Greetings from the kitchen
Visually simple yet extremely practical: "Thea" by Antonio Citterio for Arclinea offers a continuous horizontal and vertical handle that allows the cabinet doors in the kitchen to be opened while remaining so discreetly in the background that the surface appears flush. With a flair for harmonious lines, the architect and designer thus gives the handleless kitchen a contemporary expression with "Thea". As a reference to the first combinable kitchen by Arclinea from 1958, "Thea" also combines history and the present in its name.
The further development of the "Combine Evolution" kitchen by Piero Lissoni for Boffi is modular: The monoblocks can be individually combined to form islands. New complementary solutions include a wooden snack table and the Inside System Track made of stainless steel. For overlaying the large Tabula kitchen island, there is also a choice of "Open Double Shelf", a new suspended ceiling shelf with a matt black lacquered metal structure. "Combine" also offers a wide variety of materials - surfaces and doors are available in the new composite material MDI, which is both hygienic and resistant and offers a soft feel.
"X-Pure" from Bora is the name of the new further development of the induction hob with integrated extractor fan. Equipped with activated charcoal filters, it allows the sucked-in air to flow back into the room in a neutralised state. Simple and hygienic – this is also the way it is operated via touch. When the hob is not activated, the buttons are also almost invisible, and thus provide a visually clear surface. The generous cooking zones can be combined with each other thanks to a bridge function, so that even large pots or pans are heated ideally. In addition, each cooking zone automatically detects the size of the cookware and delivers the energy to the surface in a targeted manner. The slightly recessed inlet nozzle in the centre of the hob is very quiet in operation, even at high power levels. The elements of the extractor can be cleaned in the dishwasher - thanks to a tilting mechanism, they can be removed very easily. In addition, "X-Pure" from Bora also has a minimal installation height.
The "Voyager" trolley from bordbar offers flexible storage space on four double swivel castors, including a brake – based on the design of an aircraft trolley. Aluminium surfaces alternate with cognac-coloured genuine leather details on the handle and the door lock. Depending on requirements, "Voyager" can be equipped with all bordbar equipment sets and individual elements, whether for kitchen utensils or as a minibar.
The "Luxury Stone" outdoor kitchen from the Spanish manufacturer Doca offers a spacious working area that is protected from rain by sliding surfaces. Made of natural stone, "Luxury Stone" not only has a pleasant feel, but is also particularly durable. The components are steadily being developed further and thus offer comprehensive comfort for outdoor cooking.
"Sync" is the name of the compact professional single-lever mixer from Dornbracht that provides more flexibility in the kitchen: the spout with shower function that can be pulled out downwards makes it easy to work in the kitchen and increases the radius of action around the basin. The long lever and the ergonomic opening angle of 90 degrees also make it easier to measure out the right amount of water. At the touch of a button, you can choose between two jet types – the gentle laminar jet and the powerful shower jet – which have been specially developed for "Sync". With a height of only 45 centimetres and a projection of 20 centimetres, the new, small professional fitting is also suitable for kitchens with limited space around the water point.
With the new "Open Suite" cooker bonnet by Fabrizio Crisà, Elica is showing a modular system that allows it to be equipped with shelving elements and a built-in lighting solution. The recirculation bonnet offers maximum performance thanks to the double extraction and the special long-life filters that can be regenerated in the oven. The intensity and colour of the LEDs can be selected from a cool white to warmer tones. For full freedom of movement in the kitchen, the extractor fan and light can also be used via the Alexa voice assistant or the Elica app, in addition to the controls on the front. The app also provides feedback and tips on filter and bonnet maintenance.
Fantin brings colour into play with the "Frame" kitchen by Salvatore Indriolo: the modules can be realised in different sizes and colours. Three different heights and two widths can be translated into numerous room solutions. In addition to cupboards, the range also includes functional elements such as a sink, induction hob or oven. The characteristically welded square tubular frames are always visible and underline the visual effect of the durable furniture. The four-millimetre-thick steel worktop is available in satin or vintage finishes and can be equipped with any finish in the range. The colour palette spans 46 shades, ranging from neutral tones like beige and grey to intense colours like orange and red. To create a monochrome look, all modules can also be combined with an ultra-matt "Fenix NTM" worktop.
For the first time, Gaggenau is presenting a combination of hob and integrated ventilation in the 400 hob series: The 90-centimetre-wide appliance enables precise, fast and flexible cooking with low energy consumption - the cooking vapours are extracted quietly directly at the cooking surface. As a pioneer of trough ventilation, Gaggenau introduced the first ventilation of this type in Europe as early as 1976 and has continued to develop the concept of discreet ventilation systems ever since. The Flex induction hob also offers expandable cooking zones and thus space for large pans and pots. It also has a keep-warm function such as a frying sensor that keeps the temperature of the food at a constant level and prevents it from burning. Made of deep black glass and equipped with black control knobs, the Flex induction hob blends flush and frameless into the overall design. Equipped with Home Connect, it can also be part of a smart networked home.
With the "Aquno Select M81" kitchen mixer, hansgrohe offers a new complete system with the SatinFlow spray type – the laminar and shower spray on the pull-out shower is thus supplemented by a third, flat and particularly gentle spray type. SatinFlow consists of many individual jets that form a soft yet dense surface. The jets wrap around food, hands and objects without splashing and ensure even wetting with water, ideal for cleaning delicate food or surfaces. With a consumption of four litres per minute, the "Aquno Select M81" is resource-efficient. The pull-out spray on the spout also gives the freedom to use the tap outside the sink, with an action radius of up to 76 cm.
