It’s one thing to design a demonstration kitchen – one that’s intended to be shared periodically by residents of a multifamily building, whether for culinary programming or private events. It’s another to design a true communal kitchen – the type commonly found in co-living communities, where residents have their own private bedrooms but also spend time in shared spaces, such as kitchens, where they choose to cook and dine together on a regular basis. Co-living communities have numerous benefits, but they can also pose challenges for a designer. In a single residence, there are often multiple occupants with varying style preferences, different schedules and, in some cases, mobility challenges. So, our goal as designers is to create dynamic spaces that serve residents of all ages, and in various stages of life. When it comes to creating cabinetry for a co-living community, we achieve this by implementing a few key design principles: Kitchens for a Crowd Co-living communities have larger kitchens than you would traditionally find in a multifamily building. There are several reasons for this. First, they have more cabinetry to allow residents to store food, cookware and dishware in their own spaces. They also feature multiple workspaces so occupants can cook simultaneously, and...
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