Someone's in the Kitchen

Someone's in the Kitchen

That's one of a number of important conclusions pointed to by the results of a comprehensive research project aimed at determining what kitchens in today's homes are like, and what activities are being carried out in them.

The multi-stage research project, which was finished early this year and reported on at April's National Kitchen & Bath Conference in Orlando, was also aimed at determining how kitchen storage, counter space, cooking equipment, cabinets and work centers are used and how homeowners would improve their kitchens, if given a chance. 

The project was developed by the faculty of the Center for Real Life Kitchen Design at Virginia Tech, with funding from the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and the Virginia Tech Dept. of Near Environments. Project directors were JoAnn Emmel, Ph.D.; Julia Beamish, Ph.D., CKE, and Kathleen Parrott, Ph.D., CKE.

1. Kitchen Improvements Most Desired By Surveyed Consumers
(Percentage of respondents answering affirmatively)

More and/or efficient storage: 91%
More counter space: 37%
More accessible cabinets and appliances: 23%
A bigger or more open floor plan: 18%
A better arrangement or more appliances: 17%
A more efficient design or traffic pattern: 15%

Source: Center for Real Life Kitchen Design, Virginia Polytechnic University

The project consisted of three major segments: (1) A content analysis of 104 articles in shelter, design and kitchen magazines investigated current trends and features in kitchen design; (2) 78 local cooks were interviewed and then asked to cook a meal in one of the three selected kitchens in the Center for Real Life Kitchen Design. Videotapes of the cooking exercises were used to analyze cooking patterns; (3) A national telephone survey of 630 respondents gathered information about kitchen and cooks from around the nation.

A majority of the respondents in the national survey were from households of fewer than four people, and were most frequently a part of a family or adult couple. Females outnumbered males, and a high percentage lived in single-
family homes. The sample was equally divided into small town, rural, city and suburban residents. Respondents reflected different ages, sizes, abilities, family size and income.

Major findings
The research study contains important implications for kitchen designers. While many }of the findings are clearly not ground-breaking, they do reinforce certain key, widely held notions about kitchen design.

In contrast, other findings shed considerable new light on today's kitchens and kitchen users.

"The results of this project show that the kitchen is a place for serious and frequent cooking, as well as a wide range of other household activities," the report's authors state. "People keep many items in their kitchen and want a spacious, well designed, efficient and functional space."

Among the major findings of the research project were the following: