Retail Observer

SEPTEMBER 2021 RETAILOBSERVER.COM 33 Another big part of meeting the aesthetic demands of a beautiful kitchen or bath design? "The right controls enable you to get rid of all that wall clutter," Reinitz says. "If you have eight switches, you're going to remember what the first two do – and nothing else; they'll just be sitting there looking ugly." THE INTUITIVE EXPERIENCE Even as tech solutions improve, however, there's still some reticence among consumers. "I always hear, 'Am I going to understand it? Will it be too complicated? I don't understand how technology works,'" Gibson says. Fortunately, these interfaces are becoming ever more intuitive. "I'll pick up a tablet and show them that when you want to control your HVAC, it looks just like your thermostat. And when you go to audio, it looks just like your music system on your phone. Same with the alarm system and the TV. Once they get over their intimidation, they realize it really is familiar stuff, and it just happens to be all in one place, and they like that. "The other question I get is, 'How do I future-proof? How can I plan for the obsolescence of these devices?' I usually address those questions by specifying conduit to critical locations. We don't know what the technology will be in 10 years, but it's probably going to have wires, so let's make a way to get the wires to it, and they'll be fine. That really gives them some peace of mind." (A note: Wi-Fi is great, but its bandwidth is very limited.) To stay abreast of what's available and what's likely coming next, both Gibson and Reinitz recommend a trip to CEDIA Expo. The annual trade show – which is returning to an in-person event in Indianapolis this year – is a gathering of integrators, manufacturers and design/build pros that features all the latest smart-home solutions. "My background is interior design," says Reinitz. "When I came into the tech world and I walked onto the floor of CEDIA Expo my first time, well, I had no idea what I didn't know." "Beyond the sheer delight and ecstasy over all the beautiful things that can be done, it's a good business move," says Gibson. "You'll be ahead of the competition, because probably only 10% of us are actually learning this stuff, and you find that you really don't have to know everything – all you have to know is who to ask." A complete report of the NKBA 2021 Design Trends is available in the NKBA store under "Market Research Reports." The study is included in NKBA membership; non-members may purchase the report for $2,995. As Admit One's Kristin Reinitz tells us, mirror TVs have come a long way, with bright images that disappear when the set's turned off. Photo by Landmark Photography RO

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