Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
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Editorial { Janice Costa, editor } Group Publisher Mark Taussig Publisher Emeritus Eliot Sefrin Editor Janice Anne Costa Managing Editor Anita Shaw Senior Editor Kim Berndtson Assistant Editor Kristina Diggins-Reisinger Contributing Writers Jamie Gold, CKD, CAPS Elizabeth Richards Denise Vermeulen Columnists Ellen Cheever, CMKBD, ASID, CAPS Hank Darlington Leslie Hart Bruce Kelleran, CKD, CPA Stephen Nicholls Ken Peterson, CKD Mary Jo Peterson, CKD, CBD, CAPS Sarah Reep, CMKBD, ASID, CMG, CAPS, IIDA Bryan Reiss, CMKBD Eric Schimelpfenig, AKBD Art Director Kirsten Crock Media Production Rep Cindy Rusch Editor, ForResidentialPros.com Andrea Girolamo Web Site Manager Thamaraj Udomwongyont Audience Development Manager Tammy Steller Reader Service Manager Jeff Heine Administrative Assistant Jenni Ehlke-Heyer Chief Executive Ofcer John French Chief Financial Ofcer Paul Bonaiuto E.V.P., Building & Construction Kris Flitcroft V.P., Content Greg Udelhofen V.P., Marketing Debbie George Director, Digital Sales Norine Conroy V.P., Production Operations Curt Pordes V.P., Audience Development Julie Nachtigal V.P., Technology Eric Kammerzelt V.P., Human Resources Ed Wood Copyright © 2014 by Cygnus Business Media, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be produced in any form, including electronically, without written permission from the publisher of Kitchen & Bath Design News . A CYGNUS BUSINESS MEDIA PUBLICATION ® July 2014 ForResidentialPros.com | 5 Facebook.com/KitchenBathDesignNews @KitchenBathDesignNews D e spite a g l a r i ng lack of ev idence, my mother has long been convinced that I have a latent gourmet cooking gene. Although I'm more of a "throw a Lean Cuisine in the microwave" kind of girl than a Julia Child type, Mom always believed that I'd come around: After all, it's part of my Italian heritage (or so she tells me). So when she stopped by one day to fnd me chopping fresh ginger root and stir frying organic broccoli, she was ecstatic. I didn't have the heart to tell her that the free-range chicken, organic veggies and cabinet full of spices were actually for my nearly 13-year-old dog, who is the primary beneficiary of my sudden interest in cooking – all in an attempt to extend her life and health through a holistic diet. My younger sister might have the cooking gene, but she has a husband who works late hours and two little girls whose idea of high cuisine is tacos. Not surprisingly, her kitchen is all about speed, not fnesse. However, get into the baking realm and she's transformed: She can make designer mermaid cakes with multi-tiered waterfall tops that look like something out of a fairy tale. My Mom, of course, is old school; she makes amazing lasagna from scratch, chicken soup that can cure all ills and baked clams that I could retire on if she ever thought to patent and sell them. But while Mom clearly has the gene that I didn't get, and still hosts most of the big family holidays, she's reached an age where she tends to save the special meals for special occasions. The fact is, gourmet cook- ing isn't what it used to be. People's cooking habits can vary based on schedules, fam- ily needs and make up, age, ethnicity, dietary restrictions, entertaining habits and more. And those habits can vary dramatically even within the same household – the person who lives on microwave en- trees during the week may be whipping up a chocolate soufe for company on the weekend, and the speed cook may spend hours in the kitch- en over the holidays carefully crafting traditional favorites from scratch. Or, the husband may be the BBQ king while the wife is all about steam cooking and the kids just want fast and simple meals – or even an oven that will do the work for them. Even celebrity chefs no longer fit the mold: Rachel Ray became famous for her "30 minute meals;" Bobby Flay made a name for himself as the ultimate grill master, and Jamie Oliver has so thor- oughly rejected the concept of complicated cuisine he be- came renowned as the "The Naked Chef" for the simplicity of his culinary creations. A nd, just as t he idea of "gourmet cooking" has evolved along with an ever- changing consumer base, so, too, has the gourmet kitchen (see related story, Page 34). Personalization and fexibil- ity are the name of the game; even those who are passion- ate about cooking may fnd themselves creating lavishly prepared feasts one day and looking for a fast and healthy speed-cooking solution or sim- ple children's meal the next. And, they expect their kitch- ens to seamlessly execute all of these functions. Induction cooking, once t hought to be " beneat h " the true chef, has evolved to t he point where it is increasingly turning up in pro- fessional-style kitchens – even as it appeals to the masses for its simplicity and safety fea- tures. And "smart" appliances can help everyone from kids in the kitchen to budding chefs looking to raise their game. The enormous breadth of appliance options is evident in KBDN's Annual Guide to Appliances (Page 48), which showcases the trend toward appliances that are fexible in both design and use, as well as the continuing trends toward sleek styling, smart function- ality and energy efciency. While difering cooking needs and habits are defi- nitely driving a trend toward fexibility in the kitchen, all of this is part of a greater trend toward Universal Design, which is increasingly moving from a specialty niche area to the mainstream (see related story, Page 39). It's no lon - ger just about design for the elderly or infrm; it's about design that works for the indi- vidual's lifestyle, whether that individual is old or young, tall or short, a child, a person with disabilities, or even a dog that needs a private eating niche for enjoying those specially prepared holistic meals! The takeaway from all of this is that kitchen and life- style trends are increasingly intertwined; to be success- ful as a designer, it's critical to understand what today's consumers need, value and prioritize. And that's not just in the kitchen or bath, but in their lives in general. The better you understand what makes your clients tick, the better you will be at meeting their needs, whether choos- ing appliances, designing their dream bath sanctuary or simply helping them to fnd their own unique look that resonates deeply enough for them to get excited about investing in their homes. Changing Consumer Drives the Evolution Of the Kitchen From designing the perfect gourmet kitchen to understanding the value of Universal Design, it's critical to frst understand what your clients need, value and prioritize – not just in the kitchen or bath, but in their lives in general. "Just as the idea of 'gourmet cooking' has evolved along with an ever-changing consumer base, so, too, has the gourmet kitchen." KBD_4-5_Editorial.indd 5 6/16/14 1:36 PM