Category: Kitchen Improvement

ST. LOUIS, MO – RSI Kitchen & Bath President and CEO Megan Bittle has announced the expansion of the RSI portfolio of offerings with the acquisition of Beck/Allen Cabinetry in advance of company President Mike Beck’s planned retirement.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to lead Beck/Allen through times of tremendous growth, as well as challenging economic downturns that tested our team,” said Beck. “To have had a role in taking Beck/Allen from meager start-up to becoming the sought-after player in the cabinet space that it is has been both gratifying and humbling. A succession plan was extremely important as we looked to the future, and we’re confident that the company and our employees will be in trusted and forward-thinking hands with Megan at the helm.”

Founded in the year 2000 by Mike Beck and Lee Allen, Beck/Allen began as a wholesale cabinet company catering solely to home builders and remodelers in the St. Louis area. Over two decades, the company evolved in both product lines and capabilities, earning the respect and business of leading trade professionals including designers and architects.

“I believe that to exist in our industry 20 years from now, you must be thinking of strategic alliances, and Beck/Allen represents a complementary segment of the kitchen and bath industry in St. Louis,” says Bittle. “There is so much growth potential in the St. Louis market that acquiring a local business with strong ties to the community and not having to look outside of this market was incredibly intriguing. Our cultures and customer bases meld so well that I saw an opportunity to grow RSI over the next 10 years.”

Moving forward, Beck/Allen Cabinetry will be referred to as a “division of RSI Kitchen & Bath”.

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Taking pride in custom designing each kitchen so that each has its own identity, Ginger Rabe, founder of Ginger Rabe Designs, LLC, in Carlsbad, CA, focuses on current trends as well as what is timeless.

With a Master’s Degree in architectural building within sustainable design from Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Rabe is now a professor of the Master’s program at the Design Institute of San Diego. This position allows her to share her knowledge of the kitchen and bath industry and sustainable design.

Rabe is on the board of the NKBA of Southern California chapter, and is also on the speakers bureau for the San Diego Green Building Council and the advisory council for Palomar College Interior Design Department. In addition, she gives master classes on kitchen design, and is a TedX speaker on healthy spaces.

In 2020, she received the Power Business Woman Award, and in 2021 received an award for the San Diego Favorite in Kitchen Design and Construction.

Proficient in design-build, Rabe reports that she will be getting her general contractor’s license this year, as her firm also builds custom homes. Her furniture line includes five unique pieces – each named after someone in her family – that pair perfectly with her cabinet designs.

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As homeowners spend more time at home, working and living in their kitchens with their families, the desire for streamlined functionality and a cleaner appearance has only continued to grow. Sought-after details for organizing pantry items, charging electronics and putting everything in its place are just some of the requested details for kitchen accessories and cabinet interiors.

Ease of use is a must for these elements, but aesthetics and beautiful finishes are also part of the mix. Manufacturers have proven to be up to the task, however, as cabinet pullouts don’t just offer function, but do it in style; and accessories deliver the best in function while blending in and even enhancing their surroundings.

Following are some of the hottest trends in interior fittings and kitchen accessories right now.

–Storage accessories are increasingly becoming customized for how homeowners use their space, with removable caddies, utensil storage, adjustable drawer inserts and movable pegs being used.

— Power sources for charging electronics are being hidden away, with customized spaces being created in drawers and nooks for convenient powering up.

–Pullouts now include very specific functional accessories, such as knife blocks and bins that keep items close at hand.

–Reaching into dark cabinets, corner spaces and high storage is becoming a thing of the past, as interior storage units now easily bring the items to the user.

–Using every inch of space is a must in today’s organized kitchens, and spices, sheet pans and cooking utensils find their own spaces in carved-out storage.

–Shelving continues to grow and evolved in the kitchen, with styles ranging from live edge wood to industrial metal.

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WASHINGTON, DC — The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), the trade organization representing many of the industry’s leading appliance suppliers, has lent its voice to a four-member coalition of trade associations urging immediate action by the Biden administration and Congress to address ongoing global supply chain challenges.

The Washington, DC-based AHAM yesterday joined the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) in releasing a white paper outlining how supply chain disruptions, which are being compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, “are hurting the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers, stalling the U.S. economic recovery (and resulting in) unprecedented damage to the global product supply chain.”

The call for action comes one day after a coalition of workers from across the supply chain warned world leaders that global trade is facing a potential “global transport system collapse” if governments do not restore freedom of movement to transport workers and give them priority to receive COVID vaccines that have been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“The ability to produce and deliver home appliances to consumers has been dramatically hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic and other supply-related issues, creating hardships for consumers and for businesses at every step in the supply chain,” said Joseph McGuire, president and CEO of AHAM. “The result is ongoing shortages of products, materials, components and labor, leading to delays and increased costs,” McGuire said, adding that, in some cases, the supply chain timeline has doubled or tripled.

“This is at a time when consumers are spending more time in their homes and more dependent than ever on home appliances to keep their families healthy and their homes clean,” he said.

The request by AHAM followed a series of meetings between association members and Biden administration staff, centered around issues important to AHAM-member companies, such as the Section 301 China tariffs, Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs, labor shortages, increased costs for shipping containers and increased shipping times, and semiconductor shortages, AHAM said.

