2010 tableware trends to look out for. More at www.CookingQuarters.wordpress.com.

An all-chocolate house by the French Culinary Institute for the Chocolate Show in NY last weekend drew plenty of chocoholics and at least one interior designer. Read more at www.cookingquarters.wordpress.com

More of us are planning for the future, not just financially, but physically. Seems we’re thinking more about what life will be like when we, or the people who visit our home, are older. 

Read more at www.whatsnewathome.wordpress.com.

Despite the current economic recession, sales of wine and spirits are going strong (a crashed stock market may even be fueling the sales?).

VineExpo announced in January, 2009 that by 2010 the U.S. consumer will become the largest consumer of wine in the world.

As expected, the price of a bottle of wine in 2008 trended down after 2007, a year when luxury wines drew the fastest growth. But consumers have no plans to give up wine in 2009; instead they’re giving up wine with meals at restaurants in favor of buying a bottle at a grocery store or discount club and eating at home.

According to HomeWorldBusiness, in 2008, dollar sales of wine grew 5.8%, with imported wines down slightly. The highest areas of consumption were Oregon (up 13.7%) Washington (up 11.5%) and California (up 5.3%).

What does it means for home furnishings? Wine storage options are expected to sell well, including cellar-like options and dedicated wine storage (refrigerated and non-refrigerated) built into dining room furniture.

 According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of multi-generational homes (with 3 ore more generations living under the same roof) grew 38% between 1990 and 2000. That number is expected to have grown dramatically by the 2010 census. 

The trend for a single home to house more people is an undeniable trend based on a perfect storm of current issues and events.

Kids who leave for college are increasingly coming back home to live following graduation. A university degree no longer guarantees a job, especially during the current recession. Already labeled ‘the boomerang generation’ (those born 1975—1986), this group is also prone to wanting to keep their options open. More transient and less loyal to an employer than generations past, they find freedom by living at home longer. This allows them to quit a job if they don’t like it, save money for a house or get work experience through unpaid internships.

Baby boomers themselves are getting older and with the rising costs of healthcare and now much-depleted savings accounts, they’re looking for ways to save money. As the ’sandwich generation’, many of them are caring for both aging parents and unemployed children. More boomers are considering pooling their resources and having elderly parents move in with them.

Home foreclosures are also causing many to pool resources with relatives and live together.

The trend continued on January 20th, 2009. Barack and Michelle Obama brought more than their two young daughters into their new home. Michelle Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson now lives with and assists with the family’s hectic schedule; the first grandmother to live in the White House.

The number of multi-generational households increased from 5 million in 2000 to 6.2 million in 2008, or 5.8% of all households. The AARP reports that 24% of baby boomer believe their parents or in-laws will move in with them.

The empty nest has become the crowded nest, and is raising new questions about home design. Private areas and places to be alone will be balanced with more open areas, central dining and gathering spaces and recreation areas on second floors.

What does it mean for home furnishings?

1. more second master or junior master bedrooms rather than just kids bedrooms

2. larger or expandable dining tables

3. places for privacy, including sitting and work areas in bedrooms

It’s more than our waste lines that have been growing over the years. Some interesting info in the last issue of O @ Home (sadly the publication ceased publication in December); their “Living Large” article compared the size of things around the home today to what they used to measure. 

Size of homes
1950 - 1,000 sq ft
2007 - 2,521 sq ft

Depth of Sofas
1978 - 20″ deep
2008 - 25″ deep

Plates
1980s - 9″ diameter
2006 - 12″ diameter

Mattresses
1950s - 9″ high
2008 - 18″ high

Television Sets
1950s - 19″
2008 - 42″

Bath Towels
1966 - 24″ x 44″
2008 - 30″ x 56″

Wine Glasses
1950s - 5 ounces
2008 - 12 ounces

According to the article, the only thing that’s getting smaller is our LOT SIZE. In 1976, the average lot was 10,125 sq ft; in 2007, it was 8,991 sq ft.  The other growing trend is to ’smaller’ (though hardly small) homes. After decades of growth, energy costs and home affordability are causing them to stabilize around 2500 sq ft. That’s still a 250% increase on home size in 1950.

