Moen(R) Daily Insights -- A Weeklong Series of Research Into the Lives of Today's Homeowners

NORTH OLMSTED, OH--(Marketwire - Nov 16, 2011) - When it comes to remodeling a kitchen, there is much more to consider than size or style preferences. Today's homeowners are remodeling with the idea of improving their quality of life, and if cost-effective, improve sustainability.

"Homeowners aren't making huge investments in their homes with an eye toward making more money on the resale," said Jack Suvak, senior director of research and insights, Moen. "Rather, they're remodeling to create 'live-in value.'"

Value, however, means different things to homeowners based on their generation and financial status. Moen gathered data from the Research Institute for Cooking and Kitchen Intelligence to gain insight into the needs of various generations and how these homeowners are incorporating sustainable products in their kitchens.

Generational Differences
Different generations have very specific desires in terms of creating a kitchen with live-in value.

By far, Millenials (age 18-34) have the highest demands in what they would want in a dream kitchen. The majority of their wish list items include those with technological advances, such as:

• A microwave that allows for swiping a package bar code, enabling the microwave to cook to exact directions
• A TV screen built into a kitchen wall or appliance
• Technology that would allow putting a dish in the oven, programming it to refrigerate and then turning the heat on from a phone or computer

Boomers (age 45-64) also had specific wish list items, mostly around entertaining large groups. Examples include:

• A cooktop with special-purpose features (built-in grill or wok, rotisserie attachment)
• Commercial or professional-grade appliances
• Built-in coffee pot connected directly to plumbing
• An oven that dramatically reduces cooking times without microwaves

Green in Certain Categories
Contrary to what many might believe, designers say their clients are more concerned about the project costs than being green. The costs of environmentally friendly products and materials are still seen as higher than non-green products; and these higher costs often discourage consumers who are already reluctant to spend more on their kitchen remodels.

That being said, there are certain categories that homeowners who are creating live-in value want to be sustainable, more than others:

• Energy-efficient appliances are almost standard in product selection
• Cabinetry, countertops and flooring that use sustainable or natural materials such as bamboo, cork and stone are being requested more frequently
• More consumers are asking about energy-efficient lighting, as well as water-saving faucets and showering, for their homes
• More consumers are showing concern about air quality by requesting non-toxic, low-VOC finishes

"As the demand for water-saving functionality increases, Moen continues to introduce Eco-Performance faucets and showerheads that combine style and sustainability, without sacrificing performance," added Suvak.

"We believe that consumers will continue to remodel with the idea of improving their quality of life -- at their stage of life -- while they stay put, for quite some time," explained Suvak.

For the more information about kitchen trends from Moen, visit moen.com.

About Moen
As the #1 faucet brand in North America, Moen offers a diverse selection of thoughtfully designed kitchen and bath faucets, showerheads, accessories, bath safety products and kitchen sinks for residential and commercial applications - each delivering the best possible combination of meaningful innovation, useful features and lasting value.

Moen has worked diligently to support, promote and advance sustainability within the organization and the plumbing industry. The company has been recognized with the 2011 EPA WaterSense^® Excellence Award, as well as the 2010 EPA WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year Award, for its work to protect the future of our nation's water supply through the introduction and ongoing support of water-efficient products, programs and practices, while keeping consumers' needs top-of-mind.

Moen is part of Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. (NYSE: FBHS), which creates products and services that help fulfill the dreams of homeowners and help people feel more secure. The company is a leader in the home and security industries and features well-known and trusted brands like Moen^® faucets, Master Lock^®, MasterBrand Cabinets^™, Therma-Tru^® entryway systems and Simonton Windows^®. For more information, please visit www.fbhs.com.

Source: Research Institute for Cooking and Kitchen Intelligence

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