Q2 2026 NKBA/ John Burns Kitchen & Bath Market Index (KBMI)
The Q2 2026 NKBA/John Burns Kitchen & Bath Market Index (KBMI) provides a comprehensive look at current conditions, future expectations, and emerging challenges across the residential kitchen and bath industry. Based on insights from 500 NKBA community members representing the Design, Building and Remodeling, Manufacturing, and Retail sectors, the report tracks industry performance, consumer demand, pricing, project activity, and business sentiment.
This quarter’s report examines key industry performance measures, identifies market strengths and weaknesses, tracks changes in consumer demand, and explores the pressures currently affecting kitchen and bath businesses. It also highlights the strategies companies are using to manage tariff-related costs, shifting price expectations, slowing project activity, and continued economic uncertainty.
Industry Snapshot: Kitchen and bath market conditions softened in Q2 2026 as consumer hesitation, affordability concerns, rising material costs, and trade-related pressures continued to weigh on demand. Industry firms reported flat year-over-year sales overall, while their revenue-weighted outlook for full-year 2026 growth fell to -2%, down from +4% in the prior quarter.
Key Takeaways
- The overall KBMI score declined to 52.7 out of 100 in Q2 2026, down from 54.9 in Q1. While the index remains above the 50-point threshold indicating expansion, the decline reflects weaker current sales conditions and a more cautious industry outlook.
- Three of the four industry sectors reported lower KBMI ratings this quarter. Design showed the greatest weakness, with its index falling below 50 to 49.7. Building and Remodeling registered 53.2, Retail reached 53.5, and Manufacturing increased to 55.5, making it the only segment to improve during the quarter.
- Current market activity slipped below the expansion threshold, with the Current K&B Activity Index declining to 47.7. Design, Building and Remodeling, and Retail all reported contracting year-over-year sales activity, while Manufacturing remained modestly positive.
- Despite current challenges, industry professionals remain cautiously optimistic about the months ahead. The Near-Term K&B Activity Index measured 65.2, with all four sectors expecting sales conditions to improve in Q3 2026. Manufacturing was the only segment to raise its near-term expectations during the quarter.
Additional insights explore changes in project completions and postponements, pricing pressures, tariff impacts, segment-level performance, and regional market trends. The report offers valuable context for kitchen and bath professionals navigating a price-sensitive and uncertain business environment.
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