1. Restaurant-style ranges and cooktops. There's
nothing like a wall longer than the span of your arms full of cooking
goodness: a multi-unit range with a combination of gas burners, a
griddle, a wok burner and a fryer or steamer. Overhead there's a
full-length hood to provide maximum ventilation coverage, a pasta filler
and the wall rail for gadgets and utensils. A cook's dream.
2. Modular cooktops and ovens. Flexibility
is at the forefront of cutting-edge kitchen design these days. All the
state-of-the-art appliance companies are now offering 15"-24" cooking
modules that fit into the countertop on their own or side-by-side to
create a custom cooking environment.
3. Dedicated task stations. It's
not just about the work triangle anymore. State-of-the-art kitchens are
designed more like restaurant kitchens, complete with a clean up
station, a prep station, a hot station and computer station.
4. Commercial-style and high-efficiency refrigeration. Refrigerators
and freezers are going modular, too. More companies are coming out with
separate all-refrigerator and all-freezer options, as well as the glass
door/stainless interior units beautiful enough to make you fall in love
with an appliance. Combo units are raising the bar on keeping food
fresher longer while conserving energy.
5. Universal design. Product
design is becoming more thoughtful and taking into account how people
age with their homes. Everything from faucets to raised dishwashers are
being designed for easier use by people of all ages and needs.
6. Gorgeous and functional ventilation. Hoods are breaking out of the basic box they've been in for years. We're seeing wilder and more imaginative designs, both modern and vintage, that get the very important ventilation job done.
7. Flexible small appliances. Not
in the market for a complete state-of-the-art kitchen overhaul? Not to
worry, appliance companies are coming out with more fun small appliances
and gadgets to make cooking more enjoyable every day.
8. Cutting-edge organization. The
kitchens of today are nothing like the ones from even 10 years ago,
when you would consider yourself lucky to find roll-out shelves in
cabinet. Today there is every form of organizational gadget, including
magic corners, pull-out pantries, spice organizers and waste bin and recycling organizers, just to name a few.
9. Stylish workhorse sinks. The
new sink designs coming out everyday are truly reinventing the infamous
mousetrap. Offset drains, integrated cutting boards and multi-level
interiors are just some of the options in sinks, which are available in
all sorts of stunning shapes and sizes.
10. Convenient, hands-free faucets. Designed
with universal design in mind as well as today's focus on hygiene and
food prep, this commercial-inspired product has finally found its way
into the home, and I think it's just a matter of time