“Combined with increased demand for appliances and equipment, supply chain bottlenecks have negative consequences, including increased costs, lost sales, delayed deliveries of critical products to consumers in the face of supply chain backlogs, and even shutting down manufacturing plants,” the association contended.

AHAM acknowledged that many supply chain issues will require long-term solutions, but the coalition also requested immediate relief from policymakers through tariff removal and fair allocation of semiconductors to all industries.

“Quick implementation of these and other policy solutions may help prevent a continued worsening of the availability of manufactured products in the U.S., while increasing productivity and stemming product cost inflation,” AHAM said.

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KOHLER, WI — Kohler Co., the Kohler, WI-based manufacturer of plumbing products, tile, cabinetry, lighting and related products, will host “Kohler Living,” a forum aimed at exploring ways that “thoughtful design and innovative technology can add beauty, convenience and comfort to the home,” the company announced.

The online forum, scheduled for Nov. 4-5, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. CST, will bring together “the leading minds in design, entertainment, art, culture and business to discuss the future of the places we live, stay and work in (and) present a path toward a more beautiful and sustainable future,” Kohler said. The free event is being offered to consumers and trade professionals alike, the company added.

The first day of the two-day virtual event will be focused on topics that highlight wellbeing, design and innovation, Kohler said. The second day will emphasize smart home, sustainability and social impact, event organizers added. In addition to attending the various discussions and events, forum attendees will have the opportunity to connect with Kohler experts and other attendees in real time via a dedicated chat function in each session page.

For all individuals who register, Kohler is offering a chance to win an Ultimate Destination Kohler Getaway — including a stay at Kohler’s five-star The American Club resort hotel, plus spa and golf packages for two, according to the company.

A complete program of events can be found by visiting Kohler.com/Living.

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CHICAGO — Mayan Metzler, founder and CEO of German Kitchen Center, a multi-brand chain of showrooms for European-style kitchen designs in the U.S., has unveiled the newest branch of the “MyPlanet Living Center” chain of showrooms, the company announced.

The new site features 14,000 sq. ft. at the 900 North Michigan Shops in Chicago’s “Magnificent Mile,” an upscale shopping district known for its high-end retail outlets.

MyPlanet Living Centers are designed as showrooms aimed at exposing homeowners and trade professionals to high-end products for the kitchen and bath, among other areas of the home. MyPlanet, a nonprofit organization focused on housing and medical support for vulnerable populations, donates proceeds from the centers to community groups that assist the needy, according to the company. Partners include German Kitchen Center and MyPlanet Construction system, an energy-efficient home building system.

Each MPLC partner within the MPLC Chicago site will operate their own space, similar to that of a permanent trade show booth, with MPLC staff available for customer service, the company said.

“MPLC showrooms are fulfilling various needs currently lacking in the home renovation market for both customers and suppliers,” said Metzler. “Most importantly, however, this is an opportunity to also improve our communities.

“As the for-profit arm of MyPlanet, we can help rebuild communities affected by the recent pandemic, as well as communities that have seen a decline in residents due to lack of employment opportunities,” Metzler added, noting that the company will soon be announcing several locations in midsized cities, as well.

“I hope that this venture will serve as a blueprint for other companies to pitch in and help revitalize our cities,” Metzler said. “We’re only as strong as our communities are.”

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WASHINGTON, DC — In what officials are calling a major step in combating global climate change, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a final rule establishing a program to cap and phase down domestic production and consumption of climate-damaging hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), highly potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigerators and air conditioners.

The landmark program, announced today, will phase down the U.S. production and consumption of HFCs by 85% over the next 15 years, as mandated by the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act, enacted in December 2020 as part of an effort designed to slow global warming, EPA officials said. HFCs are potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, as well as foams and other applications.

The bipartisan AIM Act, backed by a coalition of industry and environmental groups, not only phases down HFCs, but also ushers in the use of more climate friendly and energy-efficient alternatives aimed at saving consumers money while protecting the environment, according to the EPA.

“Today, EPA is taking a significant step forward to tackle the climate crisis,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan. “Cutting these climate ‘super pollutants’ protects our environment, strengthens our economy, and demonstrates that America is back when it comes to leading the world in addressing climate change and curbing global warming in the years ahead.”

“American companies are at the forefront of developing HFC alternatives and the technologies that use them, and the AIM Act provides these companies additional opportunities to continue to innovate,” Regan added.

EPA estimates that the cumulative net benefit of its action will amount to more than $272 billion from 2022 through 2050, and that the rule will yield cumulative compliance savings for industry. In 2036 alone, the year the final reduction step is made, the rule is expected to prevent emissions of the equivalent of 171 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) – roughly equal to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from one out of every seven passenger vehicles registered in the U.S., the EPA said. The total emission reductions of the rule from 2022 to 2050 are projected to amount to the equivalent of 4.6 billion metric tons of CO2 – nearly equal to three years of U.S. power sector emissions at 2019 levels.

EPA officials said the agency will work with the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security to prevent the illegal import and trade of HFCs through an interagency task force led by personnel from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and EPA.

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