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The Digital Kitchen Study and the resulting Digital Entertainment Kitchen display at this year’s Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) further shed light on what consumers felt were the most desired kitchen activities.

According to the Digital Kitchen Study, a cross-industry collaboration involving leading members of the CABA Internet Home Alliance Research Council, the following are the activities consumers would most like to do – and not do – in their “ideal” kitchen:
 

1. Kitchen as control center, not entertainment center. While some who are remodeling their kitchen said they want to watch movies and videos in the kitchen, the vast majority (85%) of homeowners said they don’t see themselves watching videos or movies in the kitchen, perhaps because those are activities that need time and attention, two things in short supply when making dinner. In addition, the vast majority (93%) would not play video games in their ideal kitchen. There are just two entertainment-oriented items that consumers want in their ideal kitchen of the future: a TV and wireless Internet access.
2. Crack the books, but not where you crack the eggs. According to the survey, 48% of children do their homework in the kitchen. However, the survey also found that the majority of parents (59%) prefer that their children not do their homework in the kitchen. According to parents, the ideal kitchen is not an ideal place for doing homework.
3. Keep the Play-Doh away from the cookie dough. In homes with children, 43% reported doing arts and crafts in the kitchen. However, 69% of all parents say they don’t want their kids doing arts and crafts projects in the kitchen. In homes without children, the survey found that crafting activities rarely took place in the kitchen.
4. Weather or Not. The survey revealed that 37% of homeowners would like to check the weather from their kitchen. But an on-demand weather information device was chosen by just 12% of respondents as something they’d like in their ideal kitchen. It may be that a device that provides weather information only is less appealing than wireless Internet access in the kitchen, which can transmit a variety of content.

Look for more information about this in the upcoming 6/07 issue of Kitchen & Bath Design News. And log onto Live Events, and Consumer Resources. (Be sure to log onto KitchenBathDesign.com for Kitchen & Bath Design News’ coverage of the 2007 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas. Log onto the home page to visit the Live Events, Top Headlines, Project Spotlight and Consumer Resources sections, and Product Gallery. And don’t forget to sign up for our eNewsletters that will cover other upcoming industry shows.)  

The Digital Entertainment Kitchen display showcased such high-tech features as a hidden Xbox and a built-in, flat-panel TV with a host of features including a fireplace display.

Like so many other products and displays at this year’s Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas, the 2007 Design Showcase, presented by Woman’s Day Special Interest Publications (WDSIPs) and Home magazine, was inspired by the “Digital Age.” Dubbed ‘Digital Dreams,’ it featured forward-thinking ideas, bold use of color and plenty of comfort.

Its L-shaped kitchen was highlighted by a mix of colors and contrasts and provided a host of ergonomic features. It had an ergonomic chef center with cabinetry by Armstrong and a two-sided center island with one side made for clean-up and the other made for snacking.

Digital features included a Broan-NuTone video monitoring system, a Dell laptop equipped with Internet access and set on one end of the island that is actually a rolling cabinet, and a 20″ Sharp Aquos TV, along with a Sharp DVD player, tucked into an open wall cabinet for easy viewing.

The adjacent, inviting, cozy family room doubled not only as a dining room, but also a fully-equipped home office, a space-maximizing butler’s pantry/bar area. Digital features included a Dell desktop PC, LCD monitor and sub-woofer, a 65″ Sharp Aquos TV and a Marantz DVD player.

The serene, nature-inspired bath showcased neutral tones in every area, including the shower, which featured a principal shower spray that poured dramatically out of a semi-arched fitting ending in a huge, square spray surface. On two levels flanking shower handles were body sprays, turning the shower experience into a spa-like one.

The vanity, which was actually a wall cabinet set on legs, featured a 1-1/2″-thick, bull-nosed quartz surface and a round, stainless steel sink. The toilet was tucked away near the tub, with green hues in the form of towels, wall art and arrangements that were paired with grass cloth wall covering, adding to the soothing ambience.

Digital features included electronically controlled shades and a TV tucked into a niche.

The future-forward Showcase was produced by New York, NY-based WDSIPs’ Project Director/Writer Mervyn Kaufman and designed by Ingrid Leess of New Canaan, CT-based Ingrid Leess Interior Design with input from the American Hardwood Information Center. And the display was built by Dallas, TX-based Elevate Group.

Look for more information about this in the upcoming 6/07 issue of Kitchen & Bath Design News. And log onto Live Events, and Consumer Resources.

(Be sure to log onto KitchenBathDesign.com for Kitchen & Bath Design News’ coverage of the 2007 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Las Vegas. Log onto the home page to visit the Live Events, Top Headlines, Project Spotlight and Consumer Resources sections, and Product Gallery. And don’t forget to sign up for our eNewsletters that will cover other upcoming industry shows.)