Industry News

KBIS forecasts big jump in 2010 show attendance

International
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The annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) is just around the corner and attendee figures are showing a 40% increase over last year’s numbers during the same time period to date. Show producer Nielsen Expositions, say they anticipate nearly 35,000 people will attend this year’s KBIS event, which takes place at McCormick Place in Chicago from April 16-18, 2010.

“The numbers are pretty staggering at this point as our research shows that 67% of the attendees who are registered for KBIS 2010 did not participate last year,” said Brian Pagel, vice president of the Kitchen and Bath Group at Nielsen Expositions. “This has surpassed our expectations and has generated a lot of early buzz and excitement surrounding the show in Chicago this year.”

Certain areas of the industry appear to be leading the show’s attendance growth. For example, the number of architectural firms that have signed up to attend the show to date is 20% higher compared to 2009 figures. Design firms are up by 15% overall. Nielsen also anticipates nearly a 10% increase in the number of plumbing wholesalers and distributors at KBIS this year.

 

ARIDO announces changes to membership requirements

Canada
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The Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario (ARIDO) Board of Management has approved changes to its membership requirements. The new rules affect the years of education and experience necessary to become a Registered member of the Association and applies to all new candidates who join ARIDO. These changes bring the province in line with North American industry standards.

The new standards, which came into affect January 1, 2010, are the result of a number of external influences. One was last year's announcement by Canada's premiers that all professional regulators must provide full reciprocity among the provinces and territories. The announcement was part of an agreement on internal trade. In response, ARIDO held a number of meetings with interior design associations across the country to agree to common standards of education, experience and examination.

"ARIDO has always been seen to be a leader in establishing the benchmark for education and experience standards for the profession of interior design," says Deborah Rutherford, ARIDO president. "We are very proud of the fact that all provincial associations worked together this time to establish common standards coast to coast."

A second influence was the decision by the Council of Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) to require a four-year bachelor's degree as its minimum standard for accreditation, beginning in 2010. When CIDA first announced this move in 2004, ARIDO publicly stated that Ontario was not ready to follow. Since then, several interior design programs in Ontario have moved towards a higher standard of education and today six of 10 accredited schools offer four-year programs. As a result, ARIDO believes the industry is now ready to accept a bachelor's degree as the minimum standard in the province.

The final factor was the decision by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) in January 2008 to implement mandatory qualified work experience as a requirement to write its exam. Although work experience was made mandatory, NCIDQ did not mandate the Interior Design Experience Program (IDEP), which it administers, as a means to achieve qualified work experience. Since no other jurisdiction in North America currently mandates IDEP, ARIDO no longers require Intern members to complete it. ARIDO will instead require supervised experience without the need to log weekly hours with NCIDQ.

"ARIDO typically accepts approximately 125 new Intern members each year. As we evaluate these candidates, it is important to know that their qualifications and standards are evaluated based on standards that make sense for the profession. As interior design grows in prominence in the international marketplace, it becomes critically important for the Association to ensure its standards are at the right level in comparison to other countries and to other professions," says Susan Wiggins, executive director of ARIDO.

For more information about the new requirements, visit arido.ca arido.ca.

 

Danby acquires Microfridge

International
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Appliance marketing company, Danby Products, has acquired MicroFridge (Intirion Corporation) from Mac-Gray Corporation.

MicroFridge is best known for its refrigerator/freezer/microwave combinations which feature a power management system designed to protect against circuit overloads and a charging station. The products are marketed throughout the United States to colleges, hotels and motels, and assisted living facilities, as well as to the federal government for military housing.

"MicroFridge represents a natural complement to our extensive line-up of compact, specialty and home comfort appliances," said James E. Lightfoot, president of Danby Products. "Traditionally, our strength lies in offering innovative products that match consumers' lifestyles and are sold in retail markets in the United States and Canada. This acquisition enables us to increase our penetration of U.S. wholesale markets where MicroFridge is an established brand and recognized leader, including the academic, government, hospitality and office sectors."


Danby intends to maintain the MicroFridge brand, retain all current MicroFridge employees and maintain the corporate office at the MicroFridge facility in Walpole, Mass.


 

Two Canadians among NKBA’s 2010 Design Competition finalists

International
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The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has released the names of its 30 finalists in the 2010 NKBA Design Competition which honours the top three designs in each of 10 categories. This year’s finalists were among 550 entries.

Two Canadian designers have been named: Tim Scott in the Open Plan Kitchens category and Erica Westeroth for Powder Rooms. Both are based in Toronto.

Sponsored by Sub-Zero/Wolf, Miele, Daltile, This Old House, GE Monogram, Waypoint Living Spaces, and HGTVPro.com, the winning designs will be announced at the Design Competition Awards Luncheon on Friday, April 16, 2010 during the NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Click here for the complete list of finalists and categories.

 

Electrolux sets goal to be more sustainable by 2012

International
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As part of its initiative of advancements toward environmentally conscious production and operation, home appliance company Electrolux has announced some new sustainability goals. The company says it will aim to use 15 per cent less energy than in 2008 by the end of 2012 in its factories, offices and warehouses.
 
