ON TREND

Social and economic trends are driving modular kitchen design. With a questionable economy and many parts of the country still not fully recovered from the Great Recession, people are staying longer in the their existing homes, rather than trading up, and they are aging in place. Younger generations are leaving the nest later, too, all resulting in the fact that multiple generations are increasingly living under a single roof, each group with different needs and preferences.

Multi-Generational Usage

These social and economic realities are being felt all the way down to the kitchen. Family life is getting busier, yet at the same time, families still want to have the opportunity to spend time together. In response, multifunctional kitchens are becoming more commonplace. New monikers for the kitchen include the “Family Studio,” the “Living Kitchen,” and “The Two Kitchen Kitchen.” The walls are breaking down between the kitchen and living areas. Many living rooms, laundry rooms, offices, and kitchens are now becoming open-flow combo rooms. There are laundry/family rooms, kitchen/family rooms, and kitchen/offices, so that family members can congregate in one place. Maximum counter space has become ever more important as kitchens accommodate many people working at the same time as well as the increasing intrusion of electronics, computers, and work stations into the kitchen area. In many instances, specific zones are being designated for certain activities, such as reserving the kitchen island for homework, or using multiple islands for different purposes, one for preparing food and one for entertaining or as a family gathering or discussion spot. In many cases, one side of the kitchen is being treated as a “work” area and the other side is treated as a connecting element between the kitchen/family room.

These factors and trends have a distinct impact on remodeling decisions, with existing kitchens often upgraded for greater personalization, function, and comfort. Industry watchers say that resale is not always the primary driver of remodeling in this environment—changing lifestyle needs have proven to be a key consideration, too.

An Aging Population

Demographics represent another key driver of design. Baby boomers constitute the largest demographic, and have far different needs than the next most populous group, Generation Y. By virtue of their sheer number and their purchasing power, baby boomers are going to be a significant market force in home design and remodeling.

According to Joel Kotkin's new book, The Next Hundred Million, more support for this thesis comes from a 2010 study showing, “In 1970, 20 percent of Americans moved annually. That figure dropped to 14 percent in 2004, and by 2008, it dropped to 10 percent. Ninety percent of people over 50 would rather stay where they are than move to a retirement destination such as Florida.” As the trend to aging in place intensifies among baby boomers and the Silent and GI Generations, an older population will be a driving force in remodels that incorporate both the requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), and the principles of universal design. Designing an ADA-compliant kitchen will be predicated on accessibility to sinks, cabinets, countertops, and appliances to serve this aging market segment and meet design needs. There are specialized undercounter ADA height-compliant options that pertain to modular solutions. Specifically, ADA-compliant appliances must be designed to install under the federally mandated requirement of a 34-inch-high countertop, and have controls that are easily accessible and allow for single-hand operation.

Photo courtesy of ULine

Demographics represent a key driver of design, and as the population ages, kitchens will become more ADA compliant and reflective of universal design."

Universal design will also become much more prevalent in kitchen design and specification. While lacking the legislative teeth of the ADA requirements, universal design is increasingly informing private and public spaces. Universal design, which involves designing products and spaces so that they can be used by the widest range of people possible, considers “the full range of human diversity, including physical, perceptual, and cognitive abilities, as well as different body sizes and shapes.” By designing for this diversity, products can be more functional and more user-friendly for people at every level throughout their various life phases. In the kitchen, there will be a greater need to design in adaptable elements meant to accommodate changing life stages. These elements may range from the use of induction cooking appliances to adjustable counters, easy access cabinetry, and as has been mentioned, ADA height-compliant undercounter appliances including modular refrigeration units. Of course, universal design is not just focused on seniors; it considers adaptability in the space so that the space can evolve appropriately through a person's life stages. To that end, there will be more attention brought to kitchen design and flows in terms of clearances, size, reach, counter heights, and sight lines. Industry watchers anticipate that universal design modifications will be among the future growth areas and their impact will be felt throughout the real estate market.

Remodeling—The Wave of the Future

Remodeling projects are projected to increase in the coming years. With 80 percent of owner occupied and rental homes in the nation over 30 years old, remodeling opportunities are plentiful. While investments in remodeling have declined by about $2 billion between 2005 and 2010, remodeling is still attractive to most homeowners, particularly those with household incomes of more than $100,000. As has been mentioned, one reason homeowners opt to remodel is that they are staying in their homes longer. In fact, according to a recent NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) poll, about 1 in 4 respondents will stay an additional 16 to 20 years, while about 1 in 5 said they would stay another 6 to 10 years in their homes. More than 1 in 5 homeowners have completed a remodeling project or plan to remodel in the next two years rather than move, and as many as 6 in 10 have done some remodeling in the last two years. 1 in 3 respondents in the NARI poll cited staying in place or increasing energy efficiency as the key drivers of their remodeling project.

Remodeling has become more focused on creating a comfortable, functional space that is highly personalized to the homeowners' lifestyle needs. Homeowners are adding amenities to their living experiences like expanded kitchens, with modular refrigeration a key design element of this shift in the way the kitchen space is being used. While a significant outlay for a homeowner, a kitchen remodel is still a good investment despite the soft economy and the housing market. Typically, a kitchen remodel involves new cabinetry, the addition of islands, and a complete restructuring of the kitchen environment from floor to ceiling. As such, it is an opportunity for restructuring the flow of the kitchen and the integration of specialized modular refrigeration to accommodate lifestyle needs.

