At Enviro-Trash Concepts we constantly monitor the industry trends for our benefit and for our customers' benefit. Below are articles that may be of interest to industry architects, builders, designers, and our residential customers. Eight trends that have repeatedly surfaced in our research are:

1. Luxury kitchen items continue to trend upscale.
2. The popularity of the array of small appliances is significant, as well as the issue of how to store them efficiently without taking up a lot of countertop space.
3. Environmentally friendly, or 'green' themes have long been important to a segment of the population in the building industry. More energy efficient materials and products made from reclaimed materials are gaining in popularity. Read article appearing in Green Builder Magazine that features our Clean Chute product line.
4. Convenience has always been important, and it scores even higher now, in reference to low-maintenance products and surfaces, as well as time-saving kitchen devices.
5. Buyers at all levels are now more savvy, being educated from watching HGTV and researching via the Internet, and they have higher expectations for design and function of even mundane products.
6. Organization and a place for everything, in reaction to the "claustrophobia of abundance" (meaning too much stuff.) Seen in trends such as larger and better organized mud-rooms, laundry rooms, and efficient kitchens and baths)
7. BBQ and outdoor cooking has been strong for a long time, but now an outdoor cooker isn't enough. The trends include features seen in the indoor kitchen like tiled countertops, built-in storage areas and cabinets, and better solutions for trash than a large, open garbage bag.
8. The 'outdoor room' or living area is trending upscale and well-outfitted. Similar to, but a bit different than the BBQ trend, creating outdoor living spaces has broadened to include an outdoor living room, dining room, as well as game, reading and lounge areas.

Moen's article about trends, called "The New Must-Haves" http://moeninsight.com/issue14/article2.html