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In regular cycles, when faced with the twin realities of rising inflation and rising rates, demand dries, and home prices tumble. But these are not standard times. Although demand has fallen sharply – new and existing home sales are down…

Closets have been historically underutilized despite the fact that having a well-organized wardrobe can save both time and money – you can prominently see what you own so you don’t buy things you already have – and increase storage…

Designers are facing obstacles that were practically non-existent for much of the past year. Ratings by kitchen and bathroom professionals in the recently released second quarter NKBA/John Burns Kitchen & Bath Index (KBMI) study reveal…

Rising costs are a significant concern among cabinet manufacturers, but a mixture of flexibility and ingenuity is helping to make the situation more tolerable. Cost of materials and cost inflation, identified as the #1 and #2 challenges…

Although 2022 industry sales are expected to increase by 9.4% compared to last year – healthy by most standards – it is the second downward revision for the year and well below the initial call for a 19% gain. This was among the many…

Results from the second quarter NKBA/John Burns Kitchen & Bath Market Index (KBMI) study were a stark reminder that the kitchen and bath industry is not immune to overall economic turmoil. The overall KBMI for Q2 was 70.4, the lowest…

Canada’s residential real estate sector experienced a massive boom during the pandemic thanks to record-low mortgage rates, which helped boost furniture manufacturing and retail industries. While the housing market has turned amid a series…

The pressures that small and medium-sized business owners face can be intense. Starting, taking over, or learning to manage a business is hard enough as it is. Still, such owners also often have to play the roles of VP Finance, Head of HR,…

Closets are taking on a more substantive role in home décor. We see images of opulent celebrity closets on TV, but more regular people are rethinking the role of the closet in their lives. New, larger walk-ins allow cabinets, display…

A poorly organized factory layout and workspace could cost your business a lot of money, especially in this increasingly optimized world. Companies should know how much time their employees waste moving back and forth searching for tools,…

“I was approached by a man in his sixties planning to travel all over North America in this van. He had hired somebody to do an initial concept of what he wanted and reached out to me for help because he’d seen my millwork and liked what I…

As opinions from economists regarding the possibility of a recession continue to vary widely – from relatively remote to imminent – NKBA’s 2022 midyear Kitchen & Bath Market Outlook delved into the effects of previous recessions on our…

The hotel industry, along with many others in the hospitality and travel sector, was struck particularly hard by the health crisis. Even though their rooms were vacant, and it was the perfect time for design upgrades, it was hard to justify…

Although the economy has seen better days, many remodeling drivers currently in place support a second straight year of double-digit K&B growth. According to the July release of the 2022 Kitchen & Bath Market Outlook, the final one…

Cabinet hardware is akin to jewelry on an outfit. It’s the finishing touch that elevates a room from so-so to stunning. This isn’t to say handle-free cabinets, drawers, and panelled appliances aren’t sleek. The look has its place in more…

The world has changed since the NKBA released its initial 2022 Kitchen & Bath Market Outlook study in January. Along with persistent inflation and the Fed’s decision to implement a series of interest rate hikes, mortgage rates are…

Kitchen Makeovers of Aldergrove, BC operates in this space and has done so since 2009 when Tanya Bilmer was doing residential house painting. Tanya’s clients kept asking her to spraypaint their cabinets. Eventually, Tanya was convinced and…

Located in the small community of Haute-Aboujagane in the southeastern part of New Brunswick is the family-owned and operated G.L. Wood Products. Established in 1985, the value-added remanufacturing company produces various wood products,…