ADRIAN, MI – The third phase of Merillat’s research, Kitchen 4mula, is part of an ongoing study with the goal of gathering valuable information on how builders and kitchen and bath professionals can better design kitchens, as well as sell more homes and upgrades. The first two phases, Model Behavior I and Model Behavior II, took an in-depth look at how people act, think and shop in a model home.

The most recent study found four distinct consumer segments, which were determined by the role and usage of the kitchen. The groups include:

*Luxury Leaders: This segment is generally affluent and has a large home. They are highly educated and enjoy trying different things. This segment is concerned with prestige. The kitchen is the “star” of the home.

*Domestic Dwellers: This segment lives in a comfortable home that is nice but not ostentatious. This segment uses the kitchen as a place to care for and nurture the family. The kitchen is considered the center of the home.

*Busy Bees: This segment is composed of busy families. Busy Bees are slightly younger than Domestic Dwellers and have a higher income. Despite a busy schedule, a great deal of time is spent in the kitchen.

*Career Builders: This group is mostly first-time homebuyers. They are well educated and spend a lot of time working. For homeowners in this segment, the kitchen is not important as they feel no emotional connection to the room.

To conduct the study, 1,252 interviews were done nationwide in a comprehensive online survey. The responses were compiled and analyzed with a state-of-the-art statistical clustering program. Read more.