we have all seen the show on TV. The couple spends endless days choosing their new upscale kitchen. Their choice? Surprise!
Black granite tops, stainless imported stove, maybe a sub zero refrig, maple cabinets.
What is the next shift in kitchen design? what will it be?
And what are the “poor” people still using? Formica?-
Performance improvements for the prized homes of an influential developer who wanted us all to be able to own one.
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Replies
A friend of mine was attending one of the recent NAHB builders' shows, and chatted up one of the sales execs at the SubZero booth.
"How do you do it?" my guy asked, referring to the at-the-top price and prestige position seemingly held by SubZ, compared to the competition.
"Fear," replied the SubZero guy, "simply that. Everyone is afraid that if their glamour kitchen DOESN'T have our refrigerator in it, it will be considered sub-par."
I think it is interesting, that amongst all the appliances you can get in your ultra-high-end kitchen, the refrigerator is the one with the least choices. Note that Viking saw the void, and has now moved in.
I think the over-the-top kitchens for the nouveau riche now have that strictly commercial look, with gear and accessories just like a restaurant kitchen, and the coolest appliance of all, is the full-time chef you employ. To really dazzle your neighbors, your cook lives in his or her own on-site quarters.
It looks as if stainless steel and soapstone are now competing with granite for countertops, and for the avant-garde, special-design concrete with integral sinks, and some artsy inlays.
The rest of us design our own places around the Kenmore lineup of fine products.
The next trend is probably the UN-refigerator!
No stand up box, just a bunch of refigerated drawers.
It's always interesting to talk about the future, and what it might bring.
I wonder if kitchens will actually end up getting smaller? Seems like more and more people now use prepared foods, and/or eat out more. Or bring fast food home, call the pizza dude, etc. Seems like here might be less of a need for fancy kitchens in the future.
I would look for some changes in ovens and microwaves. Maybe they'll eventually combine the two? Stick a frozen dinner in the combo oven - The allpiance tiurns on the micro to start the thawing process, then kick in the oven to brown it. (Or something like that) Maybe there will be a move to a combo microwave/convection oven that cooks food faster.
I've heard talk about "smart appliances" that keep track of when you ned milk, and can automatically order it for you on the internet. I don't think people will ever go for that too much. Automated home stuff has been around for a long time but has never caught on.
Maybe a "smart oven"? Wave the bar code on a frozen Tyson dinner in front of the bar code reader on the oven. The appliance heats the dinner per the instructions, using microwave, heat, or whatever's called for. IT beeps when the dinner needs turned, and then lets you know when it's done.
How about a scale built into the floor in front of the fridge? If you weigh too much, the fridge door won't open..................(-:
Looking at you is like looking at a beautiful Hawaiian sunset.
But without the retinal damage.
I would look for some changes in ovens and microwaves. Maybe they'll eventually combine the two? Stick a frozen dinner in the combo oven - The allpiance tiurns on the micro to start the thawing process, then kick in the oven to brown it. (Or something like that) Maybe there will be a move to a combo microwave/convection oven that cooks food faster.
That is already a reality. They've had appliances in restaurants for quite a while now that use a combination of microwaves and high-intensity halogen lights to thaw, cook, and brown foods very quickly. I've heard that they are moving into residential applications, but I don't think I've seen it yet.
I would like to see an appliance that chills food with the same speed that a microwave heats...heard something once about high levels of sound (decibels, as in jet engine screaming loud) producing cold for some reason.
You could chill sodas, Jello etc in seconds, but would need ear protection during the process.
Jen
They supposedly have an oven out now that is also a refrigerator. It keeps food cold until you need to cook it and if you wish it will cool it again for leftovers.
Some things are kinda silly if you ask me. Most jobs I do for the middle class people are to simple make the kitchen more functional. The base products are there-fridge stove, microwave, and dishwasher, sink. The desire is to have all of these in a neat package that is open to points of entertainment and everything is low maintenance. Most people look for lots of storage and countertop. The kitchen forms an integral part of thier entertaining so it needs to be usefull beyond the food preparation base.
Wooden cabinetry has stood the test of time. I think investing in good quality cabinets is a key to a long lasting and "in style" kitchen. If you have the money to do a kitchen reno every ten years to keep up with the "trends" then I don't think it would matter what happens in the future as you would just change anyway.
