Living the dream kitchen

Many people dream of having a new, combined kitchen and living room that matches their lifestyle; ideally it would be customised – individually designed and as unique as its owner. Kitchen specialists make it possible for these dreams to come true.

Nowadays a lot goes on in the kitchen, often at the same time. This is in contrast to previous times, when it served simply as a room in which to prepare meals. The kitchen of the 21st century is a general-purpose living space that meets the most diverse needs: it is a new symbol of our home life, in its most attractive and most individual expression, from entry-level standard to luxury. As Kirk Mangels, Managing Director of Arbeitsgemeinschaft Die Moderne Küche e.V. (AMK), says: “These lifestyle kitchens with their unique ambience play an important role. They are the interface between public and private life, analogue and digital worlds, quiet contemplation and social activities”. According to Mangels, increasing numbers of people have been able to fulfil their dreams with the help of good advice, kitchen planning and design, as is reflected in the trend towards very individual solutions in kitchen furniture, domestic appliance technology and kitchen accessories.
Kitchens that serve as a dream living space for young families include features such as easy-to-clean surfaces, a dining/work area, in which parents can supervise the children doing their homework whilst preparing a meal, an extra-large refrigerator unit with multiple temperature zones, as well as a combination oven with microwave and steamer functions so that the meal always comes to the table fresh and wholesome, regardless of what time of day it is served. The easily accessible storage space is planned to perfection so that it caters to every need – from storing baby food/utensils through more bulky partyware right up to housing an extra-large waste separation system.

For those embarking on their second or third kitchen project, the focus is perhaps on quite different design criteria, such as optimum ease of use, ergonomics, aesthetics, high product quality and status, all of which are provided by premium-quality design solutions. Household appliances can be as quiet as a whisper and can often be built in so that they are within easy reach and, ergonomically sound, at eye level. All age groups enjoy convenient, either mechanical or electrically powered opening of doors and drawers in their handle-free, combined kitchen and living room, as well as a pleasant and calm atmosphere – without irritating rattling noises – thanks to intelligent fittings, such as soft-close drawers, pull-outs and tall cabinets that open and close silently. Elegant and smooth sliding doors on wall units provide safety and ample headroom. A valuable aid in promoting back-friendly working is electrically powered, seamlessly operating, height-adjustable kitchen furniture (lifting modules for hobs, sinks and tables). At the touch of a button, the work surface can be precisely adjusted to the ideal working height of each user. The silent, electrical drive systems are hidden away in the base of the unit. In this way, fans of high tech, as well as cooking and baking experts, can all realise their dreams of the networked kitchen or of professional-grade equipment. In order to ensure a comfortable and relaxed workflow, every centimetre of space behind the cabinet fronts is cleverly and elaborately planned – ensuring that the most frequently used cooking equipment is immediately to hand. Some exciting examples include: floor units and tall cabinets with pot and pan drawers in different widths, drawers and pull-outs with flexible organisers, a multifunctional sink unit with semi-professional tap and pull-out sprinkler, as well as a waste separation unit with electrical or mechanical opening support.
An insight into multifaceted, individual and inspiring dream kitchens will be provided by “Tag der Küche (Kitchen Day)”, taking place across the whole of Germany on 24 September 2016, and “LivingKitchen” (16 to 22 January 2017), the major international kitchen event staged by Koelnmesse that takes place every second year in co-location with imm cologne. (AMK)

AMK, the trade and service association for the entire kitchen industry, is active in the fields of technology and standardisation, marketing & public relations, internationalisation, as well as supporting the industry through the patronage of trade fairs. More than 139 companies are members, all renowned manufacturers of kitchen furniture, electrical and built-in appliances, sinks, accessories, as well as suppliers, trade partnerships and service providers in the kitchen industry. AMK is patron of “Kitchen Day”, which takes place each year with live events at numerous kitchen exhibitions in the German-speaking area. The next event will take place on 24 September 2016. Further information can be found on the internet at www.amk.de and www.tag-der-kueche.de. (AMK)

Mannheim, July 2016