The coronavirus pandemic has changed the role of the home, becoming a workspace for many people in addition to being a place to relax and entertain. PBM spoke with Tim Spann, National Sales Manager UK for Keller Kitchens, to discuss lifestyle trends and evolving kitchen design.
Q: How do you think the increased trend towards working from home will affect kitchen designs?
A: We have all spent more time in the kitchen lately, so it needs to do everything — home schooling, working, socialising, cooking, baking, eating! Consumers spending so much time at home will influence future kitchen design and, going forward, flexibility and adaptability will be the buzzwords.
Multi-use will also be crucial to family and work time, and ‘multi-plan’ — rather than open plan — will become more popular as consumers organise their life at home.
For example, utility rooms will grow in popularity, maybe as a different room or a cleverly divided space. It will be all about stylish new functionality and, although traditional design can offer a comfort factor in challenging times, there is room for a contemporary take on the classics.
Q: How has the ‘lifestyle kitchen’ influenced product development and your portfolio?
A: These are early days! Lifestyle changes will continue to evolve in terms of the way we live. Choice, flexibility and kitchen personality will always carry importance. People spending more time in the kitchen will have new ideas and inspirations that designers will harness and adopt.
As a flexible manufacturer with the ability to change, offering broad choice will continue to be a considerable factor for Keller.
Q: What should designers consider when creating a lifestyle kitchen and what do they sometimes overlook?
A: Clever storage and the best use of space will always be key. With the increase in home deliveries and the return of the ‘big shop’ ethos, people may need more ingenious solutions for more things.
Chaos ensues with too little or badly designed storage; kitchen karma should rule.
Q: Are such kitchens solely for customers with a grand space and equally large budget, or can any space be transformed to be a cooking/living/working area?
A: The large majority of kitchens are lifestyle-driven, and are not exclusive to grand space and big budgets. A good kitchen design will transform any space into a multi-use hub with ingenuity and thinking outside the box.
Pull-outs and drop-downs will inevitably be features that will help where less space is available.
Q: How do you see these trends developing over the next couple of years?
A: We work in a solutions-based industry where there has been a seismic shift within an extremely condensed period of time. The ripples of change will continue for many years to come.
Recent experiences will no doubt fashion kitchen thinking for a new generation of kitchen style. Lifestyle kitchens are here to stay and exciting times are ahead for manufacturers, designers, retailers and developers alike.
Keller Kitchens offers versatility with over 1950 NCS colours to choose from in a wide array of finishes. For more information, go to: www.kellerkitchens.com
