As the kitchen has evolved from a space in the back of the house to the centre of home life, the modern kitchen has evolved to meet the new demands. The Cook of the home is not necessarily the wife and frequently two to five people are involved in preparation of the family meal. We don’t all sit down at one time for mealtime every day but often graze on the run, therefore the modern kitchen has evolved to meet these new demands through planning and practical design.
Today’s professional kitchen designer does not start the design process without having an in-depth understanding of the lifestyle of the customer. Not surprisingly, the kitchen is now a place for more than just cooking; its where we chat, linger, socialize, watch the news, sip wine after a long day and sometimes surf the net. It’s a room where frying pans and laptops share a place and where we choose to relax at any time of the day or night.
The kitchen of the future will likely be a part of the main room of the home and will look less like the traditional kitchen and more like an entertainment centre. The kitchen area will incorporate luxury finishes and seamless design to allow it to merge with the main entertaining/living space in the home. It will likely incorporate the computer, television, wine bar, dining and home office.
The Kitchen of the Future will not only look different, it will also incorporate technology ranging from a small television to full scale home automation. Fridges and wine coolers can be monitored for temperature and wireless internet can allow the entire kitchen to be used for work, homework, recipes, schedules, bill paying and many other factors of daily life. The kitchen designer should know these factors and whether or not to include file drawers, cell phone chargers, wi-fi planning, laptop plugs and cable outlets.
Anyone planning a renovation of an existing home or building a new home should think about more than just the cooking factors; they should remember that the Kitchen of the Future accommodates all factors of daily living.