The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA | KBIS), the world’s leading trade association for the kitchen and bath industry, and CEDIA, the association for smart home professionals, have partnered to commission a U.S. -based research study examining the current state of technology integration in home design. Comprised of data generated from a survey completed by industry experts including kitchen, bath and interior designers and specifiers, general contractors and remodelers, home technology integrators, home builders and more, the report provides a comprehensive look into the smart home integration market.
Demonstrating that interest in home technology has increased over the past two years, the report found that homeowners completing projects with smart technology allocated on average approximately 20% of the overall budget towards smart home integration – more than $41k for the average whole home project. With an evolving industry landscape and breadth of products available, homes of the future will require collaboration between designers, integrators, architects and builders as homeowners advocate for smarter, more intuitive home systems.
On Sept. 3, NKBA | KBIS global president & CEO Bill Darcy, sat down for a Town Hall conversation at CEDIA in Denver with Daryl Friedman, global president & CEO of CEDIA, to discuss the findings.
“Smart home integration can be a substantial investment—whether for new homeowners or those upgrading their current space—and when done thoughtfully, it delivers an elevated, safer and more seamless at-home experience,” said Darcy. “People aren’t looking for gimmicks. They want practical solutions that make everyday living easier, more efficient and more connected.”
With the top trade associations forging the way for ongoing and deeper collaboration and facilitating partnerships between the two industries, their common goal is to increase awareness for the role of the integrator at the onset of smart home projects.
According to 75% of respondents, homeowners are currently the driving force for smart home integration, illustrating a client-driven demand for increased partnership. Looking ahead, 61% of respondents indicated that integrated technology is a “must-have” feature of the future, echoing the need for collaboration to be a priority upfront.
“Empowering design professionals and technology integrators to work closely pushes our entire industry ahead,” said Friedman. “Proper collaboration unlocks unique and innovative solutions tailored to every project and is shifting to become the new standard in home design – especially in the kitchen and bath, where so much technology is centered.”
By delving into the details, this report aims to recognize the features currently working the hardest in smart homes today, while uncovering the integration challenges and product opportunities to better prepare for the smart homes of tomorrow.
The full report is available at NKBA.org and CEDIA.org with free access for NKBA members and CEDIA members. Key findings include:
The Smart Home of Today
The trends that are hot on the market for clients who have expanded their home’s abilities using smart technology.
Kitchen:
■ Light Management: Designers and integrators agree that light is a top smart feature – 40% cite lighting controls to be most frequently requested by homeowners, while 25% cite motorized blinds/drapes.
■ Intelligent Fixtures: Motion sensor faucets (25%), smart TVs (20%) and smart refrigerators (18%) were all cited as top client requests.
Bath:
■ Warming Up: Heated floors are the top request from clients (56% agree), while heated towel bars and steam showers top the list as well, indicating a desire for precise temperature control in the bath.
■ Clearing the Air: Smart exhaust fans are the top designer recommendation as bath ventilation technology has made headway in recent years – 41% cite it as a top homeowner request as well.
Whole Home:
■ Safety First: Security is a top feature for technology integration, including video doorbells and whole-home systems. According to the report, safety measures will continue to be featured prominently on homeowner wishlists.
■ Listen Up: Whole home audio systems are cited as the fourth most requested smart feature by homeowners.
The Smart Home of Tomorrow
The trends that are up-and-coming as lesser known smart features with the potential to reshape integrated tech.
Kitchen:
■ Smart Surfaces: 77% view smart countertops as an emerging trend – with features such as integrated wireless charging technology.
■ Your Personal Network: 68% anticipate connected countertop appliances becoming more popular, introducing the ability to control appliances like ovens, coffee makers and standmixers remotely.
■ Home Heroes: As water leak detection becomes increasingly mainstream to address water scarcity and hedge costly damage, 67% view it as an emerging trend.
Bath:
■ Chance of Showers: Digitally-controlled smart shower systems that connect multiple faucets with custom user settings are on the rise – 71% see them as a top emerging trend.
■ Beauty on Ice: As the bath increasingly becomes a destination in itself, 67% anticipate the demand for bathroom refrigerators will grow, offring longer shelf-life for skincare products.
Whole Home:
■ Sit Smarter: With smart tech entering the furniture arena, 73% predict smart seating will be an emerging trend, offering ergonomic features that benefit posture, massage or heating capabilities for comfort and connectivity for device management.
■ Health & Wellness: Increased sensitivities to the presence of toxic substances in the built environment have made many aware of how our environments are shaping and affecting our health. With that, 70% view air quality monitors as an emerging trend, while 69% predict health monitors to gain popularity in home design.
