What constitutes the most appealing part of a home is in constant flux. One year, it may be that an indulgent bathroom tops the list of each buyer’s wish list, whereas the next it may be something as prosaic as energy efficiency that attracts the masses.
However, one constant across the years has been the allure of a beautiful kitchen, with this room always hanging around in close proximity to the very top of such lists. Yet, recent reports that kitchens are shrinking, in London especially, may leave many people wondering about what this means for the future of what was once such a regular feature on a buyer’s wish list.
LONDON KITCHENS
It appears that newer builds and converted properties in London are seeing less space taken up by kitchens than ever before. However, whilst this may be true, it is not indicative of a national trend, and in many cases those living outside of the capital are actually looking at increasing the size of their kitchens rather than limiting them.
The big differences between London and more rural areas are the proximity to numerous high-class restaurants and the pace of life. In the capital, more people find themselves constantly on the go, and in turn more people will eat out rather than at home. As such, those in the capital are often eating out four times a week and rarely cooking for themselves in the kitchen. On the other hand, in more rural areas, people are cooking for themselves as much as they ever did. In fact, with appliances and technology in general improving, and as the popularity of cooking and baking shows is increasing, many people are actually using their kitchen more than ever.
In London, space constraints mean that certain rooms will have to be sacrificed in terms of space to ensure comfort and practicality. In fact, many properties in London are being converted to create multiple studios out of single houses. In turn, every room is being reduced in size, and kitchens are simply following suit.
With so many people now eating on the go due to everything from mobile working to current trends started in New York, the kitchen simply doesn’t seem as important in the capital. However, those outside of London should not see this as a sign of things to come, and many will find that the kitchen is still the most appealing room in the house, both for them and for buyers once it comes time to sell.
Furthermore, even in London, the style of the kitchen will still be as important as ever, and even if newer kitchens may be smaller in the capital, making sure you have the right cabinets, appliances and overall style will still make a huge difference to how inviting your home is to guests and how appealing it is to buyers.
As such, nothing has really changed, but the size. And even then, only in a very specific part of the country. When it comes to renovating your kitchen to improve looks and functionality, it is still important never to cut corners, no matter what size those corners now happen to be.
About the Author – Adam Howes is a freelance writer and blogger. He regularly contributes articles to Home and Living sites including the likes of deTerra Kitchens.