By Dianne M. Pogoda
Company News
Kohler Adds to McGee Line: Kohler Co. is introducing a new sink to its exclusive Kohler x Studio McGee collection, a collaboration with acclaimed interior designer Shea McGee. The Audrine kitchen sink, which will be available in February, is a farmhouse-style apron workstation sink with an integrated ledge system and premium powder-coated accessories that match the color of the sink. It is designed for easy access, freeing counter space and streamlining daily tasks, from food prep to cleanup. Kohler has more.
UMI Opens in Florida: UMI Stone has shored up its Florida presence with a 20,000 square-foot showroom in Sarasota, strengthening its coverage of the Gulf Coast between its Tampa and Naples locations. The Sarasota facility features a curated indoor slab gallery showcasing natural stone, Pompeii Quartz, Infinity porcelain slabs, and specialty surfacing materials. KBB has more detail.
Precision Stone Unveils Chicago-Area Experience Center: Precision Stone Design has opened a 20,000 square-foot Experience Center at 1000 N. Nicholas Boulevard in Elk Grove Village, IL, just outside Chicago. The new location complements the company’s existing 20,000 square-foot workshop and warehouse nearby, forming a hub for luxury stone fabrication and sourcing. The Experience Center enhances the company’s full-service approach to stone selection, customized fabrication, and installation. Read more at KBB..
Chapter Updates
A Day in the Life in Toronto: The Ontario/Canada Chapter is hosting its annual event at the Interior Design Show Toronto 2026 on Jan. 22, 1 to 2 pm, at the IDS Toronto – Metro Toronto Convention Centre North Building, 255 Front St W, in Toronto. Designers Jackie Glass, Carly Nemtean, and Laura Thornton will join a panel moderated by Zoltan Kevsehi for a lively discussion exploring what a real workday looks like in an AI-enabled design studio. They’ll cover choosing AI tools that deliver real ROI, building AI into everyday design and business processes, improving consultations and the client experience, and more. Learn more and register here.
Lunch & Learn in SoCal: The Southern California Chapter is hosting a Lunch & Learn event with SKS appliances and designer Joseph DeCasperis on Jan. 28, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, at Universal Appliances Mission Viejo, 25552 El Paseo in Mission Viejo, CA. DeCasperis is a member of the Thirty Under 30 Class of 2020 and served as president of the SoCal chapter from 2022 through 2024. In this CEU session, he will discuss induction cooking, how it works, why it outperforms gas, and key design considerations to help designers specify induction with confidence. The cost is $25 for NKBA members and $35 for non-members. More info here.
“Super Orgs” Social in Minnesota: The Minnesota State Chapter is partnering with NARI Minnesota, ASID Minnesota, and the Contractors Association of Minnesota for a collaborative event to bring together pros from across the design and remodeling industries It’s a free event on Feb. 24, 5 to 8 pm, at Utepils Brewing, 225 Thomas Ave N, #700, in Minneapolis. Mix, mingle, and make connections at one of the city’s favorite breweries. More info here.
Industry News
Harvard Says Immigrant Labor Is Critical: A study from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies finds that immigrants play an outsized role in the construction workforce in metro areas with the highest levels of homebuilding and remodeling. Foreign-born workers make up about 20 percent of overall American workers, but they account for about one-third of the workforce in the construction trades. And in high-permit regions, foreign-born craftspeople account for 54 percent of the skilled-trades workforce. ProRemodeler has more detail.
Housing Slipped in October: Residential housing permits, starts, completions, and sales all slipped in the month of October, the latest report available from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Permits for private housing starts dipped 0.2 percent from September and 1.1 percent from October 2024, with single-family permits off 0.5 percent on a monthly basis. Starts fell 4.6 percent from September and 7.8 percent YOY. Private housing completions were up 1.1 percent monthly but fell 15.3 percent YOY. On the upside, single-family starts rose 5.4 percent from September, and single-family completions were up 6 percent from September. Additionally, sales of new single-family homes dipped 0.1 percent from September, but were 18.7 percent above October 2024. More detail here.
