Efficient kitchen and bathroom designs
Rising land prices, designated green belts, an aging population and increased urban density are among the factors driving innovative smallspace design, says Donna Church, Canadian communications manager for Kohler, the 142-year-old kitchen and bath manufacturer based in Wisconsin.
“After (the Second World War), lots of smaller houses were built. We’ve seen them evolve to the point where we have very large homes in relation to the size of our families. But we’re starting to embrace a mindset that says we have to do more with less.”
The shift is reflected in the many conversations Church had with builders earlier this year at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, held in Las Vegas in conjunction with the International Builders’ Show.
“I kept hearing the same story,” says Church. “They wanted to make more efficient use of every square centimetre.” That kind of feedback has had significant influence on new lines developed by Kohler.
In the kitchen, the result is such products as the “Prolific” sink, a stainless-steel vessel with tiered levels into which fit a cutting board, bin, colander and drying racks.
The design, says Church, is a direct result of Kohler’s market research. “Consumers really want a singlebasin sink that’s large enough to put their big pans and baking sheets in. But they don’t want to put a delicate wine glass in there or have to put fragile pieces on the side,” she explains. Removable drying racks address the issue, with the 84- by 46- by 28-centimetre sink doing double duty as a “functional storage area” when not in use, she adds.
Small-space design is also changing the look and layout of bathrooms. There, Kohler has introduced the “Karing” tankless toilet. In addition to sleek lines and a small footprint, it has an integrated cleaning wand and drying function that eliminates the need for a spacegobbling bidet.
Until a few years ago, that feature would not have resonated much with the Canadian market. But times are changing, says Church. “Canada is influenced by European design, much more so than the U.S. And there are a lot of Europeans who have settled here (for whom) bidets are popular,” she says.
The 1.28-gallon-flush Karing has a touch-screen remote to control temperature for seats and bidet water for two users, and a motionactivated, hands-free opening. An LED night light that illuminates the bowl makes nocturnal bathroom visits easier. Take note that those bells and whistles mean this model requires an electrical outlet with plug-in capability.
Bathroom design is also being influenced by other lifestyle changes, suggests Church, noting a rise, for example, in the popularity of showers over bathtubs. “Many homeowners now tend to have just one bathtub, whereas in older homes each full bathroom had one,” she explains.
While walk-in showers retrofitted into spaces that used to hold an 81- by 152-centimetre bath feel roomy, consumers still say they need more storage, says Church.
Kohler has come up with “Choreograph,” an in-wall storage system that can be installed either in new builds or as a retrofit. Floating shower shelves come in three sizes and have soap trivets, holes for razor or bottle storage and panels that also function as safety bars for those who have problems with balance.
While they are typically used in bathrooms, Church suggests they’d be equally useful in mud rooms or other spaces. “Well-designed and adequate storage is something homeowners say over and over that they need throughout the home.” Follow Vicky Sanderson on Twitter @vickysanderson, on Facebook at facebook.com/vickysandersonTO and on Instagram at vickysandersontoronto