By Dianne M. Pogoda
Company News
New Name and President for House of Rohl: House of Rohl, the luxury kitchen and bath division of Fortune Brands Innovations, has been restructured as the Global House of Rohl, with Fortune’s Emtek and Schaub brands joining the new business unit. Rachel Roberts, who joined the company a year ago, has been promoted to president of the division, succeeding long-time Fortune Brands executive Todd Teter, who is retiring next spring. Teter has been president of House of Rohl and WINN EMEAA (Water Innovations for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia). Designers Today has more.
Keefe To Host Design Bites at KBIS: Celebrity remodeler Darren Keefe, known as “The Dancing Carpenter,” will return to the KBIS Next Stage to host the 10th anniversary of Design Bites on Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 12 noon. Keefe, a fan favorite, hosted the virtual edition of Design Bites in 2021 and joined the Stage in-person in 2022. Design Bites is a high-energy “speed dating for brands” that showcases the latest innovations and designs from brands at the show. The Next Stage is located in South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, and sponsored by Ferguson. Register for KBIS here before prices go up Jan. 10.
Cyncly Names Lengyel: Global design software developer Cyncly has appointed Kristina Lengyel as Chief Customer Officer. She will lead Cyncly’s unified customer organization, comprising Customer Experience, Customer Success and Professional Services, to ensure customers get the maximum value from Cyncly solutions. Lengyel has extensive executive experience in professional services, engineering, customer organizations, product launches, and growth strategies across global B2B companies, Prior to joining Cyncly, she held executive roles in customer solutions at OpenText, Salesforce and Ultimate Kronos Group. Learn more here.
Sub-Zero Wolf to Outfit Miami Luxury Tower: The St. Regis Residences Miami, an ultra-luxury residential tower on Brickell Avenue, has chosen Sub-Zero Wolf for the fully integrated appliances in its gourmet kitchens. Designed by New York–based Robert A.M. Stern Architects with interiors by David Rockwell, the 150 apartments, all with waterfront views, range from 2,600 to 7,400 square feet with two to seven bedrooms. Starting price is $4.49 million. The project is under construction, expected to be completed in 2027, and will also feature smart-home technology, custom European stone flooring, a restaurant by a Michelin-starred chef, two pools, media and business centers, exclusive beach club access, and more. Additional info here.
Industry News
Baby Boomers: We’re Not Going Anywhere: A recent survey by Clever Real Estate revealed that about 61 percent of boomers currently own homes, and among this group, 54 percent never plan to sell, spending the rest of their lives there. Just 15 percent expect to sell in the next five years, suggesting they’ll provide little help easing a shortage of homes that has left inventory substantially below pre-pandemic levels. The reasons Boomers are staying put are mostly financial, as 76% say owning a home is the primary reason they’re financially secure, and 86% say owning leads to a more stable home life. More detail here.
Automated Home Market Growing: The home automation market is expected to reach $73.5 billion by 2029, according to Markets and Markets, a research and consultancy firm. In its report, “Home Automation System Market by Lighting Controls, Smart Speakers, Entertainment Controls, HVAC Controls, Security & Access Controls, Wired, Wireless, Behavioral, Proactive, Multi-family Residence, Single-family Residence Global Forecast to 2029,” the company said the home automation market is currently valued at $57.67 billion, and the projection represents a compound annual growth rate of 5 percent during the forecast period. The demand for automated home devices is attributed to the need to monitor homes remotely, which can be especially effective for the elderly. Smart lighting, security systems, energy management, the proliferation of smartphones and smart gadgets — including appliances — is driving the growth, the company reported. Learn more here.
Housing Starts Fall, Permits Jump: Overall private sector housing starts in November slid 1.8 percent from October, and 14.6 percent from November 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Single-family starts, however, rose 6.4 percent in November over October’s tally. Permits for future housing construction were up 6.1 percent above the October rate, although they were more or less flat YOY, falling 0.2 percent below November 2023. The agencies reported that housing completions in November were off 1.9 percent from October, but 9.2 percent above November 2023. More details here.
