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FOUR BEST PRACTICES FOR A HYBRID MEETING: HOW TO GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS THE INTERIORSCOOPINSIDEONDOORS ARE NEW AESTHETIC TRENDS BREAKING THE MOULD?
Editorial Director Castle Castle Building Centres Group Ltd.
Jennifer Mercieca
Lawrence Cummer
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SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 Volume 27 Issue 5 ABOUT CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
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CONTRIBUTORSCONTRIBUTORS
LAWRENCE CUMMER
Lawrence (“Law”) Cummer is a freelance writer and editor and has been a frequent contributor to Contractor Advantage, Ideas and Rough Construction for nearly a decade. Over his more than 20-year career, Law has written about contracting and construction, general business, information technology, health and safety, personal finance and almost every topic in between. He has a passion for storytelling and sharing how people can work better, easier — and “smarter” — from contractors to technologists to business executives.
LISA APOLINSKI, CMC
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Lisa Apolinski is an international speaker, digital strategist, author and founder of 3 Dog Write. She works with companies to develop and share their message using digital assets. Her latest book, Persuade With A Digital Content Story, was named one of the top content marketing books in the world by Book Authority. For information on her agency’s digital services visit www.3DogWrite.com.
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FOUR BEST PRACTICES FOR A HYBRID MEETING: HOW TO GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
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When the pandemic hit, the shift to virtual meetings was a blessing.
OFTABLE CONTENTSOFTABLE CONTENTS
Homeowners have been spending a lot more time inside the last few years, and it’s created an appetite for change.
// SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2022 5
ARE NEW AESTHETIC TRENDS BREAKING THE MOULD?
A home’s mouldings make a major impact on its look and feel, and while sleek modern contemporary décor continues to be popular, some in the industry are seeing ways that homeowners are beginning to look outside the box.
THE INSIDE SCOOP ON INTERIOR DOORS
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THE INSIDE SCOOP ON INTERIOR DOORS
Written by Lawrence Cummer
Photo courtesy of JELD-WEN
“We are not seeing a slowdown in that market,” Sabeski says of activity in the new year, post COVID-19 lockdowns and reduced travel restrictions. He’s optimistically positive around the end of the year and moving into 2023, and says Alliance continues to focus on “right-sizing” its plants to meet the continued high demand.
“We’ve seen a dramatic increase in business in all product categories, but of course interior doors — renovations — are through the roof,” says Lauren Sabeski, Business Development Manager at Alliance Door Products. “People are upgrading and modernizing their houses and it’s a phenomenal thing to see.”
Homeowners have been spending a lot more time inside the last few years, and it’s created an appetite for change. The result has been a boom in building product categories and the contractors who install them, and interior doors have been no exception.
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“The business is not going away.”
One factor may be the continued trend towards working from home. “Working at home is still a trend that is leading to making an office space that functions with the lifestyle,” says Jeffrey Pigeon, Senior Manager of Product Management of JELD-WEN of Canada. This is driving workfrom-home householders to create more multifunction spaces.
“Open concept, in a lot of markets, went crazy for so long, and now we’re seeing a lot of homes transitioning back to closing off rooms, having offices, having separate spaces,” says Dave
Ludolph, Channel Marketing Manager for Canada, at interior finishings manufacturer Metrie. “And for us, this is where you start to see doors become more popular in homes again.”
“Stile and rail doors are one of those growth areas and having more French doors and different options for French doors that will allow light in, but still separate you from your kids doing schooling in the next room or your partner who’s also working from home.”
Another change prompted by the pandemic is the desire (or need) to segregate rooms, a move away from the open concept spaces of the previous years. Double doors and folding (or retractable) doors are popular approaches to alternating between open and private spaces.
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Photo courtesy of Alliance Door Products
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FEATURE STORY // THE INSIDE SCOOP ON INTERIOR DOORS
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FEATURE STORY // THE INSIDE SCOOP ON INTERIOR DOORS
12 EXCEPTIONAL INTERIORS // FEATURE STORY // THE INSIDE SCOOP ON INTERIOR DOORS
He says there’s a correlation to be seen in terms of the design style’s growth in other areas such as mouldings, kitchen cabinets and door hardware (For more on mouldings design trends, see “Are new aesthetic trends breaking the mould?” on page 26).
“Over the last three of four years, in terms of design, the theme of simple, clean lines remains to be en vogue,” says Eddie Choe, Director of National Accounts & Business Development, Trimlite MFG. This is both in terms of renovations and new builds.
“Where we’re seeing growth, your biggest door across builders today is still your two-panel smooth, so a pretty basic moulded panel door,” Ludolph says. “But you’re starting to see again more design trends that match your moulding trends; bringing back that Shaker look is big, and we’ve done a lot of work in our regions to ensure we have product [in those design styles] in stock.”
