If you’re like most homeowners here in Rhode Island or Massachusetts, you spend a great deal of time in your kitchen, and in that time you’re not just cooking, eating and cleaning up. A compelling study by the Research Institute for Cooking & Kitchen Intelligence reports that nearly 20 percent of homeowners spend an average of three hours per day in the kitchen. The RICKI study confirms what we have known for a long time at Northeast Kitchen and Flooring Center – homeowners in Rhode Island and Massachusetts use their kitchen for a vast array of activities that have nothing to do with a kitchen’s traditional role. Instead, our clients are asking us to design kitchens that serve as a multifunctional space to listen to music, share quality time with family and friends, watch television, stream videos, care for pets, pay bills, read, play games, study, work and more.
The amount of time that homeowners spend in the kitchen is expected to continue to increase. Technological advances are transforming the kitchen from an independent living space into a hyper-connected, multipurpose hub for cooking, eating, entertaining, relaxing and working from home.
As the kitchen’s role continues to evolve, there is a new emphasis on design, and it’s becoming increasingly valuable to work with professionals who understand how to transform a traditional kitchen space into an area that accommodates a diverse array of nontraditional kitchen functions. As Eliot Sefrin, publisher emeritus of Kitchen & Bath Design News, points out, “A growing number of kitchens are occupying larger, more open footprints. ‘Smart’ features are being built into cabinetry, appliances, countertops and other kitchen components.” Smart kitchen lighting, hardware, virtual assistants and other products are coming to market to address consumer demand for Wi-Fi/Bluetooth capabilities. Manufacturers are bringing to market creative solutions to incorporate docking stations for smart devices into cabinets, drawers, countertops and other spaces. Appliances also offer smart options and Bluetooth connectivity that enable remote operation and are synched with digital assistants.
Your kitchen is the hub of your home, you and your family spend a lot of time in that space, and as such it’s essential that it is arranged in a manner that best suits your lifestyle and needs. If you want to discuss your dream kitchen of tomorrow, please call our showroom at (401) 257-6610 , visit our showroom at 2949 Hartford Avenue Johnston RI or contact us here.