Report Price: $1995
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The 2020 NKBA Living Impacts Design study explores how the changing lifestyles of homeowners, as they relate to both functional and emotional needs, are influencing kitchen and bath designs. Over 750 North American designers, remodelers, architects, dealers and manufacturers were surveyed, sharing their best thoughts for the next three years. Four overarching themes emerged, including the concepts of Connected Living, Simplified Living, Healthy Living, and Living in Place. The report lists the most prominent design solutions for twenty distinct themes and includes verbatim suggestions from the industry’s most talented professionals.
As the hub of the home, the kitchen must multifunction with zones designed for specific homeowner activities and integrated technology to make them more efficient.
Key Takeaways
- Kitchens with open layouts are becoming very desirable, cited by more than four in five as important.
- There is a strong wish to minimize kitchen and bathroom clutter and cleaning.
- The kitchen is being used more and more for socialization and entertainment.
- Smart technology/social media, as it relates to operating appliances or cooking/recipe inspiration, will play a bigger role in the kitchen.
- Larger islands that can double as dining tables offer a solution for multiple issues.
- Practical ideas are being advanced for the health-conscious, such as greater refrigerator space and larger cutting areas for fresh foods.
- With love of nature front and center, larger windows and doors to maximize outdoor views are more in demand.
- Minimalism is gaining in popularity, with an emphasis on quality over quantity of possessions within the home.
- Two-thirds wish to stay in their homes as they age, leading to bathrooms that are designed with health, comfort and an escape from stress in mind.