Kitchen & Bath Business - November/December 2017 - 16

Trends

Suiting Every Stage

Exploring trends that cater to multigenerational
and aging-in-place projects

A

HOUSE CAN ONLY BE A HOME IF IT FEELS SAFE, ACCES-

SIBLE AND COMFORTABLE. This applies to everyone,

from children to the elderly to everyone in between. With more families moving in together
and people wanting to stay in their homes longer,
having a home fit for everybody is essential to a
happy and healthy life.
"When you think about it, universal design goes hand in hand with modern
lifestyles and our increasing expectations for ease in just about every aspect
of our lives,"said Sarah Reep, director of designer relations and education for
Masco Cabinetry."That's exactly what universal design delivers: functionality
and convenience for all."
UNDERSTANDING THE ESSENTIALS

According to the National Disability Authority, the Seven Principles of Universal Design were developed in 1997 to guide the design process and educate
designers and consumers about creating more usable products and homes.
"Well-trained and experienced designers are crucial in capturing a brief
that understands the diversity of capabilities and desires in homeowners,"said
Peter Gore, professor of practice (ageing and vitality) at the Newcastle University Institute for Ageing and speaker at the 2017 Smart Kitchen Summit.
"Designers need to know what might change with different combinations of
people living together and how this might vary over time as children grow up
and seniors at a particular stage experience more difficulties."
These principles require design elements to have equitable, flexible, simple
and intuitive uses, as well as provide perceptible information, allow tolerance
for error, use the appropriate sizes and spaces and involve low physical effort.
In the kitchen and bath, these principles are essential not only for prevention
of injury but also to make daily tasks easier.

16

MAKING KITCHENS FLEXIBLE

With 61 million Americans living in multigenerational households,the complexity of combining varying abilities and complex interactions between the
old and young presents new challenges to designers.
"We have to rethink what is going on in our
kitchens and what we really need in there in terms
of equipment and appliances and how and when
we need to use them,"said Gore."As we reimagine
the kitchen space, technology, social science, risk
identification and mitigation all have to be part of
what we consider."
During a recent workshop at the National
Innovation Centre for Ageing, participants in
multigenerational homes were asked what their
key requests were for the future kitchen. These
included voice activation, a big screen to Skype or
Facetime distant friends and family, two workstations, flexible-height surfaces and accessible storage. Designer Johnny Grey of Petersfield, U.K.based Johnny Grey Studios, who helped lead this
workshop, called this future universal space "the
kinder kitchen."
"We can handle the same risks that are caused
by different underlying causes in the same way,"
he said, referring to universal dangers like falling
or getting accidentally cut or burnt.

ABOVE The Castilian Vanity

from JAMES MARTIN incorporates a blend of Spanish
and Italian styles with dark,
antique brass hardware
and serpentine, bow-raised
panels. Crafted from North
American white oak and kilndried birch hardwood solids
and veneers, these vanities
are offered in a 36-in. standard
cabinet and the 39-in. and
60-in. open-base versions for
easy wheelchair access.

RIGHT Crisp edges and uncomplicated styles distinguish
the Voss Collection of grab
bars from MOEN, which can
support up to 500 lbs and
complies with American with
Disabilities Act specifications.
These grab bars are corrosion resistant and feature a
stainless steel construction for
added durability.

BY ERINN LOUCKS

Kitchen & Bath Business / NOV.-DEC. 2017 / KBBONLINE.COM / The official publication of KBIS (KBIS.com)
http://www.KBBONLINE.COM http://www.KBIS.com
Kitchen & Bath Business - November/December 2017

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