By Wayne A. Endicott
No matter how elegant, warm, homey or classic a kitchen's cabinets may look, they'll flunk the critical homeowner evaluation if they don't function well, according to industry experts.
"We think organization in kitchen cabinets is even more important to the homeowner than beauty," says Dave Germond, vice president of sales and marketing for Master Brand/HomeCrest Cabinetry in Goshen, Ind. Anything that makes it easier to organize a kitchen is going to push the home owner's hot buttons, Dave maintains.
His sentiments are enthusiatically echoed by Jim Potthast, communications manager for Masco/Merillat Industries LLC, Middlefield, Ohio. Says Jim, "Features that help organize a kitchen are always popular."
Jim has the numbers to back up his observation, too. A study recently released by his firm pinpoints answers to a comprehensive survey of home buyers about remodeled kitchens as well as those in new homes. Shoppers told Merillat's researchers the following key points:
1. Cabinets are the highest priority item among home owners.
2. Cabinets are the area they look to first when seeking a new kitchen.
3. Cabinets are more than twice as important as appliances.
The home owner also looks for pantry storage, as well as carefully checking out the cabinet drawers and how they can help organize the kitchen.
"We find that deep drawers are a big item as well as specialty storage in drawers--things like plate holders and dividers that can be customized to fit a particular family's utensils," Jim explains. "People want things in those drawers that remove the clutter--that help them organize their kitchen. They also are looking for drawer inserts that don't rattle or allow the contents to constantly shift, making it harder to find things the next time the drawer is opened."
Functional storage is the key, agrees Master Brands' Dave. He says that items such as spice racks, cabinets with shelves that slide out to allow items at the back to be easily accessed, swing-out racks for storage of dinnerware or glassware, lazy Susans, recycle centers, and even wine racks are features that provide a turn-on to someone shopping for a new kitchen. Drawers that are wider than normal also provide a great selling point. HomeCrest has recently introduced pull-out filler units that provide storage in previously dead space, eliminating another black hole for kitchenware--and another consumer pet peeve.
Jim says Merillat researchers have found the following features are among the conveniences that push buyers' hot buttons:
- Walk-in pantries are requested by approximately half of all buyers
- Tilt-out sink trays that store items like sponges and scouring pads
- Double deep trays in drawers
- Roll-out trays in base cabinets
- Waste baskets in base cabinets
Also big on the list are kitchen islands that provide additional storage, as well as a work area for the chef of the house. In terms of design, research also pinpointed staggered height cabinets and free-standing hutches as consumer preferences.
Merillat also has developed a new feature for its cabinet line that allows drawers to close softly. The Soft Action feature actually slows the closing of a drawer, much like the feature on some automobiles that prevents the trunk from being slammed. "This accomplishes two goals," Jim says. "First, it prevents inadvertently pinching fingers when the drawer gets slammed, as kids are prone to do. Secondly, it prevents the scenario where a slamming drawer causes the contents to shift, making it harder to find things the next time somebody opens that drawer."
Another important point brought out by the Merillat study is that the "hot zones" in a kitchen are around the appliances. Putting storage features in corners and in close proximity to appliances such as microwaves, dishwashers, ovens and ranges grabs home buyer attention.
Jim concludes, "Home owners love to be surprised by what they find in storage options in kitchen cabinets." And the more lovely surprises, the more likely a customer is to love the kitchen.
Related: Choosing
Kitchen Cabinet Colors
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