Family Room, Kitchen Rate High in Consumer Survey

A total of 45% of home buyers said they want kitchens and family rooms that are open to each other, but with a divider, such as a counter, according to a January, 1989, consumer preference survey conducted by the National Assn. of Home Builders and Better Homes and Gardens.

Seven out of 10 home buyers said that even with a den, a family room or great room is a must, and 64% said the basic price of a house must include a family room.

The survey concluded that an open kitchen-family room will make a home sell better.

In another survey, Better Homes and Gardens Consumer Panel respondents said that if they were building their own home, the most important room would be the kitchen, followed by the family room.

It’s not just the newer houses that are featuring family rooms. Many home improvements in the $102-billion industry focus on remodeling or adding a family room. The Better Homes and Gardens Home Improvement Contest showed that 9,160 homeowners who entered the 1988 contest spent $172.2 million on remodeling projects, a 28% increase over the amount spent by those who entered the 1986 contest.

The entries showed that family togetherness often prompted remodelings. Parents who wanted to spend more time with their youngsters inspired open kitchen/family room arrangements.

Family rooms were one of the most common additions. Desired features in this room included vaulted or cathedral ceiling with ceiling fan, skylights, fireplace, hardwood floors and lots of glazing, often with elaborate circle-topped windows. Bookcases and built-in cabinetry for sophisticated stereo and television video systems were also popular.