New Room Trends Bring Storage to the Forefront
Aristokraft Cabinetry brings affordable organization
to life outside the kitchen
JASPER, Ind. (November 15, 2005) — “A place for everything and everything in its place,” one of author Samuel Smiles’ famous self-help quotes, has perhaps never been more relevant to homeowners than it is today. With all the “stuff” of today’s busy lives it is increasingly important to homeowners to have an attractive place to store it all while freeing up valuable time when trying to find it again.
“We are seeing trends for cabinetry that extend beyond the kitchen to two relatively new room concepts homebuilders are opting for – the drop zone and the flex room,” said Cathy Hitz, brand manager for Aristokraft Cabinetry. “We’ll continue to see cabinetry pieces utilized specifically in these areas.”
Aristokraft Cabinetry offers cabinetry styles and solutions that are designed for the kitchen but are versatile and affordable for other areas of the home. Installing modular rather than pricey custom cabinetry for the drop zone and the flex room is a welcomed relief to the pocket book while bringing a little organization to the chaos of everyday life.
The Drop Zone: The mudroom made over
The school bus stops and just as quickly as the kids pile out of the bus, their backpacks, muddy shoes, coats and an assortment of accessories pile up right inside the door. The “one coat, one pair of shoes” simplicity of generations gone by is long gone. Today, the challenge is finding storage space for all of those “things” we shed upon stepping inside the door. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) found in their 2004 Consumer Preference Study that only one-third of survey respondents believed typical home storage was adequate for all these “things.” As a result, homebuilders are turning to the drop zone — the reinvented, made-over mudroom for 21st century living.
The drop zone, as designers have aptly renamed it, shares the same concept as the mudroom but on a grander and more multi-functional scale. It’s the transitional space between the outdoors and indoors that absorbs the hustle and bustle of life in an effort to keep it from spilling over into the rest of the house. What was once a few square feet of linoleum with a trampled rug is now an intentional, custom design making its way onto blueprints everywhere. From in-floor heating to personalized storage cabinetry for each member of the family and even the dog, the mudroom has evolved.
“Additionally, it is becoming commonplace for homeowners to add built-in desks, recycling and mail centers, laundry appliances and message boards,” said Hitz. “Homeowners look for affordable yet durable stock cabinetry for the drop zone.”
Aristokraft Cabinetry offers a variety of affordable products to bring organizational harmony to the chaos of this high-traffic area. Taking inventory of the items that will typically end up in the drop zone will narrow down the cabinetry choices and create ample storage. For example, Aristokraft’s Grayson base cabinets form the foundation for the drop zone. Combined with Aristokraft’s Grayson utility cabinets, available in varying heights, clutter will hide behind attractive Maple mitered-style doors offered in trend-forward finishes and glazes. A few tips for designing a drop zone:
Messages and notes can be moved from refrigerator fronts and displayed on cut-for-glass cabinet doors that feature cork or chalkboard panels.
Free up extra kitchen space by installing a recycling center with Aristokraft’s Base Wastebasket which houses two 20-quart pullout wastebaskets.
Save time in a morning rush by mounting small hooks inside cabinets for car keys or the dog leash.
Assign a personalized built-in cubby for each member of the family to store shoes and accessories with Aristokraft’s Wall-Open Cabinet with Apothecary Drawers and 30-inch-high Wine Cube that can be positioned horizontally or vertically.
Keep toys both accessible and out of sight with Aristokraft’s Peninsula Wall Cabinets.
The Flex Room: Flexible living for not-so-flexible lives
In addition to the expansion of the drop zone, builders are also incorporating the flex room into home design. According to a report released in November 2004 by the U.S. Census Bureau, there were an estimated 5.5 million “stay at home” parents in 2003. The rise in stay-at-home parents has helped perpetuate the trend of the flex room. The flex room tends to be a space in an upper level of the house or garage that can serve a variety of purposes. It often serves as both a play area for the kids as well as a work area for Mom or Dad to work while keeping an eye on them. However, a flex room could also be a hobby room, a fitness center or a game room − its purpose can change throughout the years.
Jodi Sigley-Schoenfeld, vice president for interior design for Woodsman Kitchens & Floors in Jacksonville, Fla., specializes in design solutions for residential new construction. “The flex room is an area with unique storage needs since its uses can be so versatile,” said Schoenfeld. “I encourage my clients to choose timeless cabinetry that can grow with them and serve their changing needs.”
For example, Aristokraft introduces the new Room Solutions collection which includes a variety of built-in entertainment centers and desks that can be incorporated into the flex room. These timeless pieces create organized space while providing an attractive focal point for the room. When choosing any one of seven configurations, consider what current and future purposes the flex room and the cabinetry might serve.
Aristokraft’s cabinetry solutions are as timeless as they are practical. Hard-working cabinetry joins the comforts of home with expanded styles and finishes including the new Grayson, Wentworth and Raulin doors. “The key to choosing cabinetry in areas throughout the home is to define the direction and to create your own rules,” said Schoenfeld.
About Aristokraft Cabinetry
Aristokraft Cabinetry is a division of MasterBrand Cabinets, Inc., the second-largest cabinet manufacturer in North America. Other MasterBrand cabinet divisions include Diamond, Decora, Omega, Kitchen Craft, HomeCrest, Schrock, Kemper and Kitchen Classics. MasterBrand Cabinets, Inc., is an operating unit of the consumer product company Fortune Brands Inc. (NYSE: FO). For more information or to locate the Aristokraft showroom nearest you, visit www.aristokraft.com.
