Now Trending: The Multifunctional Kitchen

kitchenNothing can kill a sale faster than a dated, closed-in kitchen area. Many of today’s buyers see the kitchen as the home’s command center, and not just a place for cooking and eating. They want the kitchen to be many things at once, hence the rise in popularity of what is known as the multifunctional open-concept kitchen.

If your clients are looking to renovate an existing kitchen, or you need to advise them on building one that’s brand-new, the Washington Post shared some background on how they can design a kitchen space so that it’s functional in many different way.

Whether you are renovating existing structure or building new, architects fully recognize the need for space that is designed for movement and flow,” says Stephanie Bricksenior designer at Sustainable Design Group, in Gaithersburg, Md. “There are still rules and important elemental guidelines — you do not want to just delete all of the walls on your first floor. But by being selective in the design, materials and professionals you work with, you can easily achieve a space that does not merely react to, but anticipates, your bustling lifestyle.”

The two main considerations when designing a multifunctional space are wall placement and storage. While it may seem like an easy solution to knock down walls, Brick says there are other architectural solutions, like open doorways, that can give a similar effect while keeping the space architecturally interesting.

Being as honest as possible about individual organizational and storage needs is key when creating a multifunctional kitchen. For some owners who want to use the kitchen as a makeshift homework area or as a place to handle their bills, adding storage for these needs will be necessary. If your clients do a lot of cooking and entertaining for large groups, they will want to make sure the kitchen has space and storage to accommodate that process. If the family has small children, the kitchen can be designed with their safety in mind.

Brick has one final piece of advice when designing this type of kitchen space. “Honesty with your architect is key to creating a strong working relationship and delivering an equally beautiful and functional space in your home.”

Source: realtormag.realtor.org