Currently, Electrolux is the only major household appliance company included in the most recent Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. According to the company, minimizing energy and water consumption are a priority across the appliance line which includes dishwashers that use at least 41 per cent less energy and 40 per cent less water than was used 10 years ago. Electrolux dishwashers use 18 litres of water per load versus 102 litres for hand washing, a savings of nearly 264,978 litres of water over the life of the appliance.
 
The company's use of induction technology in cooktops is another energy saver. Its new Induction Hybrid cooktop boosts energy efficiency 70 per cent over comparable gas models and 20 per cent over electric models.
 

 

 

 

Liebherr earns Star-K certification

International
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Liebherr’s freestanding refrigeration products, as well as select built-in and fully integrated units have been re-tooled to meet the needs of kosher customers. The products are now certified as Sabbath compliant by the Star-K organization.
 
“We worked with representatives from Star-K on the programming and electronics to obtain the desired functionality,” said Andrew Sullivan, Liebherr’s technical advisor. “Once we were comfortable with the results, samples were evaluated by the organization and they passed with flying colours. We’re glad that our products can be used by our large kosher customer base without worry,” he added.
 
The selected units feature a holiday mode that when used meets kosher requirements:  

-- The door can be opened/closed at any time without concern of directly turning on or off any lights, digital readouts, solenoids, fans, valves, compressor, icons, tones or alarms.

-- Any defrost cycle that becomes active will not be a function of the number of times or the length of time that the door is opened.

-- The ice maker is disabled automatically.

-- The cold water dispenser and all other dispenser functions are deactivated.

-- In the event of a power failure, when power returns, the unit will return to this mode.

Click here for a complete list of compliant Liebherr models.

 

“Make a Mess” with new Delta App

International
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Doodling can be a great way to get the creative juices flowing. Delta Faucet has released an app to help you channel your inner Picasso wherever you are. Make a Mess is a downloadable finger painting application which allows users to design original artwork or enhance uploaded images.

Inspired by the brand’s Touch2.0 Technology which enables the faucet to be turned on and off anywhere on its spout or handle, the application’s erase feature uses an on-screen Pilar pull-down faucet featuring the technology to wash away the design.

The Make a Mess app is compatible with iPhones and Blackberry Storm, and is available at Apple’s App store or at Deltafaucet.com.

 

NKBA identifies top 2010 kitchen and bath trends

International
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The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has released the results from their annual survey of designers. The NKBA 2010 Kitchen & Bath Design Trends Survey identifies both existing and emerging trends in the U.S. marketplace.


KITCHENS

1. Traditional will dominate
In the U.S., Traditional will continue as the most popular kitchen design style in 2010, with contemporary following closely behind. The Shaker style is making a strong comeback. Shades of whites and off-whites will be the most common kitchen colours in 2010, followed by brown, beige, and bone hues.

2. Cherry on Top
Cherry will remain the most popular wood choice for kitchen cabinetry, followed closely by maple. Alder is increasing in use. Medium natural, dark natural, glazed, and white painted finishes will all be common.

3. Floored by Tile
Ceramic and porcelain tile remain popular kitchen flooring options, as does natural stone tile. Expect to see more hardwood too. For countertops, granite will reign with quartz a close second. For backsplashes, ceramic or porcelain tile and glass will serve as the primary materials.

4. Flexible Faucets
Pull-out faucets continue to increase market dominance, and pot filler faucets will become more prevalent. In faucet finishes brushed nickel will be the most popular choice, followed by stainless steel, satin nickel and polished chrome.

5. Undercounter Refrigeration
French door and freezer-bottom are the two most popular styles of refrigerators, and side-by-side refrigerators remain a popular option. Undercounter refrigerator drawers are increasingly being introduced into kitchen designs. Undercounter wine refrigerators are also rising in popularity.

6. Cooking
Though the range still rules, the combination of a cooktop and wall oven is beginning to overtake it. Gas remains the most popular cooktop choice over electric, although induction cooking continues to gain in popularity.

7. Dishwasher-in-a-Drawer
Standard dishwashers will remain the favoured choice in 2010. However, an increasing number of dishwasher drawers will be installed in kitchens this year.


BATHROOMS

1. Traditional Top Choice
Traditional will be the most popular design style in bathrooms in 2010, followed by contemporary designs as a distant second, and Shaker style as an even more distant third. Beiges and bones will be the most common colours used in bathrooms, followed by whites and off-whites, and then browns.

2. Flooring
Ceramic and porcelain tile will be the dominant flooring materials in bathrooms this year, while natural stone will continue to prove popular as well. For vanity tops, granite will remain king, with quartz and marble also proving popular.

3. Fixtures
The most common colour for fixtures will be white. Bisque and off-white will be the only other fixture colors at all common in new or remodeled bathrooms. For sinks, simple undermount models will be most popular, followed by integrated sink tops, drop-in sinks, vessel sinks, and pedestal sinks.

4. Faucets
Brushed nickel continues to lead as the number one choice in faucet finishes. Polished chrome and satin nickel will also continue to be used in bathrooms, followed by bronze and stainless steel.

 
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CKCA National Forum — Jan. 28-31/10

Approximately 100 Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association (CKCA) members headed to Toronto for the annual event.
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