“With many people at home, they are inspired to transform rooms in their homes, which has created more demand for products like ours,” explains Peter Branidis, director, product and channel marketing at Metrie. “Even small improvements can make a big impact on people in the home, and our products work well to satisfy a weekend DIY or a full remodel. So regardless of whether it’s new construction, a purchase of an older home, or just a refresh of a current home, people have been investing where they’ve been spending most of their time.”
In fact, the influx of projects was so great that it created difficulties in the industry regarding demand and supply. Courtney Mackay, manager of Moulding Warehouse explains, “We had huge issues with sourcing MDF and plywood underlay. We found ourselves calling all over Canada for materials. Lucky for us we did not give up and were able to keep up with demand.”
So, what kind of changes have been occurring during all of these projects? Donna Gerrits, vice president of sales and marketing at Alexandria Moulding explains, “Wall treatments such as shiplap are still a big trend with home renovation and new construction in lake house country. Most of these options are still being painted white.” In regards to mouldings Gerrits has noticed the following modern look: “The moulding trends are still quite simple square, more contemporary profiles, and the size of the mouldings continue to get larger with the open concept, high ceiling homes being built today.”
Both Mackay and Branidis echo Gerrits as they too have noted similar trends. Moulding Warehouse has seen an increase in the sales of shiplap, as well as a move from colonial style mouldings and doors to more modern styles in the residential sector, while in the commercial sector flatstock material continues to be primarily used to offer a modern, clean look. Similarly, Metrie continues to see strong growth in their Heritage series line of interior doors which offers the modern 1, 2 and 3 panel designs, while mouldings trends continue towards clean lines.
When considering all the choices for home projects, Branidis suggests the following: “For a residential project I would tell anyone to select from our Metrie Option {M}® product line. This is a single source for all your moulding and door needs to achieve a desired, on-trend look in your home. They are organized by popular décor trends to make it really easy to select products perfect for the space.” For further trendy options consumer can also look to Alexandria Moulding as Gerrits recommends their “M Collection of Urban Modern Mouldings.”
Overall, the most important thing when it comes time to choosing interior doors and mouldings is to know what one wants. “My top recommendation to a residential home owner would be to have a clear idea of what you want your end goal to be,” explains Mackay. “Go online, do your research about which styles you love, which styles go with your pre-existing furniture if you aren’t also upgrading that. Create you Pinterest boards, and do not be shy about bringing them into your local moulding and door showroom to get advice on how to make you vision a reality. We all love seeing your ideas.”
For commercial projects, Mackay also suggests the importance of research: “I would definitely consider what style is in your area. Is the demographic more traditional or are you in an area with a more modern flare? Knowing your audience is key when choosing which style to go with in your complex or build.”
Apart from style aesthetics, consumers need to also consider sound engineering and lighting aspects when making their choices. “Sound reduction would be the biggest issue people are solving when selecting a door,” Branidis explains. “In addition, a new trend we are seeing is the need for more light, so the desire to add in some French doors to a home is making a comeback across markets, as people want privacy but also want to keep their home light and bright.
Interestingly, due to the pandemic, consumers have also had to consider the limitations of stock availability when making their decisions, as Gerrits explains, “with the supply constraints some may have [had to] substitute their first choice with what was available at the time.”
Moreover, the pandemic has also affected costs in the industry, with lumber prices soaring over the last year. Thankfully the surge in demand helped keep companies afloat as Mackay states, “The increased price in lumber was thankfully coupled with a high demand, therefore we were lucky to have loyal clientele who stuck with us throughout the worst of it.”
It is that community support that has been critical during these varying times, not only for Mackay’s company but others as well. Branidis explains the importance of Metrie’s support strategy: “During these difficult times, having trust and strong relationships with suppliers and customers ensures that we can work together and co-create solutions through any adversity.”
Gerrits also reflects on how positive relationships in the Alexandria Moulding community have been critical to pull through these past months successfully, as she states, “Communication and empathy to our employees, our customers, and our vendors has been key throughout this pandemic.”
With an optimistic future ahead, companies and consumers are now excited to not only have businesses return to their full capacity but more importantly to get out from their homes and return to a sense of normalcy. “I think I can speak for all of us when I say we are most looking forward to having regular face to face interactions with our customers again,” explains Mackay. “In the construction industry we are all one big family, and it’s been hard not seeing our regular clientele on a regular basis. This pandemic has really shown us the value of loyalty in our customer base, and we’ve come to really appreciate how our community supported us throughout these hard times.” —
