March 22, 2016 The Small Kitchen Conundrum Conquered

The conversation around housing affordability in Vancouver is a heated one. Every day, we see similar headlines that read “Vancouver Housing Setting New Records for Unaffordability” and “Single Family Detached Homes in Vancouver Out of Reach”. Some residents of Greater Vancouver are considering relocating further east to seek more affordable alternatives, but others are digging deeper into the reasons why they want to stay in Vancouver - location, an abundance of amenities, and the irresistible lifestyle that Vancouver offers.

What’s missing in the conversation is how we define a “home”. If you do decide that the location of a condo in Vancouver is more important than a house with a yard, there are things you must look for when thinking about functionality in more compact dwellings. For example, here are some innovations that developers are incorporating into kitchens that you should take note of:

Advanced Kitchen Storage

• There any many advanced options now available beyond regular shelving and cabinetry. Clever ways to optimize unused spaces are now widely studied, like pull-out pantry units, drawer systems that add multi-tiered levels to a traditional single drawer, and designs to recoup the lost space in corner cabinetry. 
• Multi-functioning kitchen islands that act as a workstation and gathering place, as well as incorporating storage, expandable seating and integrated appliances.
• Hidden charging stations to store devices like phones and tablets so they’re easily accessible, and always charged up and ready to go.

Compact Kitchen Appliances

• As kitchens have shrunk, so have appliances, but without the sacrifice of performance. 
• There are now many 24” – 30” refrigerators on the market that are beautifully designed, have lots of interior space, with depths that are flush with countertops.
• Dishwashers are now widely available in sizes as narrow as 18”. We’ve found that many people run their dishwashers half full, so having a smaller dishwasher actually reduces cost  while increasing efficiency
• Appliance walls that incorporate fridges, wine racks, microwaves, and ovens, so that storage and counter space can be fully maximized
• Built-in, wall-plumbed coffee machines instead of counter-top appliances to save space (and they look cool too!)

The kitchen is the heart of a home, whether small or large. It is where meals are created, where guests congregate. An area full of energy, texture and aroma. When functionality is increased in the home, the square footage of the home can no longer the deciding factor, and the focus can shift to enjoying life, closer to the city.