Daily Real Estate News  |  March 12, 2007  |   Buyers Splurge Where It Counts: Kitchen, Bath
The slowdown in the housing market hasn’t curbed consumers’ desire for upscale kitchens and baths, says American Institute of Architects Chief Economist Kermit Baker.

“Households continue to emphasize size, features, and high-end products used in their kitchens and baths even as the overall housing slowdown has encouraged many to scale back on their overall housing investment,” he says.

No longer just a place to cook, the kitchen has evolved into the most popular room in the house. “There’s a strong desire to integrate the kitchen with living space that allows for a more open home environment with the ability to converse and access entertainment options while in the kitchen,” says Baker.

In the most recent AIA design trends survey, 40 percent of architects report a trend toward larger kitchens. Almost one-third see separate kitchen facilities (other than the main kitchen) or secondary food preparation or food storage areas as also increasingly appearing in homes.

Kitchens also are an area where owners are likely to upgrade. “Upper-end appliances are becoming more popular, even for homes that aren’t at the upper end of a price range,” says Baker.

Survey: Most Popular Kitchen Features

AIA rated the most popular kitchen features by subtracting the number of survey respondents who say a feature is decreasing in popularity from the number who say it’s increasing.

• Upper-end appliances: 65%
• Increased pantry space: 64%
• Renewable flooring material: 53%
• Wine refrigerators/wine storage: 53%
• Integration with living space: 53%
• Recycling center: 48%
• Island work areas: 43%
• Natural stone countertops: 42%
• Drinking water filtration systems: 37%
• Duplicate appliances: 34%

In the Bath: What Buyers Want

In the bathroom, “accessibility features and universal design to accommodate an aging population are on the rise ,” Baker says. “From an amenities standpoint, heated floors lead the way, followed by multiple showers and towel warming racks. The popularity of whirlpools has dropped for the second consecutive year.”

Here's the complete list of the most popular bath features:

• Radiant heated floors: 62%
• Multihead showers: 62%
• Accessibility/universal design: 48%
• Doorless showers: 47%
• Linen closet/storage: 36%
• Hand showers: 36%
• Multiple vanities: 26%
• Dressing/cosmetic areas: 23%
• Towel warming drawers/racks: 22%

Growing, too, is the desire to incorporate green features into kitchens and baths. Increasing, according to architects, is consumer demand for renewable flooring material, such as bamboo or concrete, and drinking water filtration systems.

— By Camilla McLaughlin for REALTORŪ Magazine Online