Designing for the Ages

By Nancy December 7th, 2011

Sparrow and Stoll does a lot of kitchen design. It’s one of the most common areas of the home to remodel, and they are fun projects to work on because the transformation is huge. When designing remodel projects for homes with children or grandchildren, we have specific concerns depending on the ages of the kids.

Younger than five years old: the primary concern is safety.

Age five to 12 years old: they need a place to play or work.

Age 13 or older: we look for opportunities to have two or more cooks in the kitchen at one time.

Some of the ways these concerns play out in our designs might include the creating of a “kid zone” that’s away from the stove but that will allow them a space to roll out dough or do other child-friendly cooking, having a file storage area for kid or school-related paperwork, a desk-like area for homework or computer, or an island with sink and faucet for another prep area. We’ve also fit in undercounter refrigerators or refrigerator drawers for kid snacks.
Of course, kids grow up and needs change, which is another important consideration in any design. To see some examples of our work (kitchens and other rooms), click here.