Food and finish: The kitchen as the heart of seniors’ homes

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["b"],["em"]],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"When creating or\nrecreating a culinary environment within any life plan community there are many\nr\u00e9cipes for success \u2014 with multiple challenges confronted by the\nowner and design team. Culinary arts have become more sophisticated in the\nsenior living market. Communities not only compete with each other, but also\nvenues outside of their campuses. \u201cChoice\u201d is the key word, and we expect the boomers to\nhave high expectations."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Personality \u0026 Program"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The culinary\nenvironment in senior living is much like a kitchen in a new home: It is the\nheart. The personality of the space needs to work with the architecture and\nfinishes to enhance the design. An effective culinary environment gives the\npatron something out of the ordinary to see or taste and boost the overall\nexperience. A good program and consistency in food service is critical for\nsuccess; urge your clients to do their research and discuss with culinary\noperators and consultants who can help you create and establish your goals."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Location \u0026 Position"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Not all venues are the same\nor need to be active at the same time. One rule of thumb: If a venue is open\nlonger it should be more visible, allowing for more traffic and exposure.\nBistro \/ caf\u00e9 venues are perfect for this type of approach,\ntypically because they are open for three meals a day. The constant activity\nprovides energy to the community."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Elements of Attraction"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The use of focal points,\nlike fireplaces, art, and custom millwork are all good resources, but don\u2019t forget about, light,\nsound and smells. The simple use of a TV monitor in a dining space can provide\nlimitless options for art, action and menu boards. Sound, or even lack of\nsound, is an attraction; it all depends on the goal of the space. On a recent\nproject, a bakery was incorporated into the design to take advantage of the\nsmells to attract patrons."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Flexibility of Space"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Even with good\nresearch, great advice and an excellent design, a successful dining venue isn\u2019t guaranteed. To defend against the potential of too much in one\nspace and not enough in the other, build in flexibility. If given the\nopportunity to create adjacencies, try arranging the dining space so it is\nadjacent to another public venue. The idea is you can create physical ability\nto allow spaces to grow larger or smaller depending on the need."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Lighting"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The single most\nimportant element when it comes to any space is lighting: without light, there\nis nothing to look at. In today\u2019s marketplace there is\na variety of light fixture styles \u0026 designs available. Creating contrast,\nthe use of RGB \/ LED provide the ability to change an atmosphere in an instant.\nImagine changing the color output to warmer tones on a cold evening while\nserving hot soup. The use of LED lighting has created the ability to emphasize\ncolor on food depending on the mixture programmed into the fixture. Green beans\nbecome more green, meats more red; all without changing a lamp."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Finishes"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"I tell clients \u201cyou are only as good as your maintenance\u201dso you have to determine\nwhat your client is willing to maintain before selecting finishes. There are so\nmany materials available that creativity can be achieved no matter what budget\nyou are working with. Wood flooring is not just wood anymore; glazed porcelain,\nvinyl, and even laminated planks are available that mock wood. Carpeting has\nmade major advances over the past few years allowing for better design and\neasier maintenance. Be sure to select a product that works with your design. If\nyour budget will allow, use manufactured stone products and stay away from\nnatural stone around food because of its porous qualities. If your budget will\nsupport the use of a man-made manufactured quartz stone for counter tops or\ncabinetry, this would provide an appropriate selection and is often NSF\napproved.\n\n\n\n\u0007"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"While real wood cabinetry\ncan be used, alternate laminate selections are available and perform very well.\nGlazed and glass tile are utilized extensively because of the variety of\ndesigns available on the market. But be careful: Sometimes smaller tiles can\ncause issues for department of health officials."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"But\ndon\u2019t just think about the outside of cabinetry;\nconstruction of cabinetry is just as important. Options with marine grade\nplywood and stainless steel boxes are available. Consider what your budget will\nallow before creating the specification. When it comes to ceilings and walls, a\ngood rule to follow is if food is being prepared, cooked, or dished the\nceilings and walls should be washable."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"About the Author"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[1],1,"J.D. Landis is an executive-level design\nprofessional with more than 27 years in the architectural and design industry\nwith extensive knowledge of interior programming, architecture, marketing,\nconstruction and culinary design in domestic and foreign markets. As interior\nprogramming specialist, J.D. arranges and models space to maximize efficiency,\nwhile creating flexibility for public environments and program support."],[0,[],0,"\n\n\n\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n\n\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n\n\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n\n\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n\n\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n\n\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n\n\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n\n\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n\n\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n\n\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n\n\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"\n\n\n\n"]]]]}