Curtis Stone Demonstrates Design Tips for the Modern Family at Merillat® Cabinetry Kitchen Event

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Renowned chef Curtis Stone recently put the fun in function when he showcased his favorite cabinetry storage features during The "Eat, Drink and be Organized" Kitchen Event presented by Merillat® cabinetry at The Grove in Los Angeles. The event featured cooking demonstrations from Curtis Stone and smart kitchen design from Merillat cabinetry, and guests learned tips on how to make their kitchens complement their lifestyle.

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"One trend I love is more people are spending time at home in the kitchen," said Curtis Stone. "Today the kitchen has more purposes than just cooking; homeowners are entertaining, eating, or just hanging out with their friends and family. And no matter how you use your kitchen, there are design tips to make your time there more enjoyable."

Kitchen Design Tips for the Modern Family

While homeowners are spending more time in their kitchens, the space is often not suitable for the people living in them and the activities they do. This is why when it comes time to design your kitchen it is important to think of how it will complement your lifestyle.

Tip 1: Design with everyone in mind

Today many homes are multigenerational; in fact, Masco Cabinetry – home of the KraftMaid® cabinetry, Merillat® cabinetry, QualityCabinets™ and DeNova™ surfaces brands – took a closer look at societal and generational differences in terms of kitchen design.  Through its GenShift™ 2011: Lifestages Redefining the Kitchen study, Masco Cabinetry found that 24 percent of homeowners ages 18-65 live in a multigenerational house, and 73 percent of homeowner's indicate that their current kitchen is not universally designed for their living needs.

With this in mind, it becomes more important than ever for the kitchen to be multifunctional and to accommodate different ages and abilities. Just a few design choices that can accomplish this include:

• One of the best ways to put the Island to work even harder – for everyone – is by incorporating dual height surfaces. This way food prep is comfortable for people of different heights.
• Incorporating a table into the Island allows a comfortable option for seating. It's perfect if the homeowner can't stand for long periods of time or if they are in a wheelchair.
• Dual sinks can make meal preparation much easier when there's more than one cook involved.

Tip 2: Design storage needs around the way you live

Today's homeowners want their kitchens to accommodate their daily lives; however, a kitchen that can do all this is in need of one thing — smart storage. Merillat cabinetry offers a number of smart storage options to make life in the kitchen easier, no matter how you use it. The following are just some examples of storage options for different lifestyles:

• A pull-out spice rack next to the stove is perfect for home chefs who like to experiment.
• Open shelving is great for entertaining, as they allow the homeowner to display beautiful dishware and glasses; and guests can help themselves to a plate for appetizers or a glass for wine.
• A tall pantry or utility cabinet allows busy moms to store many different items in one central location and at different levels making some things more accessible or inaccessible for children.

Tip 3: Design your kitchen so it works harder for you

Families today are busy, and much of their busy lives take place in the kitchen.  Here are some kitchen design ideas to help make daily tasks easier and faster:

• Add roll-out trays to base cabinets in your kitchen.  Not only will they make items easier to access, they will also increase the amount of storage.
• Older or smaller hands have trouble grasping or pulling certain types of cabinetry hardware. Consider larger drawer and cabinet handles that are easier to grasp and more ergonomically friendly.
• Preparing a meal goes much faster when you can easily find the tools you need, so incorporate drawer organizers to keep everything in its place.
• Clean up is a breeze with a pull-out waste basket. This feature can include hidden bag storage, and a two-bin design keeps trash and recyclables separated and out of sight.

"I want families to enjoy their time in the kitchen as much as I do," concluded Stone. "And the best advice I can give to help make this happen is to think about how you are going to live in your kitchen and then choose the right storage features to suit your lifestyle; because, a dream kitchen is one that's designed for the way you live."

For updated kitchen tips and trends, and recipes from Curtis Stone, join the Merillat Facebook page and visit the Round Table Blog, Twitter and YouTube.

Editor's Note:   

For photos and more information, visit MerillatPressRoom.com

About Merillat. A dash of function. A pinch of innovation. Merillat cabinetry offers smart storage solutions and functional design to help make prepping, cooking and entertaining in the kitchen easier. Just ask Merillat spokesperson, renowned chef Curtis Stone – someone who knows the importance of a well-designed kitchen. To learn more about the many beautiful and intelligent cabinetry options from Merillat, along with kitchen tips and recipes from Curtis, visit Merillat.com.

SOURCE Merillat

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