Technology in the Kitchen

Technology has changed the way we live, socialize, shop, and learn. Universally, technology usage has substantially increased across all demographic groups. With ease of information, the modern homeowner in every demographic has become more educated about the design process and what they want. For the modern kitchen, technology is about adding convenience. From smart phone and tablet controlled lighting, refrigerators with alarms, and thermostats to induction cooktops with memory settings that adapt as the cook moves pots from burner to burner, technology enables increased ease of functionality. Modular refrigeration units are no exception. Many models are fitted with USB ports and digital screens to provide more efficient service notifications and diagnostics. Electronic features allowing personalized temperature settings or the ability to set blackout or Sabbath modes are becoming increasingly common as well. The evolving role of technology has impacted and will continue to impact kitchen and appliance design for the foreseeable future. Technology and its role in the home continues to evolve both in appliances themselves and in the increasing presence of computers and work stations in the kitchen space.

INTEGRATION

Because they are primarily a built-in design solution, integration into cabinetry is fundamental to modular refrigeration units. Select appliances can be integrated into surrounding cabinetry with the application of integrated panels or frames and integrated toe-kicks. It is important to note the depth of the unit to determine if it will fit within your counter depth and style of cabinet frame. There are three basic types of cabinet integration with different requirements.

Overlay/face frame. This is a standard 24-inch-deep base cabinet with a face frame structure that supports doors and drawers that close onto the face of the frame. The overall depth from the front of the cabinet door or drawer to the back of the base cabinet is approximately 24-3/4 inches deep.

Inset. This is a 24-inch-deep base cabinet with doors and drawers that close within the frame. The overall depth from the front of the cabinet door or drawer to the back of the base cabinet is 24 inches deep.

European/frameless. This integration scenario involves a 24-inch-deep base cabinet with no visible frame structure on the outer face of the cabinet. Doors and drawers fully cover the face frame area of the cabinet case and have minimal reveals or gaps between doors and drawers. The overall depth from the front of the cabinet door or drawer to the back of the base cabinet is 24-3/4 inches deep.

That said, most manufacturers offer the ability to customize the location, height, and attributes of their products to ensure seamless integration.

KITCHEN DESIGN TRENDS IN REFRIGERATION

Now let's take a look at today's kitchen design trends and how modular refrigeration fits in. It has been mentioned that there is a move to greater personalization in the kitchen space and that transitional design surpasses traditional in terms of popularity. In a study by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), the popularity of the transitional design style came out ahead of traditional design for the first time since the organization tracked these trends in 2008. Transitional design is defined as a blend of traditional and contemporary and embodies a move towards cleaner lines and simpler designs than traditional or the old-world kitchen designs. The kitchen triangle is dying as a natural byproduct of these shifts in design trends. Today's kitchens have changed from a place of meal preparation to the heart of the home. As kitchens expand into living spaces, modular refrigeration becomes more desirable with its specialized point-of-use applications. As more casual/transitional design with its clean lines and its continuing goal of integrating appliances into the design takes hold, modular refrigeration will become a natural byproduct of this shift in design aesthetic. The move towards integration and “hiding” the appliances and blending them into the overall design—an aesthetic that reflects not only the transitional aesthetic but the overall trend towards personalization in kitchen design. It is also interesting to note that built-in appliances are moving into even traditional kitchens with less emphasis on showcasing and more on blending.

A Kitchen Bath Design News (KBDN) study reinforces this take on current trends. When asked which style of kitchen do you expect to increase most in popularity over the coming 12 months, transitional/casual design was cited most frequently as the style that will dominate specifications across all segments with the exception of the independent designer. The independent designer sees a roughly equal growth in transitional/casual and contemporary/modern designs.

In another trend, green design continues to have importance as reflected by the selection of ENERGY STAR®-approved appliances to selection of such materials as low-VOC paint to dedicated recycling centers integrated into under-cabinet space. Appliances will become more energy efficient as energy standards get stricter. Effective September 15, 2014 the DOE published a final rule amending the federal standards for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers. These standards are based on configuration, presence of an automatic ice maker, whether the product is built-in, and adjusted volume. This ruling has important implications for household refrigeration as it reduces current allowable energy consumption by 20-30 percent per appliance, depending on the category. Ice making has now been added and further test requirements apply. Manufacturers have been required to comply with the DOE standards for residential refrigerators and freezers since 1990. Later standards in 1993 and 2001 promoted additional savings, and those in 2014 will save an estimated 5.6 quads of energy for energy bill savings of $97 billion for products shipped from 2014-2043, while avoiding carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to taking 57.8 million automobiles off the road.

MODULAR REFRIGERATION: IDEAL FOR TODAY’S LIFESTYLES

Modular refrigeration is a natural byproduct of the trend towards personalization in kitchen design. It provides the ultimate in flexibility and convenience through point of use, specialized appliances such as ice makers, wine preservation units, refrigerators, drawer units, freezers, and beverage centers that are tailored to today's lifestyles and create a highly personalized kitchen design for the homeowner's specific needs. Consumers can choose from multiple alternatives in specialized refrigeration products, their size and finish, and integration options. Modular refrigeration is a solution whose time has come. It dovetails with the most important kitchen trends of personalization, zone-based work flow, and a more open kitchen/living space as well as with the overall social movement towards aging in place and the preference for green design and technologically smart appliances. As such, modular refrigeration represents an important element of the design imperative for today's kitchens.

For over five decades, U-Line continues to be the American leader in innovation, quality, and performance in the premium modular ice making, refrigeration, and wine preservation market. U-Line’s product collection includes Wine Captain® Models, Beverage Centers, Clear Ice Machines, Crescent Ice Makers, Glass & Solid Door Refrigerators, Drawer Models, Freezers, and Combo® Models. www.u-line.com