For the "middle class" folks who wish to have the kitchen of the future I think the best idea would be to invest in good to high quality cabinets in the arts and craft or shaker or country style, nothing too fancy just quality and counter top with a high pressure laminate or granite. Keep the appliances reasonable and design the kitchen for function, ease of maintenance and as an "open concept" style. Choose a light stain for the cabinets so you can always darken or paint (yuk) them as the "trends" come and go.Cheers,
Brent
There is a term for a methodology(?) for kitchens along the lines of European kitchens, where the cabinets are not perminent but are more like furniture, you can take it with you. Wish I could remmeber it.
This kind of concept is rather appealing to me. Reduces the cost of new kitchen "furniture". Can spend the $ on better quality or changing more often.bobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's BT Forum cheat sheet
You hear it here first, the "for sure" future trend for kitchens (and up till now only I know what it is, but because you are all so good you can hear it only from me):
Avacado
Avacado colored refridgerators, stoves, countertops.
Yep, that's a certainty. And you got it before anyone else!
Norm
(smirk)
So what is a decent quality fridge for a normal homeowner? I bought a Whirlpool fridge 5 years ago and I hate the noise. Since day 91 it has been so noisy you can hear it all over the house. I was limited in my choices because I wanted the fridge part on the top, which I love, but I'd like to find the same configuration on a fridge that isn't so noisy. This fridge didn't seem inexpensive to me, but I'd pay double for some peace and quiet. So, how can I keep my science experiments to a minimum, stop shouting over the fridge, and not require another mortgage to buy it? My parents' 30+ year old fridge still works more quietly than this beast.
My wife and I bought a Stainless Steel Amana with the frig on top and a pull out freezer on the bottom.
We've really enjoyed it and it has alot of nice features. I think we payed around $1400.00
Thanks for the info - that will be very useful in several years when we replace the appliances (the Kelvinator stove has GOT to go!). Although I think stainless steel would look pretty out of place in my humble kitchen. For now, my semi-frugal heart can't replace a 5 year old fridge. And in answer to another post - no we don't have any water or icemaking going on, just a simple fridge that groans, clicks and grinds.
The kitchen of the future will have warming lights like a diner. And a corner mount stove. The burners will be configurable. Yes, I know you can buy a Jenn-Aire and get configurable burners, but those things are huge. I generally need 1 burner, occasionally 2 and on extremely rare occasions 3. I don't need a giant megalith in my kitchen, but I'd like a SMALL cooktop that I can configure as desired. If I could get a deeper, narrower stove that takes stuff lengthwise instead of across, think of how much more counter space I could get. With deeper counters I could have all my counter appliances across the back and still have room to work on the counter. And the stove will have ball bearings on the racks so stuff slides out with no effort. OK, sorry to run on. It's just I can design the perfect kitchen in my head for the non-cook who still needs to eat and likes to make Christmas cookies - but the stuff I want isn't in Sears. And what is out there won't fit into my little nest.
A recent customer of mine bought a "freezer at the bottom" fridge at Sears. The thing retailed for around $1,000 I believe. It is so quiet that I had to press my ear against the side of the fridge to make sure it was on! I don't remember the brand, but it isn't a Kenmore.
This fridge does not have the auto icemaker or the water in the door, maybe that helps with the noise?? (don't know why it would, but...)
Rich Beckman
Another day, another tool.
I can see it now, Microwave Freezers:
(Husband trying to program the thing, calling out to the wife) Honey, how long for ice?
:o)
Norm
We looked, and chose the biggest white Amana, freezer on top, about 25 cubic foot, because it was wide as well as deep, and had proportionately more space devoted to fridge part (we've got a standup freezer downstairs). Still, I couldn't see into the top shelf back without ducking.
So, we raised it 6" on a platform - the baseboard is 9", so this was within that height. it's the most useful thing we've done, and people using it notice, thinking it's a big commercial one. We just paid $930.00 and build a shelf!
Forrest
You might want to try Consumer Reports for unbiased info on different brands.
My being out of the trades for a while is about to show again: What's a high pressure laminate?
