Kitchen News and Trends from Cologne - LivingKitchen 2017
IMM Cologne, the first major international interior design show of the year, is the place to watch each January for the trends that will be shaping the furniture and interiors sector in the coming months and even further. This year the fair was actually a duo. From January 16th to 22nd, as in every odd-numbered year, visitors from all over the world could see noteworthy commercially available products of both IMM and LivingKitchen. The accent of the two exhibitions was that design and innovation go hand-in-hand in products that not only answer current needs and trends, but also look to securing a place for themselves in the kitchens of the future.
Kitchens are getting smarter
In the digital age we live in, we want everything as fast, easy and healthy as possible. And, as we could expect, more and more kitchen appliances producers offer high-tech features such as color touch screen displays, built-in apps with recipes, cooking tips,etc., and wireless controls via smartphone or tablet.
Today we can send photos of the fridge contents to the smartphone to help with the shopping, or leave it to the dishwasher or washing machine to automatically calculate the correct programme just with a few clicks of a button. With smarthome systems, such scenarios are no longer just a dream of the future.
The ever increasing offering of networked installation devices ensures a lot of enthusiasm and high demand. Apps facilitate the control of ovens and coffee machines even when the user is far away. Intelligent sensors can warn of food that is about to burn or independently regulate the temperature. Under the umbrella term "Smart Home" a range of products will be available which provide for the real benefits for the user .
Liebher - refrigeration and freezer appliances able to network with mobile devices help in shopping and meal planning using Cameras with object recognition.
Integration is the key to European kitchen design
The latest trend seems to be integrated appliances, like hobs with integrated ventilation. Many manufacturers have presented such models at LivingKitchen 2017.
NikolaTesla is the first induction cooktop with a fully integrated air suction system. The central fan, a cooker hood perfectly integrated into the cooktop itself, guarantees high performance in terms of fume capture, silence and energy efficiency.
Conveniently integrated into the cooktop to make the most of your kitchen space, the new cooktop ventilation is ideal for cooking in an open or semi-open plan kitchen, on an island or on a hob located in front of a window. Discreetly integrated within the hob, the cast iron grid of the hood can even serve as a support for pans.
Home appliance manufacturer NEFF is launching a new range of FlexInduction hobs with integrated ventilation, specially designed for those of us who like to have a clear view and lots of head space in the kitchen.
The new cooktop ventilation combines the functions of the FlexInduction hob with the efficiency of the venting hood in one single appliance thus giving you more flexibility, headspace and a free view of the kitchen.
Trend towards healthy cooking
This is not a new trend, but it is a steady one - producers are trying to respond to the clear trend towards healthy, vitamin-conserving cooking. There is no gentler method of cooking than with steam. Vegetables, fish and tender meat are cooked particularly gently thanks to the steady heat. The cooked food retains its colour and shape, and its true taste and flavours are particularly pronounced. Hardly any vitamins are lost and virtually all the mineral nutrients are retained.
The newsteam cookers from Küppersbusch operate with optimum steam distribution. Küppersbusch ovens with steam functionallow dedicated steam cooking with 100 % steam, as well as a combination of steam and hot air, providing just the right function for every type of food.
Integration of the kitchen with the living and dining areas
Being the heart of our homes, today most kitchens are designed to be part of the overall trend for open-plan living. And designers are crfeating solutions that help the easier access and integration of the kitchen with the living and dining areas.
The end unit is designed to be open and light as well as flexible in its use. On the rear panel there are system rails on which, alongside shelves, drawers and storage boxes for tins can also be hung.
Whether in a small city apartment or a spacioushouse - the shape of the „Y-kitchen" makes thekitchen a central communication platform.
These are some of the most interesting new developments in kitchen design, but even one of them introduced in your home will make life much easier - and healthier.
Published
Last Updated
Get the Dwell Newsletter
Be the first to see our latest home tours, design news, and more.