Kitchen Trends Drive Our Business

Internationally and cross-culturally, the kitchen is regarded as a central place for socialising at home or at the workplace. Whether in an apartment, a private house or in a business building — the kitchen and the trends associated with it have received a boost in attention not just since the Corona pandemic. More and more people are focusing on a beautiful home and are willing to invest in high-quality furnishings: Factors such as the origin of materials, quality, durability and an appealing design influence purchasing decisions. Choosing the right kitchen makes a statement: Because innovative design with intelligent materials and functionalities communicates who you are. The kitchen is not only a place of comfort, but also a meeting place for friends, colleagues, and business partners. In addition to the push for intelligent space planning for small and large kitchens and technological product development, the kitchen industry is benefiting from the trend towards more conscious eating: Generation Z has unmistakably initiated a departure from dietary patterns that have been established over decades. Regionally grown food, a careful preparation and storage are part of the responsible approach to healthy eating. In combination with a sustainable lifestyle, the realisation has long been valid across generations: not “to go”, but “at home” is the place where an enjoyable life is celebrated.

The kitchen trends are also boosting the industry economically: according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (6.12.2021, No. 284, p.21, “Unternehmen”), the statistics of the German kitchen industry from January to August 2021 show an increase in turnover of 12 percent to 3.6 billion euros. This mark of success is particularly evident when compared with the German furniture industry, which realised growth of 3.2 percent to 11 billion in the same period. What is behind the kitchen trends?

The “Conscious Kitchen” trend — Kitchens adapt to new needs

The interior design expert and futurologist Oona Horx-Strathern highlights the new relevance of the kitchen in the “Conscious kitchen” trend in her Home Report 2022: “More than ever, it will become an important part of life — and not just as a show kitchen, but as a functional companion that helps people live healthier and more consciously,” says Horx-Strathern in the report prepared for the Zukunftsinstitut. Here it becomes clear: the Corona pandemic has a greater influence on the development of our lifestyles than we consciously realise. The relocation of the workplace to the home office means that people are using their own kitchens more. The increased utilisation is changing the living situation, so that in the future the planning of living space will also have to be adapted to new needs.

Tailor-made: Kitchen manufacturers convince with variety and innovation

Our spirit of innovation is condensed in the kitchen: “From the appliances, surfaces and materials to the storage options and space in the cabinets — we are striving for a more sustainable and hygiene-conscious life,” Oona Horx-Strathern explains the new kitchen trends. At a time when hygiene concepts are on everyone’s lips and the focus is increasingly on sustainability, manufacturers are also responding with appropriately adapted and newly developed products. The Iris Ceramica Group, an Italian holding company of the best-known manufacturers of high-quality ceramic surfaces, recently presented an innovative self-cleaning ceramic surface that protects against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and other microorganisms: Photocatalysis creates an oxidation process that kills bacteria on the surface of Active Surfaces® products. The silver contained in the surfaces activates the antibacterial effect of the ceramics even in the dark.

The second-generation family-run joinery DER RAUM focuses on processing natural materials for its kitchen models. It produces a kitchen made of 100 per cent wood, which is naturally antibacterial, antistatic, and free of harmful chemicals. The natural material thus enables hygienic and safe food storage. Overall, kitchens made predominantly from natural and recyclable materials are at the heart of kitchen trends: Poggenpohl recently presented a series of innovative, sustainable solutions, in the context of which new work surfaces were developed using recycled glass shards: With this process, material can be sensibly recycled and reused. Each worktop is also unique with an individual structure. At the same time, the German kitchen architecture brand presents some intelligent kitchen systems for storage that can be adapted to the respective room situation. Many manufacturer brands are reinforcing kitchen trends and giving fresh perspectives on individual kitchen furnishings in their product portfolios. As the centre of a modern life, it should be a stylistic and functional expression of its owner’s personality and be tailor-made like a couture suit.