The Wall Street Journal has a fascinating story about how homebuilders around the country, facing a reality in which both construction costs and mortgage rates are rising, have decided to shrink certain parts of the traditional home.
While there are, of course, variations depending on geography and demography, “Most builders and architects follow the same basic playbook to produce tighter, more efficient living spaces. They are axing dining areas, bathtubs and separate living rooms. Secondary bedrooms and loft spaces are shrinking and sometimes disappearing.
“At the same time, they are increasing the size of multiuse rooms like kitchens and great rooms. Shared spaces like bunk rooms and jack-and-jill bathrooms, which are located between and shared by two bedrooms, are on the rise. In some cases, the kitchen island has become the only eating area in the home.”
KC’s View:
These are the kinds of trends about which food retailers need to stay current. If consumers are moving away from formal dining and toward a more casual, around-the-kitchen-table approach, that can affect how they go to market.
We have a small dining room, but we eat almost every meal in the kitchen. All great parties are centered in the kitchen, in my view – there’s nothing like making a risotto while being surrounded by friends and family, with some folks drinking and others participating.
Dining rooms are overrated.
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