“Of course I am a very proud Grandma,” Christine said. “It was absolutely fantastic having my two daughters and my son bring their families home for the holiday. After all these years of COVID, what a joy to be together!” The Needham homeowner smiled. “Nothing better than family. But I have to admit, putting on a big feast for the first time in a while made me realize our kitchen could use a little work.”
What are the most common complaints homeowners have about their kitchens?
Not enough space. “That’s certainly true for me,” Christine said. “The girls and I were trying to get the last minute dishes put together and there was just not enough room for everyone. We kept bumping into each other. It was very frustrating to have to keep interrupting what you were doing when someone needed to get by you or reach into a drawer.”
Confusing storage. “When you live in a house long enough, you just take it for granted that you know where everything is,” Christine said. “But then my daughter-in-law wanted to grate some cheese and for the life of me I couldn’t find the grater. It was embarrassing not to be able to just open a cabinet and say here you go.”
Appliances Out of Date/Undersized. “It would have been great to have a second oven,” Christine said. “Even if it is just used for keeping things warm, it’s creating a nicer experience for everyone. And the Grandkids got a little disappointed when the ice maker couldn’t keep up with them.”
Creating Your Dream Kitchen: Plan To Make Memories
“When I started talking with the Needham home builders, we discussed the kitchen not just as a place to cook dinner or wash the dishes, but as a place where family memories are made,” Christine said. “And that’s what made me think about how could Thanksgiving dinner be better for everyone? What would make this experience more fun and comfortable for my family?”
“I believe our homes change as our families change,” she concluded. “Now that my kids are grown and we’re stepping into the Grandparents role, the way we use our kitchen has changed. I think for the better! And so we change the kitchen to address this new situation.”