article previously appeared in KBB Online.