More than 80 percent of builders and architects surveyed in Professional Builder’s 2018 Kitchen and Bath survey either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that the kitchen is the most important room for marketing and selling new homes. It also is the space where three-quarters of respondents sold most of their upgrades.
The kitchen “is becoming a gathering area instead of just a functional area,” an Alabama custom home builder wrote. “More seating allows the kitchen to play its ole as the social forum of the home. Our society places a huge emphasis on socializing while we eat. That is becoming evident in the designs of our kitchens.”
Besides cooking and dining, the kitchen is the space for entertaining. It’s the talking area, kind of like the coffee shop, said an Ohio custom builder. Most survey participants said they either already have or plan to take their kitchens bigger, although increased kitchen size is a misconception, a Missouri builder/remodeler wrote,because opening walls to combine the kitchen with adjacent spaces gives the room the appearance of being larger.
Many respondents also indicated that the shower area in bathrooms has been or will be enlarged. Builders and architects are addressing accessibility and low-maintenance issues with grab bars, as well as walk-in, doorless, zero-threshold shower stalls. Custom and upscale home builders are looking at adding more spa-like features and custom tile, while an Ohio multifamily builder and some production home builders aim to eliminate tiling with modular shower stalls.
More insights about kitchen and bath features are in the charts that follow.
Advertisement
Related Stories
New-Home Sales
Mortgage Rates Are Up but New-Home Sales Still Solid in March
Lack of existing home inventory drove a rise in new-home sales, despite higher interest rates in March
Labor + Trade Relations
Who's Earning What in Construction
Workers in construction management roles may earn a higher median wage, but on average, lower-paid occupations have experienced somewhat faster wage growth
Build to Rent
Build-to-Rent Is Booming, Particularly in These Metros
A recent report finds that the Phoenix metro leads with more than 4,000 build-to-rent units completed in 2023, and Texas is the leading state for build-to-rent development