Articles

The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) released its Kitchen & Bath Market Index (KBMI) for Q1 of 2022. The quarterly report, which is aimed at measuring the health of the kitchen and bath industry, found that the industry enjoyed a successful opening quarter of the year, growing 12.6% in Q1, with industry professionals expecting further growth as the year continues. Read More

One of the largest problems is the rapidly aging demographics facing developed economies. For an economy to grow, there must be a balance of consumers and producers. This balance necessitates a growing population that skews to the younger end of the spectrum. An aging populace creates a lack of producers and tends to grind down growth as workers retire and begin pulling money and other resources from the economy. Read More

The last five years saw some of the most cataclysmic changes in society and the economy since the Great Recession. And the last two years were even more tumultuous. Between the global pandemic, an ominous war abroad and major swings in consumer mood and sentiment, it’s hard to pick what the most significant event is. Indeed, there’s a meme going around that says, “When they said history repeats itself, I wasn’t expecting all of the 20th Century in the last two years.” Read More

The Home Depot reported net sales of $38.9 billion for Q1 2022, an increase of 3.8% from Q1 2021’s $37.5 billion. Read More

At the Starnet meeting in Colorado Springs, Alan Beaulieu of ITR Economics reported that the non-residential flooring market will remain strong through the middle of 2023. Read More

The Tile Shop announced net sales of $102.5 million for Q1 2022, an 11.3% increase compared to sales of $92.1 million in Q1 2021. Read More

Floor & Decor reported net sales increased 31.5% to $1,028.7 million from $782.5 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 and comparable store sales increased 14.3% for the first quarter of fiscal 2022, which ended March 31, 2022. Read More

Following the inevitable dip ceramic weathered in 2020 as Covid-19 shuttered the economy for six weeks around April, the category rebounded in 2021 . The 17.3% jump in floor + wall tile revenue more than made up for the roughly 2% slide in 2020, according to Market Insights data, but last year, sales prices also rose as supply chain and labor challenges forced multiple price increases across the ceramic industry. In terms of marketshare, ceramic maintained its roughly 14% benchmark of the past few years, falling just slightly from 14.4% in 2020 to 14.0% in 2021. Though not a DIY product, ceramic was buoyed by homeowners' rush to renovate, along with the growing builder market Read More

Catalina Research has released its latest Kitchen and Bath Quarterly Update. According to the report, U.S. kitchen and bath product sales (shipments minus exports plus imports) showed relatively strong current dollar sales gains as manufacturers passed through rising material, labor and transportation costs. Read More

Five notable and refreshing Ceramic Porcelain Tile and Natural Stone trends are leading the hard surface industry throughout 2022, and MSI has revealed its Top Design Trends for the year including some of the newest on-trend products within hard surface. These five trends explore subtle colorways, natural tones, unique textures, ultra-high-definition inkjet prints and durable waterproof products made for active lifestyles and design that speak to wellness. Read More