I found this web site from a guy in New Zealand ( I think I got the web site from a Dave Barry article) Who didn't have a refrig. in his garage but wanted to chill his beer while working on projects. So he builds a jet engine and puts the propane tank in water with the beer. Can't remember how fast it took to cool the beer but I recall it was quite quick. Wish I could remember the web site, the guy was hilarious.
scott
Edited 2/10/2003 4:57:14 PM ET by SWDD
Those New Zealanders...what an imagination they have...did the article mention how many complaints he got from his neighbors? Thanks,
Jen ;)
Ahh, dig out the trusty old CO2 fire extiguisher and give it a blast! That'll cool it pretty quick.
I would like to see an appliance that chills food with the same speed that a microwave heats...heard something once about high levels of sound (decibels, as in jet engine screaming loud) producing cold for some reason. You could chill sodas, Jello etc in seconds, but would need ear protection during the process.
They do use lasers to cool subatomic particles down to very nearly absolute zero. It has to do with the interaction of multiple beams, each with a slightly different phase. Maybe we could scale that up to Jell-O mold size, although I imagine it would wreak havoc on the electric bill.
Give it 5 or 10 years...available at your neighborhood Best Buy...
countertop size, right next to the microwaves...
Jen
What is wrong with having a SubZero in your kitchen ? other than the price . They are designed the way a frig should be with the compressor and heat above the cold space.
Nothings wrong with it per se, but most people probably dont own cars worth what one of those cost.
But I guess if you can afford it theres no reason you can't or shouldn't have oneView Image
You've never seen flash-freezing ? A lot of the pick-your-own places around here have flash-freezing units and will blanch/freeze/package your veggies in the time it takes to have a coffee..
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
The Sharp convection/microwave oven has been around for about 15 years (for home use). We use ours for 90 percent of our cooking and have adapted all our recipes to it. It mixes microwave and convection to bake, roast, broil. Saves both time and energy. We use our regular oven for turkey and the occasion large casserole. Everything else goes in the microwave. Over the years, we've accumulated all kinds of round pans, and pyrex measuring cups up to 1/2 gallon are indispensible (for sauces, gravies, custard, etc.) Great for cakes and other baked goods, as well as meats. It's completely programmable, but I don' t think it will defrost then cook without human intervention (although I've never tried).
Some American brand (GE??) already has them on the market ... about $1200 per copy retail.
I think its GE but someone anyway has an oven that you can put your dinner in before you leave for work and it acts as a refrigerator, at a set time it starts to cook it so its ready when you get home, if your not home on time or late it goes back to refrigerator mode and keeps your food cool until you get there.View Image
Have you seen the range (reviewed in a recent Consumer Reports Mag) that is combination frig/oven - put in food at 6am when you leave - keeps it cold all day - kicks on the oven and heats the food - if you don's arrive w/in a certain time frame it goes back to frig function and chills it down again
I won't be gettin one
That's funny, my wife and I were discussing a similar issue last night. We're predicting that these massive and expansive "Great rooms" will be a thing of the past in about ten years or so. Architect and designers are going to go back to traditional family rooms, kitchens and dining rooms.
I, for one, would like to watch TV or read in peace, not disturbed by the noises of the kitchen. Especially when she's hosting a book club meeting!
We're in the process of putting together our final sketches to turn into drawings for our major addition/remodel and there is NO great room! There is, however, a separate entry, modest living room, inglenook fireplace area, large kitchen with breakfast and computer desk, and a separate dining room.
We predict this will create another boom for remodelers- adding walls to great rooms!
The future of kitchens? I predict, with my tongue only slightly-in-cheeck, that this restaurant-kitchen craze will be taken to the extreme before it stops. I see residential walk-in coolers as the next trophy appliance. Finally, somewhere you can keep those warehouse-sized jars of mayonaise. ;)
Seriously- I see double dishwashers on the horizon. This will dovetail with a reduction in upper cabinets, as you'll use one dw for clean and one for dirty, and you can move the dishes directly from the dw to the table. Ideally, these will be raised for easier access with less bending, perhaps side by side in an prep island.
More "drawer" appliances- fridges, warming drawers, dws, and freezers- in price ranges for average kitchens. At least, I'd really like to see this, because I'm still the the "formica" price range. The only thing that's for certain is that today's styles will be outdated in ten years....
pssttt...wanna buy a house?
