Inside Storey
Envisioning the kitchen of the future
of a kitchen model that is fully integrated with the rest of the home. In addition to food handling and cooking, it will be the hub of other activities which traditionally have been carried out in other areas of the home. But we can’t underestimate the importance of preparing meals. We’re increasingly valuing recipes that have been passed down through generations, as well as the craftsmanship of meals. And new appliances will make it easier for us to cook those meals. As far as the kitchen layout goes, one of our panel, Italian architect Piero Lissoni, says we have to be sensitive to the life, dynamics and surroundings of the space. “People move around, open a bottle of wine and prepare a salad while talking,” he says. “Designing an excellent kitchen for the future requires taking these activities into account.” The experts consulted underscore the emotional value of the new kitchen model, enhancing its role as a space for relaxation, but also for fostering community and interpersonal relationships.
By Ted McIntyre with suzy margorian, showroom manager, cosentino City Toronto
What about countertops?
Chew on this! Roughly since man invented fire, the space where food is prepared has been the heart and soul of the home. And things aren’t going to change anytime soon, suggests Suzy Margorian, the showroom manager of Cosentino City Toronto, whose Spanish-based company produces and distributes high-value innovative surfaces for the world of design and architecture. Margorian is citing a Cosentinoorganized international study entitled “Global Kitchen,” which takes a deep dive into the sociological, environmental and technological factors that will shape the way we live 25 years from now, and how they specifically pertain to the most important room in the house. Seventeen experts from eight countries, including a Michelin-star chef, gerontologist, renowned architects, interior designers and a Harvard professor, were brought in for the project, with additional consultation ohba.ca
taking place among another 842 kitchen industry professionals. While a second edition of the study is in progress, Margorian presented some of the current study’s findings at January’s Interior Design Show in Toronto. OHB: The open-concept design dominates today. will that continue? suzy margorian: No matter where
you are in the world, people have always gathered around the fire, where food is being prepared. And 87% of the panel’s experts believe the kitchen will become even more relevant as a hub of activity and gathering place. In fact, when they were asked what activities will take place in kitchens in the future, more people said “spending time with family and friends” (93%) than actually eating (83%). We’ll see the gradual popularization
According to industry professionals, countertops of the future should allow users to cook directly on the surface, besides incorporating connectivity and acting like a control panel. You spoke of food craftsmanship?
Worldwide, we have increasingly valued the expertise of celebrity chefs and of the experience of someone making food for us. We want to emulate that— to create those recipes in-home. That’s where we’ll see further tech innovation, allowing people to create these dishes, while eating healthier. Three-Michelinstar chef Jonnie Boer thinks that in 25 years, home kitchens will look more like professional restaurant kitchens, since people are showing a growing interest in the technical appliances and the installations they require. The study highlights an impending food shortage.
We know we’re already not producing ontario home builder SPRING 2019
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