Welcome to 2026

8th Weekend Edition of Breakfast and a Blog
I am sitting here just taking in all the changes that have happened over the last 5 years. When I look back over this very unsettled Kitchen & Bath Industry, I hardly know where to begin. 
The best place to start is with the main thing that quickly changed everything and caught most people off guard. That unspeakable thing would be, how in the world did design, selections and product sourcing ever fall into the hands of the consumers?
Many of you are probably bowing your head now and whispering the words…” say it ain’t so Joe”. The Dealers who used to own this process have been bypassed by the rapid change in advancements in technology. Fear not, there will be a number of companies that have figured out not only how they can survive this shift, but actually thrive and take market share.
From this vantage point, basking in the sun of the summer of 2026, the trend is only continuing. It might be better to just list out some of the things that transpired and pushed the industry into the Twilight Zone.

  1. Scanning rooms can now be done by a phone and give you exact measurements of that room.
  2. The homeowner now has created an augmented space to walk around in that replicates that particular room to a T.
  3. The Smart Glasses (not the goggles) will open apps with a touch of the finger and then provide access to catalogs of 3 dimensional products that can be pulled into the room.
  4. The design and product software they are using is powered by AI which now has the ability to recognize the person and understand all the styles, colors, layouts, and pricing that would fall in line with everything they like.
  5. The amount of product information they can access in seconds is just amazing to witness compared to the old days when salespeople provided the options and overviews. Every item has multiple ways that people can interact with them and on numerous platforms. 
  6. Whether its video content or avatars showing you what the product is and how it can be used. It’s like having a professional in your living room walking you thru your project! 

Fear not though, the best designers are still in high demand because of their creativity coupled with strong digital skills. They can do things that homeowners only wished they could accomplish.
The night has come, and the blog has grown far too long for the masses that are suffering from a serious case of ADD (absolutely including myself). I must go now to my enclosed rejuvenation bed that will make me feel 25 years younger in the morning.
It needed a happy ending, so I threw that in. 😊 
Be sure to join our live streaming on August 12th at noon EDT with special guest Rodney Seppala from Triumph Interiors in NH. 
This is not the end…. Only the beginning of this journey… 

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