Modern Consumer Insights

Trend - Luxury home furnishing brands are releasing more affordable product lines to appeal to a wider range of consumers. These products blend the aesthetics and build quality of luxury brands with more affordable materials to offer products with few compromises, thus appealing to younger consumers.

Insight - The average Millennial and Gen Z consumers may not have the amount of disposable income required to invest in luxury products in all aspects of their life. However, many such consumers are embracing the 'Micro Luxury' trend, investing in select luxury products that they can afford in areas of life they prioritize. These consumers invest in higher-end furnishings, appliances, or artworks that emulate luxury living on a budget, curbing the need for constant purchases, and leading to money saved.

Trend - Kitchen appliance brands are releasing compact range hoods designed to sit on a countertop. These hoods are not permanent fixtures, as per the norm, and are instead portable, meaning they can be stored away when not in use. These hoods are designed for homes that are more strict on space.

Insight - As the cost of living continues to rise to crisis levels, consumers are tasked with saving money wherever possible. For homeowners, this often means investing in smaller, more affordable alternatives to full-size appliances or tools. Simple everyday devices, such as ovens or refrigerators, can be expensive and cumbersome to fit in more modest homes. As a result of this, brands in the kitchen appliance space are releasing lower-cost, more portable solutions.

Trend - Appliance manufacturers are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) for the next generation of laundry machines. AI machines automatically optimize the load settings, such as rotation speed, based on the type and weight of the fabrics, thus saving consumers time and effort when doing laundry.

Insight - Adults in North America are finding themselves with less free time each year due to various economic and social factors. Many of these adults struggle to balance full-time jobs with familial and home obligations. This increases their willingness to invest in smart home products that save them time or money. Home appliance manufacturers interpret this desire for time-saving as an opportunity for automation, leading to many brands turning to artificial intelligence.

Trend - Spatial computing brands are launching applications that use gamification, animations, and cameras to improve home cleaning. These are designed to integrate XR into daily tasks rather than serve as entertainment. These features aim to hold users' attention and make cleaning more engaging.

Insight - Most adults in North America are pressed for free time, and do not want to perform menial tasks, such as vacuuming, when they do have time. These consumers understand the necessity of these tasks, though, and as a result, desire help from modern technologies that could improve these experiences. Brands are recognizing these desires and launching engaging applications built on AR and XR platforms as a response.

Trend - Interior and exterior design firms are releasing collections of reeded furnishings. The reeded pattern is used to give more depth and texture to minimalist pieces without adding unsustainable materials. These pieces are designed to complement both personal and professional aesthetic trends.

Insight - Homeowners and renters looking to update their home design themes are prioritizing sustainability and versatility. This subset of consumers is most interested in keeping up to date with the latest trends, and are willing to invest in products that fit modern aesthetics while supporting their core values. As a result of this, brands are adopting the evergreen minimalist aesthetic with new notes of sustainability and personalization, adding depth to furnishings for trendy consumers.

Trend - Appliance companies are creating consumer-grade dishwashers with artificial intelligence (AI) and smart features. These features include remote control, automatic door operation, and automatic soap optimization, to name a few. These appliances focus on energy and time efficiency.

Insight - As younger millennials and older Gen Z consumers enter the renters and home-buyers markets, these consumers look to ensure that their homes are equipped for the modern age. These consumers prioritize fast wireless network connections, safe electrical wiring, and convenient features in their homes. Despite the rising costs of home ownership, many are willing to pay premiums for homes, and appliances in the home, that meet these desires, in order to make daily life more comfortable.

Trend - Just a few years after AI-powered chefs debuted in numerous restaurant pilots, brands are now adapting this technology to the home kitchen. These cooking devices help ensure consistency in cooking while making the process more efficient due to their advanced AI.

Insight - Luxury consumers favor convenience and automation in the home as time-saving measures, rather than cost-saving ones. These consumers have extra money they are willing to spend to make their busy lives easier, leading to fully-equipped smart homes or appliances on timers. One area these strive for more automation in is the kitchen. Previously, these consumers would hire personal human chefs if they did not enjoy cooking themselves. Brands are filling this luxe gap through the use of AI.

Trend - Brands in the home appliance space are launching smart fridges with UV light-controlled crispers that mimic the sun cycle. These fridges extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables and ensure the foods retain as many vitamins as possible. This technology saves consumers money and time.

Insight - As North American consumers become more interested in personal health and wellness, these consumers incorporate this lifestyle into their daily routines. This includes healthy eating, exercise, and other wellness products. However, as natural, organic foods often retail for more than the regular alternatives, these consumers aim to reduce costs and preserve their foods for longer. This created a space in the industry for smart storage appliances that extend the life of foods.

Trend - Brands are launching home air purifiers with embedded artificial intelligence features. These air purifiers monitor the surrounding air and communicate its quality to people around it with AI. These purifiers automatically activate when required, rather than operating 24/7, saving on energy.

Insight - For western consumers, many aspects of the home have been transformed with smart features. From the front door to the fridge, and even the outlets, consumers desire convenience, time-saving, and energy-saving features. These consumers are willing to pay an upfront premium to save downstream, particularly for products that improve their quality of life at home, leading to brands responding to this by creating premium, efficient products across multiple home sectors, such as cleaning.

Trend - Brands are using transparent materials in kitchen appliances. These appliances have a clean, modern aesthetic and make food preparation easier as they allow users to monitor food while it cooks. These products use innovative transparent materials with comparable safety to regular appliances.

Insight - The interior design industry continues to evolve with new design trends and materials, such as natural wood grain or modern glass dining ware. Some of these trends are to the detriment of function, while others enhance it. Customers are increasingly drawn to the latter, favoring products that enhance the convenience of the home, particularly in the kitchen. While most new functions focused on smart features, there also arose a space for new functional materials in the home.