Kitchen 2024 - The Heart of your Home
During the last two decades, the kitchen which was once a purely functional room has evolved into the social center of our homes. Technological innovation and changes within society have massively influenced this development and have fundamentally altered the design and layout of modern kitchens. But how exactly have kitchens changed over the last 20 years and how will their development continue in the future?
3 Aspects - 1 Room
Let’s look back to the year 2000. Around this time, we started combining the kitchen, dining room, and living room into a larger combined space. This elevated the kitchen to be much more than just a functional room for the purpose of cooking. Instead, the kitchen was now integrated into the main living area of the home and now served as a meeting point for residents and their guests. In line with these developments, kitchen appliances also began to change. Appliances had to become quieter and sleeker. This spawned products such as induction cooktops that can distribute heat much more efficiently and more exact than traditional electric stoves.
Around the year 2010, cooktops with integrated smoke extraction started to become increasingly popular. This innovative solution eliminated the need for bulky, ceiling-mounted extractor hoods. This is beneficial to the overall appearance of the room and allows for more freedom when designing the kitchen. Simultaneously, sleek kitchen cabinets without visible handles also grew in popularity and allowed kitchens to have a modern and minimalist appearance.
Kitchens Today
Around 2020, advancing digitalization introduced smart-home technologies into kitchens in a broader range of applications. This allows the residents to control their appliances through a series of “smart” controls. Smart home solutions have become much more diverse and now include refrigerators that monitor their contents and create shopping lists accordingly as well as voice-controlled ovens and other futuristic inventions.
Parallel to technological advancements, social trends, and developments have also impacted the design of kitchens. At the start of the millennium subtle colours were most prominent. Cottage style was also very popular at this time. In the 2010s central kitchen islands established themselves. Clear shapes and lines along with intensive use of the coulour white are characteristic for this period. The kitchen evolved into a hub for gatherings and communication during this time.
Today, darker tones such as black and grey have rapidly grown in popularity. Kitchens are becoming increasingly individual. This allows everyone to create individual accents and highlights.
How will Kitchens Evolve in the Future?
Due to the increasing desire to consciously structure our free time and to live a healthy lifestyle, the process of cooking has become much more appreciated. Cooking for yourself and your friends and family has become increasingly popular. The kitchen is turning into a space for self-realization. Our individual preferences regarding functionality and design are the central focal point. Furthermore, sustainability is also becoming increasingly important in the design and use of our kitchens. The use of energy-efficient appliances and sustainable materials has become a strong desire for both homeowners and kitchen planners.
Requirements for future kitchens
A kitchen is a long-term investment. Most people expect to only have to buy a kitchen once. What should you consider when designing a kitchen for it to remain appropriate for the coming years?
→ Overarching concept through floor, wall, and ceiling design
→ Tailored to the individual needs of the residents
→ Kitchen furniture is turned into living furniture
→ Multifunctional and space optimization
→ Use of natural and toxin-free materials
→ Connected and energy-efficient appliances
→ Intelligent storage of groceries
→ Trash management and recycling to minimize waste
→ Natural lighting for a calm environment
→ Energy-efficient artificial lighting that is both atmospheric and functional