JELD-WEN’s Pigeon notes that “the market is showing a shift to modern styles such as Birkdale, Madison, Conmore and Flush doors,” as well as taller doors (7’ to 8’) where possible — especially on the main floor of new construction. The most popular style, he says, for panel doors remains smooth Madison and Monroe doors in oneor two- panel designs.
TRENDS IN 2022: MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY DESIGN
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“My wife is an architect, and she’s very into straight lines — no curves — so when you look at door design, whether it’s a moulded panel door or a stile and rail door, that’s what you’re continuing to see in terms of trends.”
Modern and contemporary styles that embrace simplicity and subtle sophistication continue to be a leading popular design trend for homeowners.
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Sabeski reminds that interior door upgrades tend to be tied to larger renovations taking place, trying to compliment and tie into other improvements. “Doors are really becoming part of the beauty of the house now, whereas before it was just function.”
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PAINTED WHITE OR WOOD FINISHES
To that end, homeowners are looking more towards different wood veneers to match the species used throughout their house and match moulding. For pre-finished hardwood doors, like the Lynden Door Rift Cut, he says “people are moving outside of just that white door that they always used to have.” Currently, Rift Cut doors are available in slate, medium walnut, coffee and teak.
Pre-painted interior doors are growing in popularity, says Metrie’s Ludolph. “This has the benefits of a factory finish, but also, I work for a door company, and I still have to get around to finishing a few of the doors in my own house. There
Photos courtesy of Alliance Door Products
Pigeon similarly recommends French doors be in light natural wood tones.
are so many steps to prepping doors and finding the space, it would have been much quicker if I used the pre-painted doors.”
“We have in-house capabilities to pre-paint doors and are starting to test that across all of the markets, but for the contractors that we’ve talked to it’s just a massive time saving.”
FEATURE STORY // THE INSIDE SCOOP ON INTERIOR DOORS
White or off-white remains popular, as always, but manufacturers and distributors suggest leaning towards wood textures. “I have a personal bias,” says Choe. “Let’s look at the beauty of the door, put a light stain on it that shows the feature of the wood. Why hide its beauty behind a dark stain?”
Pigeon says many homeowners want interior spaces inspired by nature, using sustainable materials, and boasting a natural look and energy efficiency. Neutral or muted colours are most used, as are frosted door lights. “Natural light is also a trend – doors with glass to allow a natural light flow,” he says.
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“You know, you see doors where they put those ugly grills or vents on them? This door will allow airflow, so it’s excellent for laundry rooms or condominiums where you have the washer or dryer that needs ventilation on the main floor,” Sabeski says.
A newer offering from Alliance Door offers another type of functionality: ventilation. The company’s VanAir Ventilated Door system.
“So, we’re accomplishing having a nice looking aesthetic yet having the performance of airflow and Building Code requirements.” –
The increased need to separate spaces for different functions, as well as the growing number of multi-family dwellings, demands greater sound attenuation.
VENTILATED DOORS
FUNCTIONALITY: MULTI-FUNCTION AND MULTI-FAMILY SPACES
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Pigeon notes that while hollow-core doors remain the number one seller, the market for solid-core and fire-rated doors is growing.
Solid core doors are about more than cutting down on noise, but also the weighty and high-quality feel they provide. “We are seeing tremendous growth in — and a lot of our capacity is geared towards — solid core, because a lot of consumers that want less sounds transmission. The whole idea of having a door that’s solid, that has weight and has a perceived value to it.”
Ludolph points to solid stile and rail doors for greater sound reduction between rooms; similarly, Choe points to the transition homeowners are making from hollow-core to solid-core doors for the same reason.
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The goal of the system is to promote greater comfort and healthier living, as air circulation plays a part in reducing pollutants, as well as relative humidity in areas such as bathrooms. It works by using an integrated channel running through the door to move air, while baffling and resonators absorb high- and low-frequency sound.
// THE INSIDE
ON INTERIOR DOORS
FEATURE
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Photo courtesy of JELD-WEN STORY SCOOP
When the pandemic hit, the shift to virtual meetings was a blessing. Employees could still continue to work. Colleagues were able to collaborate. Conferences and training could still happen. And virtual connection was better than no connection at all.
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Perhaps due to the availability of online meetings, this survey also found that from 2020 to 2021, the number of meetings attended by workers has gone up nearly 13 percent.
But the surge of virtual meetings was not without issues. According to a recent survey, since the start of the pandemic 50 percent of employees have one to three hours of virtual meetings per week. And while complaints were frequent on the amount of time lost starting a meeting due to technical difficulties, still a little over half of employees prefer virtual meetings, while just under half prefer in-person ones.
