Photo credit: Professional Builder magazine
In a time when most are being extremely cost-conscious, one might wonder if this is having an effect on the size of new kitchens and kitchen remodels. A Professional Builder magazine reader survey explored this question. Here’s what they found.
Are kitchens becoming smaller?
Surprisingly, on average, new kitchens are not becoming smaller. 64.1% of readers surveyed said that kitchen size has not changed at all during the last two years. Additionally, while 12.4% said they have downsized their kitchen plans, only 23.5% said they’ve increased the size of their kitchens in the past two years of new construction.
Meanwhile, the average size of new homes in the United States continues to shrink from 2,521 square feet in 2007 to 2,377 square feet in 2010. The kitchen for the most part is not being affected according to the Professional Builder survey.
What else is happening in the kitchen?
Another interesting kitchen trend highlighted in the survey is the emphasis on dual-user kitchens. Many couples and families are focused on building kitchens that function with two or more users at a time.
As the baby boom generation continues to age, more and more families are adding elderly members back into their households; so now, universal design has also become a strong trend. Looking forward into the next decade, homeowners are asking whether their family can age comfortably in their new home as it is designed today.
Barbara Schmidt, bstyle, inc., is a nationally recognized interior designer and author whose work is featured in numerous publications, social media and television.
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I think kitchens are smaller because of the way houses were built. There is usually not a lot of space to add on to make a kitchen larger. I prefer a large kitchen but that does not always happen.