Beyond the Buzz: Turning Trends into Truth – NKBA

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Design Trends

Beyond the Buzz: Turning Trends into Truth

When:

January 21, 2026 | 12:00 PM ET

CEUs: .1

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What You Will Learn

Trends aren’t just fleeting styles; they’re signals of more profound cultural, emotional, and behavioral shifts. In this session, we’ll delve beyond the surface to explore how macro drivers, including wellness, digital fatigue, sustainability, and the quest for identity, are reshaping consumer expectations across the home.

With a focus on cabinetry and interior environments, we’ll explore how designers, product developers, and marketers can decode these shifts and use them to build more resonant, relevant, and human-centered solutions. Backed by consumer research, societal insights, and real-world examples, this session provides a practical framework for translating trend buzz into brand and design strategies that connect on a deeper level. Whether you’re curating a showroom or advising a client, you’ll leave with tools to identify what matters now and what will matter next.

Learning Objective:

  • Understand key cultural and behavioral shifts impacting home design.
  • Explore how macro trends like wellness and sustainability influence cabinetry and interiors.
  • Apply consumer insights to create more relevant, human-centered design strategies.
Featured Presenter
Tressa Samdal,
Senior Director of Marketing & Product Management of Panaria Group USA/Florida Tile

With over 20 years of experience, this accomplished Marketing, Trend, and Product Expert has made a significant impact on color, design, and interior products. Her journey began at Colwell North America, where she discovered her passion, and continued through pivotal roles at Mullican Flooring, Mohawk/IVC US, and Florida Tile, consistently shaping product lines, anticipating consumer needs, and differentiating her brands.

In 2022, she transitioned to the cabinet industry as Trend and Innovation Director for Cabinetworks Group, where she utilized her storytelling skills to guide product pipelines and enhance innovation strategies that meet market demands.

In 2025, she returned to Florida Tile and Panaria Group as Senior Director of Marketing and Product Management, bringing her extensive expertise back to the tile industry. In this role, she combines creativity, market insight, and strategic vision to align brand identity with customer needs and drive growth.

Throughout her remarkable career, she has been a catalyst for transformative initiatives, seamlessly blending creativity and strategic foresight. As a Trend and Product Expert, her journey continues to shape the future of design and aesthetics across the industries she influences.

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