Seems the stay-at-home trend is being fueled by more than economic worries and tight budgets. Remember the old tupperware parties at home? Well they’re back strong, along with parties to sell everything from chocolate, toys and cars. Party planners say they’re seeing a dramatic increase in nostalgia for the good old days when people spent time with other people in their homes.

According to HouseParty, a company that arranges parties on behalf of brands such as Saturn and Hershey, house party bookings went up from 3,300 in Aug ‘07 to 12,300 in Aug ‘08… and from 5,400 in Sept ‘07 to 7900 in Sept ‘08.   For a recent Fisher-Price Party promotion, more than 22,00 consumers signed up to host one of 1,000 parties to promote new kids toys.

Source: Advertising Age, Nov 3, 2008

If you haven’t noticed, dogs are making news these days.

I was recently reviewing top-selling ‘home’ books of ‘08, and was surprised how many dog titles I had to scroll through before as many titles about room design, organization or even crafts surfaced. Who knew that dog books were outselling home making books?

So it turns out that dogs aren’t just taking over bookstores and holiday blockbuster movies like Marley and Me.  Dogs are becoming big business in yes, vacuum cleaners. Pet hair removal and pet hair vacuum cleaner attachments are increasing in popularity these days and getting price premiums in a tough economy. (According to the American Veterinary Association, 60% of all U.S. households own a dog or cat… I suppose that’s a lot of pet hair to clean up).

So if pets are members of the family, as 49.7% of U.S. pet owners believe they are, where are Marley, Fido and Garfield likely spending their time at home? My guess is smack dab in the middle of the couch when we’re not home (and for some of us, when we are home too).

 If 2009 becomes the year of the dog, as seems plausible… furniture that can stand up to canines (and felines) should be a popular idea. Pet-friendly finishes and fabrics, information on how to get pet hair, pet stains and pet odor out of fabrics, and easier access to Scotchguard-type finishes would be helpful to consumers… because it sounds like the dogs are making themselves at home.     

They’re everywhere… being talked about on Oprah, DIY network, and they could just become a bright spot for consumer spending in 2009. According to a recent survey by BillMeLater, nearly 11 million American homes already have a ‘man cave’, and men living in those homes spend more than 11 hours every week in their caves.

So what’s a man cave? A place where guys can be guys. Think big screen televisions, comfortable seating, pool or poker tables, gaming consoles, wet bars, mini-refrigerators and sports memorabilia. If there’s a decorating style, it’s male-centric, comfortable and casual.

For consumers thinking about transforming a den, basement or a single room into a place where men can disappear without a trace, the right furniture is needed… large, comfortable recliners and sofas, hearty coffee tables, game tables, bars, TV consoles and more (one coffee table I saw recently had a built in ice box for drinks).

Man caves also make a great promotion for a furniture store… a contest for the best one, a sweepstakes to win one, or a group of products packaged together. And a great idea in time for Super Bowl Sunday!

If you’re not convinced that the biggest change in consumer marketing (apart from social media!) is focusing on  target solutions rather than target markets, here’s more evidence.

I recently launched a new blog, what’s new at home to offer consumers new product information and helpful ideas about home. The blog isn’t a month old yet, and although I’m covering topics from color and style to increasing home value and healthier living, here are the top-read posts so far…

1.  Reducing back pain with a higher height dining table.

2. Creating the look of a wall-mounted TV without the cost.

2. Helping consumers get organized.

3.  Relieving back pain with a new mattress.

By finding out what matters most, furniture stores can promote products and messages that speak to consumer solutions, and move beyond just promoting just style or price!

Check out my new blog at www.whatsnewathome.wordpress.com.