Cami I don't know if your joking or not... But the double dishwasher craze has been the in thing in a few of the huge custom homes I've been framing.
That future is here!
Doesn't it figure that the people who can afford cleaning help have two dishwashers? ;)
Any walk-in coolers yet? <g>pssttt...wanna buy a house?
My aunts mother has a small walk in cooler that her husband put in after getting the parts out of grocery store that was to be torn down. But they also have a dairy farm and send a few cows to slaughter each year to keep beef View Image
>>I see residential walk-in coolers as the next trophy appliance. Finally, somewhere you can keep those warehouse-sized jars of mayonaise. ;)
Just remember how much you can save by buying in bulk. :)
Tom
And just think of how many plastic wrapped paint brushes and rollers a person could store in one of those babies.
"A completed home is a listed home."
Sure- plenty of room for sides of beef, mayo, paint brushes, kegs of beer, and all those kids and husbands that keep opening the frig to see if anything "good to eat" has appeared in the last 20 minutes.... ;)
pssttt...wanna buy a house?
"...and all those kids and husbands that keep opening the frig to see if anything "good to eat" has appeared in the last 20 minutes.... ;) "
Reminds me of a story I heard a while back. Husband opens fridge door and starts poking around.
Wife says "There's nothing in there that wasn't in there 20 minutes ago when you looked".
Husband says "I know - But I've lowered my standards".
LOL! BTDT
Whelp! I just spent a full day at a builders show yesterday. I saw what looked like a four foot wide fridge that had see through door in a smoke tint on stainless steel. The shelves were coolers like commercial drink coolers. Seems the shelves were st up for zone cooling . Wow. The sales person said you could have your milk ice cold on that shelve and the lettuce just cool on that shelve . The whole kitchen was stainless and it looked commercial. It had the dishwasher at eye level with a warming oven below it. Convection oven microwave in a "high" cabinet. Im quite sure I was drooling slobber by the time I was done looking at the kitchen. Awsome!
Storage systems are out this year quite different than the past . For homes with out walk in closets they bring the closets with the cabinets. They are furniture looking cabinets that set every where in the house where ever there is room . The add on kitchen pantry was a cabinet on legs you could move to another house. I saw china cabinets that held a microwave. [weird]
Anyway after being there all day I had to ask why it looked portable . Because it is . I was told we are in the" take it with you age ". People dont want to risk building a house they cant sell when they sink so much money in it . The kitchen cabinets looked like floor model displays but I was told they move from house to house. All the cabinets had" feet ". The huge stove moved too as it was a floor model. [it was commercial also] Stainless steel in commercial is in for now . I also saw cabinets with feet that looked like baby grand pianos with leaded glass . [oh wow]
The new trend , "have cabinets will travel" .
What is the deal on your empty house ? Those icicles look cold !
Tim Mooney
Oh, having two dishwashers is already getting popular in a lot of different configurations:
- a kitchen in the party-room in the basement.
- a dishwasher in the built-in bar
- many east-Indians and some Chinese (probably others) have a second kitchen in the basement to prepare food in volume for preserving/freezing.
- some larger homes have inner-outer kitchens (so that guests can come into the show kitchen without seeing the mess in the prep kitchen - sort-of a butler's pantry on steroids)
- also seen in larger homes is a breakfast kitchen upstairs, complete with Euro stove, fridge, and dishwasher where people take morning meals/snacks - presumably the main kitchen is the domain of the cook.
- and I've seen a number of homes/apartments with one large dishwasher side-by-side with one of those Euro-style washers. The small washer does glasses, plate-warming, etc. while the big one does the bigger dishes, and, pots and pans. .
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
I think the bottom line is how much people have to "think" about stuff--how much mental and physical effort they have to expend--it has to at least seem less. The fridge that keeps track of the food spoilage--how would it know unless you had to input it somehow and that seems like more work than less (plus, unless you are losing vast amounts of food to spoilage it doesn't seem like a real need). The stove that's a fridge too is a good idea--you don't have to worry about getting home in time before dinner or forgetting to thaw the meat. My only wonder is, aren't we not supposed to run appliances like stoves and such when no one is home? I mean, what's to keep it from burning someone somewhere's house down?
Lisa
Edited 2/13/2003 1:03:14 PM ET by EMPATHY44