FOUR BEST PRACTICES FOR A HYBRID MEETING: HOW TO GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
Written by Lisa Apolinski, CMC
With an even split between wanting in-person and virtual meetings, and with workers spread further across the country (and world), creating a hybrid meeting would seem like the perfect combination. The trick, however, is to plan on combining these two modes of engagement to have the best outcome rather than a happy (or not so happy) accident. Here are four tips to get the right combo from the start.
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When going for a hybrid meeting model, the weakest link in the proverbial chain is the technology. Be sure to include AV and IT at the conference’s location and discuss those hybrid plans, so they can provide guidance on the technology equipment that is necessary to have things run smoothly. Asking for a “practice run” with the AV and IT teams at that location should be on the list of to-dos. The onsite team can act as the in-person attendees, and others can join via the virtual venue.
INCORPORATING VIRTUAL PARTICIPANTS IN UNIQUE WAYS
The idea of combining virtual and in-person does dictate which meeting venue leads and which venue is folded into the mix. Simply putting up a large screen on the side of the conference or meeting would be akin to having people call in on a conference line. Instead, use a moderator both on the platform and at the in-person location to keep virtual attendees engaged. Have several monitors located around the room as well as several camera angles, so the virtual audience can be immersed in the physical environment.
Consider running polls with the virtual audience, sharing the poll results with everyone, and then asking in-person participants their reactions to the outcomes for further discussion. This is one time you don’t want to put your ‘virtual baby’ in a corner.
Going back to the recent survey, the biggest complaint for meeting attendees was the delay of the start due to technical issues that should have been resolved. This is where practice, practice, and practice comes in.
This testing ensures cameras are at the proper locations, lighting and microphones are placed
TESTING, TESTING, 1 – 2 - 3
GRABBING ON-DEMAND CONTENT FOR LATER Live streaming the in-person meeting for the virtual audience provides a great post-conference opportunity. By having several camera angles and both virtual and in-person audience discussions, a post-production video can be developed that captures both engagement venues and combines them in a unique way.
properly, and the location’s bandwidth is able to handle the virtual surge in attendance. Understand and review the location’s back up plan if something fails as a final safety measure.
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Many conferences will capture in-person testimonials. Since you have participants already on via a live streaming platform, this could also be a great time to ask a virtual participant to have a 30-second conversation about the conference or meeting during a break. These videos can be curated to make a virtual montage for those online participants and for social media engagement. On-demand content can also highlight how this meeting was different and allowed full participation, regardless of location.
Because these audiences are viewing the meeting or conference from a different angle, they can also observe those in person, and see how they are faring during the conference. It may feel a little ‘big brother’, but conducting and recording observations can be a great way of seeing if the audience is engaged, tired, bored, etc.
USING DATA FROM VIRTUAL TO DRIVE BETTER IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENT
The hardest part of conferences and meetings is the lack of data to make optimization decisions. By having virtual participants, the data capture can be leveraged. This does not just include how many attendees are online, how long they stay, and how engaged they are with polls and the like. This is a captive audience who can also quickly do a short survey after a session or midway through a conference, to gain immediate feedback on how things are running.
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Even as the population goes back to in-person conferences and meetings, virtual meetings will be around for quite some time. By combining both in a calculated and strategic way, there is great opportunity to get the best of both worlds. –
Written by Lawrence Cummer
Photo courtesy of Moulding Warehouse
ARE NEW AESTHETIC TRENDS BREAKING THE MOULD?
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She says that while the Moulding Warehouse isn’t introducing new products currently, this trend means they find themselves reintroducing more detailed moulding profiles that are becoming more popular again.
A reaction to the minimalist approach, maximalism is an aesthetic that emphasizes adding more of the things you love, rather than less. As a home décor trend, it promotes bolder and hard-to-miss expressions using repetition, patterns, intricate details and unique properties.
MAXIMALISM: MORE IS MORE
“Where minimalism was once the norm with white everything, blank walls and sleek lines, maximalism brings a love of ornate detailing, bright pops of colour, and a cozier homey feel,” says MacKay.
“In terms of mouldings, this translates to a move from the plain flat stock mouldings and shiplap — although loved and still popular — to customers having more fun with profiles, reintroducing crown detailing, coffered ceilings, large baseboards, as well as accent walls adorned with panel mouldings. It’s a fun change to see in the industry.”
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“We are continuing to see a mix of cost-effective flat stock modern mouldings in residential builds, as well as the re-emergence of maximalism in more custom homes,” says Courtney MacKay, Co-owner, at Moulding Warehouse.
A home’s mouldings make a major impact on its look and feel, and while sleek modern contemporary décor continues to be popular, some in the industry are seeing ways that homeowners are beginning to look outside the box.
due to supply chain challenges. Of course, those challenges are starting to become fewer.
It’s not brand new, but homeowners are becoming bolder in their use of moulding to create wall features to decorate (or create) accent walls.
