There is a lot of talk in the kitchen industry about how design should change in order to take into account of multi-generational households, or 4G (generation) living. We certainly have an ageing population, and there is a clear rise in the number of households where the extended family lives together and shares a kitchen.
The idea of 4G living is that wherever possible the kitchen should of course be safe for young children and practical in terms of layout and flow, but should also consider comfort and accessibility for older people, or for assisted living.
One major way that design can allow for 4G living is a focus on making the contents of your cupboards easily accessible. This might include pull out shelves, full extension drawer runners for access from all sides, motor assisted doors like the Blum Servo-Drive, and 'Door assist' appliances. Ask us for more details.
Blum Space Tower with full extension drawers
One item that we are increasingly finding useful is the 'i-move' shelf from Kessebohmer. Fitted in a tall unit, for example above an integrated oven, or in a wall unit, it allows the upper shelf to be pulled down towards the user for easy access, meaning that the top shelf doesn't have to be relegated to the space where we store the 'only used at Christmas' items!
We all need to think to the future when planning a kitchen which needs to serve us well for possibly the next 15 years. And with the rise in multi generational households, making storage more accessible and flexible is good for all of us. Make sure that your kitchen design allows you to plan for the needs of all its users.