Over the years kitchens have become the hub of our homes. It’s a place where family and friends gather and bond. You could almost say that a kitchen has a different function than 50 years ago.
Kitchens evolved into real technological wonders. A lot of the appliances and utensils we see in a modern kitchen didn’t exist half a century ago. All of this technology is used to make our lives easier. This means you have more time you can spend on other tasks.
So what can we expect from the future? What will a kitchen look like 50 years from now? In this article we take a look at some designs and impressions that can give us an idea about the kitchens of the future. Some of these examples are radical new designs, but perhaps we might see them in some form or another in a few years.
A Look at Tomorrow’s Kitchen
Let’s start with this futuristic kitchen island. Designer Zaha Hadid created this high-tech kitchen and called it the  Z island kitchen:
It has a built-in multimedia system, sound actuators and LED lights that enable users to create a specific ambiance. You can even us it to browse the internet, watch television or listen to music. I’m sure this is something we’ll see in the future. A couple of years from now, the internet will probably play an even bigger role in our lives. In a kitchen it could be used to find recipes, order ingredients or chat with friends during cooking.
We might also see a kitchen countertop with a built-in tablet. It effectively turns your entire kitchen into an interactive display. I sure hope the surface is scratch and water resistant…
On a similar note;Â Jaewan Jong designed this digital kitchen assistant. He calls it the ‘ultimate’ kitchen assistant.
This board will serve as your cutting board, display recipes (including step-by-step directions) and even weigh your ingredients. After washing it, the board can tell you if it has been cleaned enough to avoid contamination.
Chances are our homes will be much smaller in the future, especially in cities (thanks to the continuous increase in population). That’s why we need to re-size our kitchens. Xavier Vitor imagine’s how a smaller kitchen would look like. The result is the compact but fully functional mini-kitchen:
Or if you want to make optimal use of your space, you can use this Silverline kitchen design. It’s a modular kitchen that combines a kitchen and a table. The table can slide out to reveal a kitchen sink and stove (funky green color optional).
But what if you could turn your entire kitchen in a set of shelves? That’s the creative idea that popped into Mathew Gilbride‘s head. This kitchen has wall mounted appliances that range from a fridge, air-conditioner, lighting and cooking modules. A great solution for small rooms.
Perhaps the coolest kitchen appliance concept I found is the Electrolux Bio Robot Refrigerator. This fridge uses a non-sticky biopolymer gel, creating separate pods. This design has no doors or drawers and the items are cooled individually at their optimal temperature thanks to the artificial intelligence.
Qumi was designed by Ilia Vostrov. It’s dubbed a “flexible cooking unit“. It’s an egg-shaped device that is able to fry, steam, or heat ingredients in a manner similar to today’s multicookers. However, unlike anything on the market today, it would be operated entirely via a mobile device.
Even for those of you having trouble flavoring a dish, there’s a solution. Designer Christopher Holm-Hansen created ‘Tastee’, a device laced with receptors based on the human taste bud. Tastee will tell you if you need to add a pinch of salt or pepper.
My Personal View
Personally, I have high hopes for the kitchen of the future. When we take a look at the evolution that has happened during the last half-decade I really think the next will be even better.
One of the things we’ll definitely see are connected devices. These are appliances or utensils that can communicate with each other or the internet. This means that they can work almost autonomously. Imagine that your fridge can automatically order milk when you use the last carton. Or that your oven knows exactly how long your apple cake should bake. Cooking would be so much easier.
A kitchen that is connected to the internet also has several advantages. It would be much easier to follow recipes. Your kitchen might even be able to check for all the necessary ingredients before you start cooking. Thanks to the internet connection you can keep an online cooking-diary, get help from other chefs, etc. The possibilities are endless!
Sustainability will also play a crucial role in the kitchen of the future. Manufacturers will be focusing on products with the least impact on the environment. I believe that the kitchen will be more energy efficient and have environment-friendly materials. Moreover there will be an increased focus on recycled materials.
And let’s not forget the design aspect. A rule of thumb for a lot of manufacturers is that the product doesn’t only need to function properly, it also needs to look good (we probably have to thank Apple for this). Product design will probably be as important in the future as it is today.
Your Thoughts
How do you see the future of the kitchen? How will it look? Which devices will we be using? Unleash your creativity and tell us how you see tomorrow’s kitchen.
