Architect and designer Michele Alfano has made a career out of crafting kitchens that make the most of square footage, allowing owners to equally live their lives to the fullest. Post-pandemic, she sees smart technology as being a large part of this goal. “To improve the cooking experience, I see gesture and voice recognition becoming even more prevalent,” she says. “Your technology will recognize you and allow you to control your appliances to your liking.” For instance, Alfano notes that American Standard’s Saybrook Filtered Kitchen Faucet provides filtered and tap water with the push of a button, while other smart appliances (including screens on a backsplash) can recommend recipes, bring up the day’s calendar, and help cook an ingredient efficiently. These technological components will provide peace of mind, allowing people to hone their cooking skills and stay on top of other important to-dos.
Sustainability Will Be Part Of The Process
Alfano also sees sustainable practices becoming more of a cornerstone of kitchen design, from creating a designated place for herbs to grow beside a sink (maybe even under the kitchen island) to having somewhere distinct for composting.
But besides making these eco-friendly factors as familiar as a dishwasher and oven, Alfano thinks owners will also keep sustainability in mind when sourcing materials in the first place. “Ash timber for cabinetry has low-VOC emissions, which promotes better air quality in the space and is also a more cost-effective material. There’s also Compac stone, which has low-VOC levels as a countertop option, and the company collects and stores rainwater during the production of the stone,” she says. “Post-pandemic kitchen design will marry technology and nature.”
Everything Will Be Hi-Tech, Low-Touch
The Internet of Things (IoT) is how all of your home devices with a WiFi connection communicate with one another, explains Glenn Rush, a designer manager at Build With Ferguson. In the kitchen, an oven, refrigerator, faucet, or another device with WiFi-enabled sensors improves efficiency, hygiene, and safety. IoT tech can even detect hazards and alert you of potential risks in real-time by sending an alert to your phone. Some don’t even require human intervention. For example, a faucet may shut off once a certain amount of water has been running to prevent flooding.
Hands-free fixtures and voice-activated solutions will no longer be a luxury item in the kitchen of the (near) future. This includes everything from smart lighting, to touchless faucets, to knock-front drawers and cabinets.
Storage Will Be At The Center
“The kitchens of the future should provide more convenience and can never have enough storage,” says Mika Kleinschmidt, realtor and star of HGTV’s 100 Day Dream Home.
In many homes, the kitchen has evolved to not only be a place to cook and eat, but also entertain, do homework, or take Zoom calls. Built-in cabinets will be designed to answer all of these varied storage needs—think, a beverage cooler and a spot to stash homework and laptops.
Kitchens Will Be The Norm
“For many years, designers have discussed universal design, which evolved from accessible design, a method of design that aims to increase the quality of life (mentally and physically) for a wide range of individuals and abilities,” explains Rush. The kitchen of the future will balance function, safety, and aesthetics to create a space that works for everyone, including those with disabilities, the elderly, children in strollers, and anyone else who may be using the kitchen. “This approach not only creates an accessible multi-functional kitchen with convenient features for a diverse group, but it reduces the need for modifications that may be needed in the future.”
Sinks Will Be Hygienic (And Tidy!)
Touchless and hands-free technology is on the rise and a trend that will likely stay for good—like the touchless faucets and hands-free water dispensers for the home,” says James Slattery, senior product manager at Elkay. “We also plan to see more hygienic materials being utilized, especially when it comes to sinks.” In addition to materials like non-porous quartz that helps prevent the spread of bacteria, Slattery says that the sink designs themselves will become more hygienic. Case in point: Elkay created an edgeless Perfect Drain, eliminating the gap around the drain so food and grime (and bacteria) can’t get trapped.