Generations in the Kitchen

It’s been said that the kitchen is the ‘new’ or ‘real’ living room, and this has been especially true during the past decade. For the last 10 years, families have been spending more time together in the kitchen during weekday mornings and evenings, weekends and special events.

When the Merrick team renovates a kitchen, homeowners often share a strong need of to add more square footage to this high-traffic, high-functioning space. There are also needs of the various generations who live in or visit the home that include features and special elements that will make the kitchen space more useful and comfortable.

For the young (under 10 crowd), many homeowners are opting to create “kid-friendly zones” (away from the stove) with space for:

• Child-friendly cooking
• A desk-like environment for computer work or homework
• Two prep areas

For the Millenials (age 18-34), “wish lists” center around technological advances that include:

• A microwave that allows swiping a package bar code, which triggers cooking using the exact directions
• A TV screen that’s built into a kitchen wall or an appliance
• Technology that allows heating an oven using a cell phone or computer

Baby Boomers (age 45-64) have specific “wish lists,”which often enhance entertaining and can include:

• A cooktop with special features like a built-in grill, wok or rotisserie attachment
• Commercial or professional-grade appliances
• A built-in coffee pot that’s directly connected to the water supply
• Ovens that dramatically reduce cooking times

A newly renovated kitchen can easily meet the needs of residents and guests of all ages and stages, improving the experience and enjoyment of this central and important space.

As always, we welcome your questions, comments and feedback. Contact me today at 301-946-2356 or dmerrick@mdbi.us.

David Merrick
Merrick Design and Build

Source Note: This blog post was developed using data and information from a press release entitled “Moen Uncovers Top Trend in Kitchen Remodeling.“