While kitchens will always serve as one of the most important and functional rooms of the house, it follows that kitchen trends toward connectivity, ease of use, and sustainability will likely dominate the next twenty years.
THE REPORT DATA
Silestone Institute produced a study on the kitchen of the future, which aimed to study kitchen trends that will increase in popularity between now and 2042. The results of the report discuss sustainability, well being, health, technology, connectivity, and social evolution. The study sought opinions of 17 experts including world-renowned chefs, architects, anthropologists, industrial designers, sociologists, and nutritionists. Additionally, surveys were carried out in eight countries across the world (Australia, Brazil, United States, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, and the United Kingdom) that asked lay persons about kitchen function and trends in their homes.
THE FINDINGS
So what will a kitchen look like in 25 years? Most people agree that the kitchen will be a place for gatherings of family and friends, a place to cook and prepare food, and a place to eat. Sounds normal, right? But the study goes on to describe that respondents also agreed the kitchen would function as a place to work, a place to conduct meetings, and a space to surf the internet. The expected trend is that the kitchen will become a room incorporated into other rooms. That the kitchen would not remain a separate room, but would blend into the overall lay out of the home due to the increasing breadth of uses the kitchen would serve. Already living and dining areas are being designed more frequently with an open-plan space.
Technological changes will explode. Besides implementing faster and more efficient methods of cooking (such as pressure cookers), new technology can help more people cook like the pros with techniques like vacuum cooking and packaging. Then, don’t forget about the importance of connectivity in our world. Designers expect technology to become woven into the core of the kitchen. Don’t be surprised if you see countertops with built-in screens, a place to connect your smartphones, and appliance controls. They may even be able to weigh food, provide nutritional information, and self-clean.
Kitchens will become greener. Sustainability and energy efficiency are other topics of interest across the globe. Most people surveyed (64% of respondents) expected consumers to demand more energy efficient appliances.
LEARN MORE
To read the full study, click here.
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