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Builder Magazine recently published its 8 hottest kitchen trends for 2010 and some of the factors influencing today’s culinary workspace design.

“Baby Boomers are hitting retirement age, lending standards have tightened, consumers have swallowed a slice of frugal pie, and the number of single households – particularly single women – is rising steadily,” writes the author. “All of those ingredients are feeding demand for smaller, more budget-conscious kitchens with a heavy emphasis on style and universal design.”

Builder gathered insights from a January 20 design workshop led by kitchen design gurus MaryJo Camp, Mary Jo Peterson, and Connie Edwards at the International Builder’s Show (IBS) in Las Vegas.

These are the trends they say we should be watching for in 2010:

Consolidated Activity: As houses get smaller, kitchens are carrying more responsibility. Today’s kitchen is still the hub of the home, and also a spot that’s big on multitasking — particularly now that many of the functions that previously had their own designated territory (e.g., laundry, dining, home office) are being absorbed into the kitchen/great room realm.

Ergonomics for All: The graying of baby boomers will raise important issues relating to functionality, user-friendliness and multiplicity. “Multiplicity acknowledges the variety of sizes, shapes, ages, and abilities of people who are in the kitchen,” according to Peterson said. That means not just older homeowners, but also kids, short adults, tall adults, and individuals with limited mobility.

Luxury for Less: Home buyers of average means must now pick and choose their luxuries strategically. As a result, builders and designers will be challenged to find interesting applications for modest materials, using the expensive stuff only for accents and memory points.

Small and Powerful: Notes the author, “Although kitchen square footage is less vulnerable to pruning than other rooms in the floor plan, many kitchens are getting smaller as houses get proportionately smaller.” To meet this need, many manufacturers have introduced new lines of streamlined appliances.

Planet Smart: Today’s buyers want green features with measurable benefits such as Energy Star appliances and Water Sense-rated plumbing fittings, as well as non-off-gassing finishes combined with good ventilation and air filtration.

Style-Conscious: Quartz and paper composites, glass and stainless steel work surfaces, large-scale (18” square) floor tile, chrome fixtures, and lightweight hulled concrete are becoming popular features.

Light Bright: Since aging eyes need good lighting, look for layered lighting for practical usage and visual effect. That includes a combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting.

Devilish Details: In a small space, the entire kitchen becomes a focal point, so it’s important to attend to every detail. “Smaller spaces are less forgiving,” according to Camp. Refrigerators and other appliances should run flush with cabinet faces.

You can read more about these trends in greater detail at Builder.com.

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A recent article in HousingZone.com reported that more remodeling clients are planning ahead and opting to alter their homes for aging-in-place.

As determined by recent data gathered by the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) Remodelers, 70% of remodelers that were surveyed reported making universal design home modifications. This is a significant bump up from 60% as reported in 2006.

Greg Miedema, Chairman of NAHB Remodelers, is himself a remodeler from Tucson, Arizona. He believes that universal design modifications can even make a home more stylish and convenient for the aging population. “Home owners are asking for remodeling improvements to make their homes more comfortable as they age because they don’t want to move or lose independence,” he adds.

According to the NAHB Remodelers, the aging-in-place modifications most frequently purchased by homeowners include:

•    Adding grab bars (78%)
•    Installing higher toilets (71%)
•    Upgrading to a curb-less shower (60%)
•    Widening doorways (57%)
•    Constructing ramps or lower thresholds (45%)
•    Enhancing lighting and task lighting (45%)

NAHB’s survey also found that consumers are becoming increasingly aware of aging-in-place options—with remodelers saying that 84% of homeowners have at least some knowledge of universal design solutions. In addition, 74% of remodelers also note an increase in requests for these types of features.

While remodelers often say that the bulk of jobs for aging-in-place come from clients age 55 and older, a growing number of consumers are not requesting aging-in-place remodeling solely for themselves.

Such improvements often address age-related disabilities of visiting older relatives, or modifications to make it easier for parents to share living space with grown children. More than 70% of homeowners started remodeling projects for aging-in-place because they were planning ahead for these types of future needs.

Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designated remodelers like Home Evolutions can help seniors and people with disabilities plan for their aging-in-place needs and incorporate universally designed home modifications.

Are you following us on Twitter? — Home Evolutions will give you real-time updates when our latest blogs are posted as well as timely information on Aging-in-Place news from around the country.

A recent article in the Pasadena Independent describes some of this year’s design trends to look out for in 2010. Prominent on its list was universal design.

According to the piece, since the real estate market remains uncertain, more Baby Boomers are making the decision to stay in their homes and spend their golden years right where they are.

They will continue to be more focused on the concept of aging in place, the author notes. “This means modifying the home so that they can spend their golden years comfortably, no matter what kind of physical restrictions they might have in the future,” she writers. “New designs, from touch faucets to better designed bathtub handlebars, are making aging in lace solutions better looking and easier to install.”

The Canadian Press also made mention in a recent piece, that aging-in-place is a trend to watch in 2010. With one in four Americans, turning age 55 or older, many designers and manufacturers are employing universal design principles, developed by engineers, architects and designers at North Carolina State University to make spaces and products user-friendly for everyone.

“For homeowners who don’t want to give up style for safety, think touchless faucets; trim kitchen drawers instead of cupboards; pullouts; task lighting and sensor cooktops. In bathrooms, look for non-slip floors, shower seats and grab bars with a sleek and stylish, not clinical, look,” the author writes.

2010 is gearing up to be another groundbreaking year for the aging-in-place movement as more and more seniors and people with disabilities choose to continue living safely, comfortably, and independently at home. CAPS designated companies like Home Evolutions can help you and your loved ones implement some of these upcoming trends and incorporate them into your aging-in-place home remodeling projects.

Are you following us on Twitter? — Home Evolutions will give you real-time updates when our latest blogs are posted as well as timely information on Aging-in-Place news from around the country.

Happy New Year to all of you. Hope you have a safe, healthy, and prosperous year.

For those of you thinking about aging-in-place, either for yourself or a loved one, we recently received a release from Indiana University (IU) in Bloomington about a book one of their professors recently published entitled, Elderburbia: Aging with a Sense of Place in America.

With the first of the Baby Boom generation well into midlife, the number of Americans at or nearing retirement age is both unprecedented and expanding, notes IU faculty member Phil Stafford in this recently published book.

Stafford, an adjunct professor in the IU Bloomington Department of Anthropology and director of the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community’s Center on Aging and Community. The Institute is comprised of seven centers that work in partnership with adults who are aging with disabilities to promote their well-being, community-participation, self-determination and leadership. One of the seven centers is the Indiana University Center on Aging and Community which conducts research and provides training, assistance and information to individuals, families and professionals seeking to enable seniors to age-in-place.

In his book, Stafford writes that, “with so much emphasis being given to helping retirees maintain good health and active lifestyles, it also is important to think about where they live and how to make those homes and communities elder-friendly.”

His book suggests that aging is not about time and the body, but about place and relationships. Drawing on the multidisciplinary field of ethnography, it gives readers a deeper understanding of how the aging experience is shaped by where people call home, as well as a look at what makes a place well-suited for post-retirement living.

Elderburbia combines cutting-edge scholarship with practical advice and provides an introduction to pivotal research on the broad subject of aging and place, including studies of migration and relocation. It also takes readers inside innovative, elder-friendly community planning around the United States, particularly AdvantAge, an initiative to help counties, cities and towns prepare for the growing number of older adults who are aging-in-place, as opposed to moving to retiree-only communities.

What are some other books you’re reading or can suggest to our readers who are interested in aging-in-place?

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