It’s a trend that remained popular throughout the past year, and she expects will continue to be. The market may have seen fewer changes in trends,
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GETTING CREATIVE WITH WALL FEATURES
MouldingAlexandriaofcourtesyPhotos FEATURE STORY // ARE NEW AESTHETIC TRENDS BREAKING THE MOULD?
“We’re back,” Gerrits says, referring to the market excitement around improved supply chains, increase in the release of new products — many focused on feature walls — and how prepared companies like Alexandria are with the high level of stock needed and the social media marketing to support it.
She points to the emerging trend of having colours. “Feature wall profiles were mostly always white, and they still are heavily white, but you’re starting to see a lot more colours, and some are nice bold colours.”
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, “We were well into some new trends that involved a lot of wall features, like shiplap, all walls or ceiling finishes, and sometimes just a feature wall,” says Donna Gerrits, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Alexandria Moulding. “We call that surfaces at Alexandria — we have a brand called Surfaces that includes all of our various wall applications.”
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“It may be wishful thinking, but I think for the most part after the last few years, we have turned a corner on that issue.”
As travel and entertainment activities have picked up in 2022, Gerrits says there has been a slight lull in foot traffic and DIY shoppers, it is poised to be a busy fall for mouldings and the contractors that install them. Perhaps not as busy as during pandemic lockdowns or public health measures, but at the same time more manageable for contractors and suppliers.
ARE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES A THING OF THE PAST?
MacKay says supply chain issues are still alive and well, but that she sees “a light at the end of that tunnel.”
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WarehouseMouldingofcourtesyPhoto FEATURE STORY // ARE NEW AESTHETIC TRENDS BREAKING THE MOULD?
“Some new constructions have been delayed because there are still some supply issues out there, for example, windows have some long lead times,” she notes. “I think we’re in for a busy fall. I think people will move back inside and finish up projects that they started; one project leads to another.”
“I think as long as we educate our customers and they educate their clients on realistic timelines, we can all avoid disappointments,” she says. “It’s going to continue to be crucial that decisions are made long before deadlines approach. Communication is key!” she says.
“Benefits we see are obviously around quality. It is factory finished, and it’s in a Polar White finish. Ours has a non-metal marking coat applied, so great for being on the job site, getting scratched up or dinged up with tools,” Ludolph says. “We also have flex-additives added to our paint, so it can bend and move around on site, and the finish will last and won’t crack.”
EASIER INSTALL TO TAKE ON MORE JOBS
That’s where pre-painted mouldings, like those offered by Metrie become a real benefit, says Dave Ludolph, Channel Marketing Manager for Canada at Metrie. He says his company has been seeing an increase in the demand for its Metrie Complete pre-finished mouldings and trim, which it produces in popular profiles and lengths that mirror its primed products.
He adds that UV inhibitors prevent the yellowing that can happen with some painted products over time.
Of course, materials aren’t the only thing that has been in shorter supply in the past years, but skilled labour has also been hard to find.
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MetrieofcourtesyPhotos FEATURE STORY // ARE NEW AESTHETIC TRENDS BREAKING THE MOULD?
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RENOVATIONS AND NEW BUILDS STILL GOING STRONG
During the height of the pandemic, the mouldings market saw growing interest alongside the broad increase in home renovations. Experts say they are still seeing strong interest from homeowners, although some point to a dip from 2020 and 2021 levels.
FEATURE STORY // ARE NEW AESTHETIC TRENDS BREAKING THE MOULD?
“I’m an eternal optimist, it may not get as busy as it did during COVID, but I think it’s going to still be very steady and it will be far better than what it was pre-COVID,” Gerrits says.
She also notes that as housing builds continue to meet the growing numbers of newcomers, the demand for her company’s products grow in parallel. “I don’t see that changing in the near future, at least in our province.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by MacKay: “We have seen homeowners continue to renovate their homes despite the lifting of restrictions in our area,” she says of her home province of Nova Scotia. “We’ve definitely seen a decrease from the boom that happened in 2020 and 2021, but a desire to have the home of your dreams remains constant in our area.”
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NEW STYLES AHEAD
The company developed its Option {M} line of mouldings (and doors) in 2017 designed to provide the most popular designs in North America based on analytics and research. “We took our product lines and curated the profiles to match
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those design trends to try to simplify the process for contractors and homeowners,” he says. “You walk into a hardware store today, and it’s just a sea of white and it was difficult, and people would lose their confidence and end up with something they don’t want.”
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In January of 2023, Metrie will be launching two new styles as part of that series “that will take on the most on-trend fashions that people are searching for.” –
Style preferences are different across regions and markets in the country, Ludolph notes; however, some trends can be seen. He says Metrie is seeing the contemporary straight line look popular a few years back a little more often lately.
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