When the oven sent a signal to the coffeemaker and other smart kitchen tales

It was the most famous refrigerator in the world with its own Twitter and Instagram accounts. Former Dutch-American model and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (RHOBH) star Yolanda Hadid could actually walk into this see-through customised cold wonder to get her smoothies, watermelons, salads, bottled mineral water and  all sorts of healthy goodness that a chef de cuisine would doff his or her toque blanche to joyfully.

Yes, many of us are still taking sneak peeks (who wants to admit to actually enjoying those catfights or pole dancing classes?) at RHOBH reruns, because Hadid or co-star Lisa Vanderpump’s glam homes or impossibly fancy kitchens were definitely droolworthy (let’s not even talk about those dream closets). Add to that the magic of the MasterChef reality shows and YouTube and TV series starring India’s very own Ranveer Brars, Harpal Singh Sokhis or Kunal Kapoors and you will truly understand the real delights of well-stocked pantries, sparkling kitchen islands and giant range cookers... Oh and glorious open shelving.

Perhaps I can be in #zoolander2. I've been told I am really, really, ridiculously good looking. Not #ShelfCentered pic.twitter.com/zp1cQI6bsu

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— Yolanda's Fridge (@YolandasFridge) March 10, 2015

No boundaries

Kitchens are the hearts, souls… even tummies of a household. Today, in times of Covid-19 and a changed world order demanding more interactions, conversations, healthy lifestyles and happiness, these are spaces that are opening up to encourage families to gather, enjoy healthy meals and quality time together.

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Häfele kitchen trend reports point to “fading definitions” between kitchens, and living spaces as homes get smaller and designs tilt towards open plans. Rooms are now losing established boundaries, furniture is multi-functional, with technology allowing greater control over everything, including light and sound or appliances.

Touchscreen interfaces on refrigerators are enabling users to consult recipes while cooking or to make shopping lists and sync these with phones.

Ovens can be set to cook anything from snacks to exotic kormas, with inbuilt cameras helping users check whether the dish is done without opening doors.

As homes get smaller, designers are veering towards more open plans.

Multi-functional mantra

The time is right for multifunctional spaces too, says Apoorva Shroff, founder and principal designer, Lyth Design, a Mumbai-based boutique studio. Considering how the pandemic turned people’s lives upside down, she reasons, multipurpose space is probably the need of the hour. In smaller homes, it would be really interesting and dynamic if the area occupied by the kitchen could easily convert into a study just by the opening and closing of doors.

Like most designers, her personal favourite is the open kitchen because “we cannot ignore the mess and odours that accompany our core needs.” However, ideally the kitchen layout could be broken up into two parts, she suggests. Placing a quiet island outside of the closed kitchen doors conceals the noise and smells and includes the chef of the hour, be it the lady or man of the home, in the affairs of the rest of the members.

Rahul Mistri, principal designer at Open Atelier in Mumbai, too, favours open kitchens as such layouts serve the design intent of creating visual expansion of the living space. Cooking islands and countertops extended as dining tables are also perfect for modern designs.

Apoorva Shroff

Getting smarter

With high technology and automation systems — smart kitchens are also the way forward into new design solutions, he adds.

Synchronising appliances with Bluetooth or over WiFi helps in smooth operatons – so the oven can send a signal to your mobile phone when the pasta is done or turn off the coffeemaker while you’re pulling the car out of the garage.

Spaces can also be made more energy efficient by regulating the lighting, setting the temperature of the refrigerator or the timing of other appliances.

Rahul Mistri.

Of cabinetry that disappears

Then there are interesting international concepts like utility pantries, breakfast bars, etc, which can make life just a little more comfortable if the home footprint permits, says Mistri. In addition, efficient design solutions consolidated with automation modules and high-tech appliances, namely warmer drawers, sleek chimneys, etc., undoubtedly make for great designs.

Shroff also votes for trends such as minimalistic clean lines, disappearing cabinetry, antibacterial finishes, and swanky laminates.

Modular kitchens will be more in demand than customised ones, Mistri forecasts. “The streamlined precision offered by factory-produced systems delivers cost-effective design perfection. Besides accuracy, modular systems maximise functionality and customised space management. A pre-planned cabinet module allows optimal use of every nook and corner available with utmost flexibility.”

For Mistri, subjective to the layout of the house, the ideal space allocation for kitchens would be adjoining dining spaces, family rooms and semi-open utility spaces. Open kitchens adjacent to living spaces create a larger visual character for smaller footprints.

The kitchen is the backbone of the house and hence needs to be at the rear end of the house. However, service access is quite crucial, and good ventilation cannot be compromised, says Shroff.

That’s right. So if you are planning to redesign your home, pay a little extra attention to the space where you'll cook for your loved ones. Invest in top class appliances, for who knows, someday, one of them might, like Hadid’s refrigerator, become a star and tweet: “Perhaps I can be in #zoolander2. I've been told I am really, really, ridiculously good looking. Not #ShelfCentered.”

Modular kitchens help to maximise functionality and manage space.