‘a bath by Franklin that truly stole the show’
As someone who hasn’t attended the Louisville Housing Show for a few years, being there this year has turned me into someone who wouldn’t think of missing it again.
The three things that really stood out to this Lifestylist® were innovation, education, and appreciation. It truly feels like as an industry, we are coming together like we never have before.
This year, Ken Corbin and the show committee did an exceptional job juggling standing-room-only seminars that featured the presenters that we all come to hear, and some new faces that offered a fresh perspective on the industry. They also gave a great reason to stay until the end of the show — Ken saved some of the best until last with the Mastering Sales and Marketing seminar. This fast-paced seminar featured David Finney, Patrick Revere, César Mascorro Jr, Frank Guido, Paige Twilley-Webster, and Scott Stroud sharing ideas faster than I could write them down. A note to the show management: please do a recording of the seminars next year that could be shared or purchased — there was so much great information that needs to be archived and it would be great to have those recordings somewhere.
With almost 50 homes on display, there were more innovative ideas featured than I have seen in ages. It was exciting to see some of our homes have updated appliances by LG and Samsung, kitchens with fantastic space planning, finishes, and storage, attached garages like consumers have been wanting, and a bath by Franklin that truly stole the show.
New this year was the VIP pass that included breakfast, snacks and beverages, and best of all, a quieter place that you could rest after walking so many houses, and meet with potential customers, or long lost friends.
Our industry truly has come a long way, and I can’t wait to see what the show committee has planned for next year! I’ll see you all at Louisville 2026!
What follows is a series of photos and descriptions of home features shown at Louisville 2025 that most jumped out at me. All photos are from Lisa Stewart, of Lisa Stewart Photography.
Champion Bay Springs
Butler Pantries are becoming very popular again, especially when they have a wine refrigerator built-in underneath.
With the rise in costs for doing on-site construction, homes that have attached garages that ship as part of the homes are gaining in popularity.
Athens Tiny House
Adding functional space in a hallway for a desk, bar area, or coffee bar add value to the home.
Cavco Atmos
Consumers are looking for homes that have new ideas in them like this Cavco primary suite that offers a backlit mirror utilizing LED lighting. LED lighting is more energy efficient, a cleaner color of light and has come down lately in price. Be ready to see more innovative ways of using this great new feature in the upcoming years.
Cavco Hemos
Get ready to see more upgrade requests for appliances, including built-in microwave ovens.
Cavco Millennium
Consumers are looking at ways to create living spaces outside the home. This fantastic patio offers a fireplace, entertainment center, and a hydraulic lifted window that makes it easy to entertain all year long.
Cavco Pegasus Model
Painted cabinets are very popular right now, especially in earthy colors like this sage green. We will continue to see interest in hardwood looking flooring, and butcher block styled countertops. Heavier graining in both is also gaining in popularity.
Clayton Pulse
Industrial styled windows with black steel frames continue to be popular. Clayton brought that popular look into the bath areas creating these wonderful shower enclosures.
Clayton Stratford Place
This dramatic wall in this model truly made a statement. Be ready to see more bold statements like this throughout 2025 and 2026.
More companies in our industry are listening to consumers and offering higher end options like this Samsung refrigerator.
Franklin Homes
An LG induction cooktop that is complemented by a plumbed pot filler made this kitchen a cooks dream.
This European-styled bath area tin this Franklin home stole the show. With multiple shower heads, and architectural free-standing tub, and room to dry off, this bath might not be for everyone, but it sure was a memory point for this builder and the people touring the home.
The Louisville Show is a production of the Midwest Manufactured Housing Federation, made up of member state associations Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky. Suzanne Felber is The Lifestylist. MHInsider is the leader in manufactured housing news and is a product of MHVillage, the top marketplace for manufactured homes.
