National Kitchen & Bath Month

The kitchen is often called the heart of the home, and the bath is considered a sanctuary, and National Kitchen & Bath Month celebrates both. According to NKBA’s Kitchen Trends Report, 87 percent of respondents say that kitchens have become spaces for showcasing decorative, statement lighting. Interior designer and television personality Nate Berkus has said, “A bathroom should feel like a retreat, a place where you can relax, recharge, and restore.” That is the spirit of the month: great-looking, functional spaces that make everyday life feel a little more special.

October is no accident. Kitchen and Bath Month celebrates the most popular season for remodeling, as NKBA partners have noted, and designers say there is no better time to be reminded that the kitchen and bath are great investments for the future. A house built in the 1990s or earlier is likely due for a kitchen or bath refresh. Not only are styles out of date, but materials and accessories are likely worn down, hard to clean, or no longer functioning properly. As home improvement television shows and social media influencers continue to grow in popularity, homeowners are looking to renovate, and October is the month to start planning.

The NKBA’s advice for anyone thinking about a project is refreshingly honest. First, do not do it yourself. Remodeling a bedroom, dining room, or family room is very different from taking on the challenge of a kitchen or bath, and a specialized designer should be brought in to figure logistics, suggest proper materials, and create a functional, cost-efficient room that reflects your taste, style, and personality. Second, think of resale value: even if you believe you have settled for good, someone else might own the home one day, and you will want to make sure you can recoup your investment. Third, do not overspend. Set a budget at the beginning of the project, including room for additional charges, and do not go over that amount, no matter what. Kitchen and bath designers know the current trends, the space-saving tricks, and the product and accessory options, and traditionally both spaces come with small floorplans that a good designer can turn into an advantage.

National Kitchen & Bath Month also comes with a healthy dose of fun. The NKBA has celebrated with entertaining and educational articles, videos, and interactive content, including weekly quizzes to test your knowledge of the industry. The month’s “Did You Know” facts are some of the best party trivia around. The most expensive toilet belongs to the International Space Station, and it cost 19 million dollars. The saying “using the john” refers to Sir John Harington, who devised the world’s first flush toilet in 1596. And here is one for your next dinner party: 70 percent of guests will snoop through your bathroom cabinets, so October might be the month to tidy them up.

Behind the consumer celebration sits a serious professional community. Kitchen and bath designers spend their days solving the puzzles of small floorplans, turning tight footprints into kitchens that cook, gather, and welcome, and baths that soothe and restore. Industry leaders note that the association’s events, including the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, set the tone for what homeowners will see in showrooms in the years ahead. That is why the NKBA uses the month to go big: the articles, videos, and quizzes are not just entertainment, they are a window into where kitchen and bath design is heading, from resi-mercial appliance solutions to cabinetry ideas that maximize storage in any layout.

There is a reason the month arrives in October, and it is not only the remodeling season. October is a time when homes pull inward: the windows close, the ovens fire up, and the bathroom becomes a warm refuge on chilly mornings. As the NKBA’s partners have said, Kitchen and Bath Month celebrates the most popular season for remodeling, and there is no better time to be reminded that the kitchen and bath are great investments for the future. A fresh faucet in October, a repainted vanity, a rearranged countertop, these are small acts of care for the rooms that care for you all year long.

💧 The Fun Facts
The month’s “Did You Know” trivia includes the 19 million dollar International Space Station toilet, the 1596 origin of the world’s first flush toilet by Sir John Harington, and the finding that 70 percent of guests will snoop through your bathroom cabinets.

Whether you hire a designer or simply borrow their inspiration, the month is an open invitation to dream. Try a bolder backsplash, hunt down that statement pendant light, turn the bathroom into the retreat Nate Berkus describes, or simply download the NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Planner and start sketching. Great rooms do not happen by accident. They happen one good decision at a time, and October gives you thirty-one days to start making them.

THE STORY BEHIND NATIONAL KITCHEN & BATH MONTH

🏫 The NKBA Leads the Way
The National Kitchen & Bath Association, founded in 1963 and based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, marks October as Kitchen & Bath Month, sharing the latest industry trends, design insights, and space planning tools.

📅 Since 1982
NKBA members have marked October as Kitchen & Bath Month since 1982, making it a tradition that has lasted for more than four decades.

🧾 The KBIS Connection
The NKBA is the organization behind KBIS, the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, the premier event for the kitchen and bath trade, and the month is its consumer-facing celebration of the same craft.

💡 Statement Lighting Takes Over
According to NKBA’s Kitchen Trends Report, 87 percent of respondents say that kitchens have become spaces for showcasing decorative, statement lighting, one of the defining trends of the modern kitchen.

🌟 Quizzes, Videos, and Microsites
In recent years, the NKBA has gone big for the month with partners like Miele, featuring informative articles, trend updates, weekly quizzes, webinars such as “The Art of Kitchen Design,” and dedicated celebration microsites.

🎨 The Two Favorite Rooms
The NKBA calls the kitchen and the bath “our two favorite rooms,” and the month treats them exactly that way: the heart of the home and the sanctuary, each deserving of a little attention.

WAYS TO CELEBRATE

🤓 Test Your K+B Knowledge
Take one of the NKBA’s Kitchen & Bath Month quizzes to see how much you really know about design trends, fixtures, and history. Invite a friend and make it a friendly competition.

💡 Plan One Small Refresh
You do not need a full remodel to join in. Swap in a statement pendant light, re-caulk the tub, or organize those bathroom cabinets that 70 percent of guests snoop through anyway.

📋 Download the Kitchen & Bath Planner
The NKBA offers a free downloadable Kitchen & Bath Planner with an explanation of the remodeling process, component selection ideas, design options, budget tips, and questions to help your new remodel serve you best.

Celebrate National Kitchen & Bath Month

All through October 2027, give your kitchen and bath the attention they deserve. Take a quiz, dream up a refresh, or finally start that remodel you have been thinking about since spring. The heart of your home and your own private retreat are worth it. This October, let the two hardest-working rooms in the house take center stage.