More than half of individuals carried out significant renovations in their kitchens, such as changing its design or changing its electrical or plumbing facilities (55% in both cases). One in three individuals renovated or increased the size of their kitchen during renovations (38% and 30%, respectively) (source: Houzz). The pandemic has forced a rethink of the spaces in a home in search of flexibility and adaptability to encompass all the daily activities of each member of the home. The kitchen has always been the room to experience the highest emotional burden and the most activity. From cooking to working or doing homework, this corner of the house has continued to evolve as a social space, irrevocably becoming the heart of the home. As the star of the domestic economy, the kitchen – which was considered from a foodie perspective in recent years – is now gaining ground as both a social and functional space. As it grows in significance and combines a growing number of activities, in the future, consumers will expect the kitchen to serve more purposes, both practical and emotional.
The pandemic has seen all spaces in the home make gains in terms of functionality. The bathroom and the kitchen in particular have been two of the areas to have withstood the most activity. Two thirds of consumers made significant changes to their kitchen in 2021, while two in every five users increased the size or reorganised the walls (source: Houzz). In this kitchen renovation boom, the openspace concepts of recent years have generated a daily practice of the kitchen, which has slowly changed its function. The kitchen now also acts as an office or relaxation space, as well as an emotional space, serving as a place for entertainment and not just practicality. Despite 28% of people stating that space is one of the things to have grown in importance in the last 12 months (source: Ikea), the average square metres of homes has decreased. The future
promises a greater reduction in private square metres. Spaces like the kitchen will need to be more multifunctional and versatile.
People now choose to meet around a space that has changed from being separate from the rest of the house to enjoying a starring role that places it in the centre of a home’s plan. In 2022 and moving forward, kitchens will continue to play a mixed role and zoning will be key to their functional nature. In efforts to integrate different activities within a single place, kitchen, living room, dining room and terrace hybridise in a single space that opens out to the exterior. This allows the scents that usually gather in the kitchen to disappear, while also integrating the outdoors with the indoors. The kitchen is evolving towards the ultimate functional space and not only does it address the functions related to meal preparation, but it’s also continuing to evolve in its role as a social meeting point or axis. With the return to socialising after the pandemic, the kitchen is under even more pressure and designers are being forced to develop much more pleasant kitchen models. Health has become a key matter and how we feed ourselves is now an essential part of the debate.
Consumers now look for products and inspiration to create a homey space that
enhances their creativity and personal style through the choice of unconventional or retro materials and colours.
The kitchen office has become fully integrated in the kitchen through being
combined with independent pieces of furniture or with islands to create different stations for everything, from working and cooking to eating and entertainment.
The pantry is back once again to meet the need of essential storage. This frees
up the main space for zones designed for other activities, in addition to cooking, making it feel more like a living room than a kitchen.
This union of the dining room and kitchen is also opened to the exterior and terraces and gardens are equipped for meal prep.
