Life has evolved and so has the home. We have gone from a simple life to a hustling to finish everything before the day is out. Societies have transformed from formal and compartmentalized into a more casual and open entity; so has the home. We have seen and open floorplans within a home so families can interact together more within the domicile. The home is now taking on the lifestyle of the clients within the space through the use of materials and design. There are numerous factors that dictate the aesthetic and design within any space; a client’s gender, age, family and marital status are key components that will drive the materials and design.

Family oriented spaces are designed for a fasted paced way of life. Especially within the kitchen area. Appliances are now being designed to cut cooking time in half; entertainment centers are incorporating multi-media. The layout of the kitchen and adjacent spaces are integral to the family dynamics within the home as well. Kitchens, which have become the hub of the home, are now opened up into the family room, dining room and in some cases even the entry into the home. This gives a family the ability to interact with each other when one person is in the family room and the other is in the kitchen. Kitchens have truly become a multifunctional/multifaceted space that provides not only a place to cook and eat but to do homework, entertain, and gather together.

More mature clients tend to be drawn towards some newer technologies such as, induction cooktops, convection ovens, which make life easier within the home. Older clients also lean towards the more exotic woods and stones. It seems as though the emphasis with this group of clients relies on a cohesive design that makes sense for them and what they like. The preference for high quality materials, timeless design and all the gadgetry that they desire is what separates them from the younger generation.

Gender can also play a part in how a space is designed. Women tend to gravitate to more airy lighter color ways and aesthetics where as men prefer the darker earth tones, stainless steel and rich deep wood hues. Women tend to look at the beauty within appliances and men search for the functionality and durability. There are also exceptions to these theories.

The home has become a place of gathering centralized around the kitchen so manipulating the space through different materials, multiple surface levels and unique layouts can provide the homeowner with their ultimate kitchen design. Using different levels on countertops helps to keep openness within a floorplan while dividing rooms and defining adjacent spaces provides multiple levels for different cooking tasks, epitomizes the sense of gathering, creates multiple working zones for the user maximizing the space and completely catering to the need of the client. Mixing surface materials and even cabinetry is another way to create interest and work zones within the kitchen space. Today your dwelling space is dictated by you and how you live.

HomeTech Renovations has completed many kitchen designs with open space in mind. An example would be this Eclectic Kitchen Design in Chester Springs, PA.