(ARA) –The rising cost of fuel will likely keep many Americans closer to home this summer, financial analysts say. But the money set aside for travel won’t be staying in their bank accounts.
Americans will be spending a lot of their discretionary money updating their homes, according to the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI). At a time when other industries are suffering double-digit declines in revenue, the agency is predicting home improvement businesses will average a growth rate of 6 percent annually for the next four years, reaching $381 billion by 2012.
As usual, kitchen and bathroom remodels are expected to be popular this summer. So are projects that allow homeowners in need of more space to expand their living areas. But with budgets tight, not too many people will be doing add-ons this year. They are instead expected to focus their attention on outdoor living as a way to expand.
“Outdoor living is a lot more sophisticated, today, than it was as recently as five years ago. People now have outdoor kitchens and living rooms, and since they are decorating them a lot like they would an interior room it’s getting hard to tell the outdoor living spaces from the indoor ones,” says Joe Rey-Barreau, an associate professor at the University of Kentucky’s School of Interior Design and the education consultant for the American Lighting Association (ALA). He travels the country tracking trends and one he’s noticed lately is the focus on decorative accents outside.
“It doesn’t matter where in the country I am; when I visit an outdoor living room these days, I will find decorative table lamps and chandeliers, even wall scones that are UL rated; and hanging from the ceiling are these beautiful fans. A far cry from the industrial-looking models of yesteryear,” says Rey-Barreau.
Take, for example, the Bellaria Collection by Zionsville, Ind.-based Famimation. “Fans in this collection are decorative as well as functional,” says Tom Underwood, the company’s national sales manager. “They look like indoor products by virtue of their detail, but are meant to be used outdoors.”
The Bellaria fans feature a composite housing that is rust-proof, all-weather blades and wet-labeled light kits. They are available in seven different finishes ranging from white to aged copper.
The Emerson Ceiling Fan company of St. Louis, Mo., also has some strong offerings for the outdoor living market. “We’ve expanded our outdoor offerings quite a bit in recent years,” says Steve Cox, vice president and general manager of Emerson Air Comfort Products. “Emerson offers all the traditional and contemporary designs you’d expect. Plus we have a lot of models with a tropical look.”
Cox expects The Maui Bay line to do extremely well this summer. The fan motors, which come in a corrosion resistant housing that is perfect for an outdoor deck or gazebo, and blades in this collection are sold separately, allowing home owners to create a look that is truly unique.
In the meantime, the designers at Regency Fans, which is based in Fenton, Mo., expect their Miranda collection to do well with the outdoor living crowd. “Our outdoor models have the same quiet D/C motor fans as our interior units do,” says Kim Noerteman, Regency’s product and marketing director. “Consumers can find regular ceiling hung fans, as well as wall, pedestal and decorative tandem models available for both the inside and out in this collection. The only real difference if you decide to go outside rather than in would be the more weather-resistant housing and blade options.”
For more information about ceiling fans designed for outdoor use, or to find a showroom near you that carries them, log on to the American Lighting Association’s Web site at www.AmericanLightingAssoc.com or call (800) BRIGHT-IDEAS (800-274-4484).
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