Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2016 - 43

BEST IN SHOW!

KBIS

SPECIAL

SECTION

30 UNDER 30 REPORT ON TODAY'S TRENDS AND NEEDS
The 2016 30 Under 30 teams obtained valuable information on a specific topic
from exhibitor feedback and shared their findings with KBB.
TEAM 1: Rob Cooper, Erica Murdock,
Jillian C. Sarkis, Allied ASID, Jack
Townsend II & Nicholas Yegge
Tradespeople are aging, and there are not enough
younger generations taking their place. We have found
there is a need for training programs and outreach to
the Millennial generation. With reference to this,
there is also a difference in attitudes of buyers of different generations. The Millennial generation has trust
issues and different expectations of services offered; for
example, turn key vs. piece meal. This being said, multigenerational products/designs are appealing across
generations for different reasons, whether to keep up
with technology or be able to age in place.
TEAM 2: Mark Davies, Megan Fuller,
Brenton Liu, Laura Shelby & Brook Verboom
Consumer expectations are changing the way we
sell and shop. Unlimited access to expert advice and
product information in both virtual and physical
showroom spaces is now the set standard. These demands mean that showroom staff and their correlating
websites need to function in unison, blending the once
separate avenues into one seamless, consistent, consumer experience. This means creating personalized,
locally focused experiences online and technologically
influenced, information-rich showroom experiences
offline. Simple actions like being able to check stock
availability in your area or book consultations online,
combined with access to touchscreen stations in-store
for full product information, are the types of services
today's customer appreciates.
Even in this digital age, it remains imperative to
invest in physical showrooms as these spaces provide
an emotional, interactive experience for your customer
in an environment that promotes authentic relationships to form.


S ound showed us how wireless music and audio
gateways are making our spaces more versatile.

Taste demonstrated the new fresh food movement
and how new technology allows dual cooking
without transfer of flavor.

Smell showed us the newest in aromatherapy and
clean, proficient hood exhaust options.

TEAM 4: Michelle Alderman, Brandon
Drum, Nathan J. Reynolds, CAPS, Jordan
Sanderson & Jamie Sprague
Team 4 conducted research on ever-evolving social
media, which offers many platforms people can use.
At KBIS 2016, the popularity of these platforms
was on full display; it seemed as though every booth
had a #hashtag, a prize for liking something on their
Facebook page or a request to comment on their
Instagram photos. Social media has become a main
stage in marketing and communication with clients
in the industry.
We wanted to focus our presentation on how each
of us uses social media within our roles every day. The
world of social media can be overwhelming for many,
so we thought showing simple examples of how we used
the various platforms would be beneficial to our crowd.
The focus was on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and LinkedIn.
TEAM 5: Jennifer Beavers, Michael
Laurysen, Aaron Lytal, Lauren Mills &
Nicholas Preston
Kitchen and bath design trends have been fast moving, yet they have had staying power within their own

subcategories. It was interesting to see previous years'
trends still growing at the show. Transitional is the most
prevalent design category, and smaller appliances, open
shelving, tech integration and mixed materials to add
texture and interest are growing trends.
The two-tone kitchen is still popular, with a combination of neutrals and wood tones. White is the
consensus color of the year for 2016, and it was emphasized during KBIS in white- and gray-toned products
like cabinets, countertops and tile. Pops of color are
being added to these neutral palettes with the use of
colorful retro appliances, backsplashes and customizable features. In the bathroom, there is a movement
toward warm metal fixtures and bold, geometricpatterned tiles.

TEAM 6: Tyler Allen, Alana A. Busse,
Caleb Froelich, Mark Scholten & Tansley
Struthers
Technology is the future of the kitchen and bath
industry - from smart app-enabled appliances, toilets
with remote controls to fully automated smart home
systems. In the next five years, we believe all of this
will be as standard as owning an iPhone is today.
Cabinets with a sleek, modern style on the outside
and super-efficient organization on the inside will be
a future trend.
In 10 years we expect to see self-cleaning countertops. Our refrigerators and pantries will self-inventory
and reorder items when you become low on something.
We also expect appliances to be able to recommend
recipes based on items on hand and by learning your
personal cooking habits.

TEAM 3: Cathleen Gruver Adkins, Aditya
Bansal, Katie Cook, Benjamin John
Ouellette & Jordan Parisse
To find simplicity with the ever-evolving consumer,
we went back to the five senses to demonstrate new
product trends for 2016.

Sight showed us how light and chromatherapy
have customized our bath experience and how
virtual reality is about to change the way we
relate our designs.

Touch showed us how technology and connectivity have infiltrated our kitchens and how the
touchless movement is better than ever with
proximity sensing technology.

Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Kitchen & Bath Business - February/March 2016