THE KITCHEN: most important room of your home?
Hey there! Since we’re always talking about remodelings and styles for kitchens, what’s trending right now, what you should or should not do; we couldn’t help but wonder, what’s the most important room of the house? Could it be the kitchen? It is certainly one of the rooms we always spend our time in, we get together with our families there, and let’s be honest, we’re always thinking about something new to do there, get appliances that combine with the style, etc.
Turns out we’re not the only ones who think about it, and with the help of Freshome (LINK), we got an answer. According to this blog, the kitchen is the heart of the home! And why? Well, quoting: “whether small or large, the kitchen is the hub of the home. It is where the meals are created – it fuels the bodies, minds and souls of friends and families all over the world. Some say that while life may be created in the bedroom, it is certainly lived in the kitchen. Some tend to agree while others not so much. Where do you stand on this?”
We completely agree, not only is the kitchen “the heart of the home”, but because of this, we tend to have this room as a permanent project! Always thinking about something new to add, or finding new styles to change it completely. Freshome (LINK) also talks about other important topics when it comes to this wonderful room:
Lifestyle Influences
Much of the importance of this room seems to depend on the size of the kitchen, the family, and on lifestyle. In older homes, kitchens were smaller, separated and removed from the rest of the home. It was a contained space used almost exclusively for cooking that could be closed off to conceal the mess. Family and friends would eat and congregate in the dining and living rooms that were situated nearby. In older homes more importance was given to the dining and living rooms. Kitchens were utilitarian and that was about it.
Whereas kitchens wew once solely for cooking they are now also for living
Kitchens were for cooking. We all have memories of our mothers (in some cases the father or both parents) slaving over a stove, working tirelessly over countertops, preparing delicious, filling and nutritious meals that the family enjoyed and savored together. In some cases, children were told to keep out of the kitchen – mothers workplace – so that mother could prep and cook. In most cases, children were encouraged to join and learn the art of cooking, the joy of preparing a family or holiday meal together, thus creating true memories of a lifetime. Kitchens are not sedate and quiet rooms. They are rooms filled with energy aroma and texture. They were created with a purpose, one purpose in mind. They were created to be brilliant spaces.
The kitchen was not always where the family congregated
In medium sized and larger homes, these rooms were often large enough to house a table, large enough to sit a family for breakfast, a snack or a light meal, with the important meals still meant to be served in the dining room where the family congregated at the end of the day. The family meal had much more importance and significance in past generations than it does now – much of this, again, due to busier lifestyles of modern times.
The kitchen is the new livingroom
Over the course of the past 20 years or so, kitchens started to become living spaces with more time spent in this spaces and where more was done than just cooking. Newer homes were designed with kitchens as living spaces in mind and so these rooms, yet some remained separate spaces. These newer, larger, more accommodating kitchens now had space for large tables and islands were planned in to create a natural flow for those coming and going. Much more thought was being given to kitchen design and functionality. The idea of the kitchen as a living space was becoming more and more popular and those with smaller kitchens in older homes started to take notice. As a result homeowners started to alter and enlarge their own kitchen spaces to follow the “trend”, both for lifestyle and resale purposes.
The Importance of kitchen size today
Today the importance of a good kitchen sized, productive kitchen is vastly important. It is, according to many, the most important room of the house. In the eyes of realtors it certainly is. A house's resale depends greatly on its kitchen. Its location and functionality are key. Older kitchens must be made to look newer, more streamlined and more modern. For resale purposes, it is not unheard of for sellers to bring in new accessories, paint and appliances are brought in to help the sale. Many buyers, when considering an older home with a smaller kitchen, immediately look into renovation possibilities that may include a remodel, expansion, or blowing out a wall to create a more open feel. As our lives become more casual, our homes are as well and the walls are literally coming down all around us.
The kitchen is ever evolving
The kitchen is ever evolving. Builders, architects, designers and realtors all recognize this, as do kitchen manufacturers. Kitchen functionality and design is ever evolving based on today's busy and varied lifestyle, with much thought given to where we are headed in the future. Kitchen appliances, from refrigerators to dishwashers and ovens are constantly changing as well. New products, concepts and designs emerge into the marketplace every year. Kitchens are also becoming more environmentally friendly, using recycled materials, environmentally friendly products and incorporating "greener" lifestyles that cut down on our footprint. For example, in the UK, garbage disposals have been banned and composting is a must in every home. Modern kitchens are being designed with this in mind.
As you can see, the kitchen plays a very interesting role at home, since always, but different aspects have been changing. Is remodeling your kitchen one of the most important things - of the house - for you? We can help you with that! Either if it's a simple work or a completely custom-made one, feel free to contact us!