Large areas can be evenly designed with the "Bossa" wall panelling from Leicht: Made of high-quality woods such as oak or walnut, the vertically arranged surfaces with soft grain bring a natural aesthetic to the room. "Our Leicht innovations are based on a concept that focuses on the aspects of "homeliness" and "value" - this combination is reflected in our new, dark carcase colour carbon grey and the very architectural wood surface programme "Bossa", which for the first time allows Leicht to design large surfaces completely homogeneously. In this way, we create a uniform, perfectly shaped image and the kitchen opens up into a living space. A lot of furniture is then also needed to set the scene and furnish the dining and living areas. Wood plays an important role here. And an open carcase with a dark interior conveys a completely different impression of value than our classic platinum carcase colour, which has a rather matter-of-fact, technical look," says Stefan Waldenmaier, CEO of Leicht Küchen.
The Blue Project is the final project of Alexandra Fransson and Jacob Alm Andersson from the Lund University School of Industrial Design. With their project, the young designers want to promote sustainable usage behaviour. The removable water tank displays dimensions as clear as "1 Cup" to counteract unnecessary water consumption. The required water temperature can also be set manually using the vertical slider, from 60 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius. An "energy tracker" also provides information about the kettle's energy consumption in the form of a movement of falling and rising sticks. The higher the sticks rise, the greater the current consumption during use. In this way, users receive information about their usage behaviour in an intuitively understandable form and can adjust it accordingly. "The Blue Project" is currently being exhibited as part of Ung Svensk Form 2021.
Courage to use colour in the kitchen - that's no problem with Popstahl. The carcase and fronts are made of folded sheet steel. A special filling of the fronts ensures a rich, warm sound, a pleasant feel and guarantees that the metal will not deform even after many years of use. In the powder coating process, the colour powder is sprayed onto the metal without the addition of solvents. When the workpiece is then heated to around 200 degrees Celsius, the colour powder runs and combines with the metal to form a durable surface coating. There is a choice of over 200 colours for the front and base: New in the range are kiwi green, quince yellow and bay blue. Since every kitchen is planned and manufactured according to individual wishes and requirements, there are also the options of single or multi-coloured as well as stainless steel, wood, concrete or natural stone worktop, spacious cooking island or mobile compact kitchen.
"Profile" is the name of the current design by Norm Architects for the Danish kitchen brand Reform. The wooden edge of the kitchen front is stylishly protected with an integrated aluminium handle strip that can be chosen in three colours. The extruded, rounded profile is functional and also easy to clean. With "Profile", Norm Architects have taken the handleless kitchen a step further and also developed a clever solution for the worktop: "Fenix NTM Laminate" is resistant, matt and offers a soft feel.
The premium brand next125 from Schüller shows a trolley that is ready for use for numerous tasks in the kitchen at home: with one high and one low shelf as well as individually selectable inlays, the aluminium carcase offers plenty of storage space. Thanks to the four castors suitable for parquet flooring and the bar handle, the aluminium carcase can also be moved quickly and easily in position. The onyx black powder coating gives the next 125 trolley an elegant finish and leaves plenty of room for use: this means the kitchen trolley can easily be transformed into a flexible bar in the evening.
The modular outdoor kitchen "Rock.Air" by Steininger pays homage to the Minimal Art artist Donald Judd with monolistic kitchen blocks made of stainless steel. The kitchen cubes can be flexibly combined: Gas or lava grill, sink and dishwasher can be freely selected, as can storage space or fireplace. If the covers of the blocks are moved backwards, a counter is available at the back or a practical work surface at the front.
String Furniture adds further flexible storage elements to its kitchen shelves: for example, the door of the new, 58-centimetre-wide cabinet can be opened to the front. The plate rack leaves the option free to arrange the plates sideways or from front to back. A new bottle holder made of cork keeps two bottles lying in their place – as do other precisely fitting cork inserts that can also serve as trivets on the table if required. Meanwhile, cutlery and other kitchen utensils are divided by dividers. String also wants to do away with oil-based plastics in future and now offers the previous organisers in different sizes made of a bio-composite material in beige, grey and black.
"Vitrium Mimesis" is the result of extensive material research by Valcucine. Using a digital printing system, the image of natural stone and gemstone surfaces, such as those of granite, marble or onyx, is applied to glass. Thanks to Valcucine's technology, it is also possible to exactly reproduce the shades, veins and irregularities typical of the original stone.
Vola has recently started using solid stainless steel as the base for its matt PVD surfaces – such as for the kitchen classic "KV1" in PVD gold. Arne Jacobsen created the design in 1968. With the development of the surface, Vola combines the minimalist form of the fitting with a contemporary finish and a high-quality base that is both noble and robust.
V-ZUG is currently presenting new ovens and steamers whose intuitive operation helps both amateur chefs and experts to achieve perfect cooking results – like the "Excellence Line": The centrally positioned "CentralSlider", which is ground into the middle of the generous touch display, allows the values to be set precisely. During the cooking process, the progress of the process or the cooking phase can be read off. In addition, the high-resolution colour display describes for each application which dishes it is best suited for. The "AutoDoor" also supports convenient use: the door opens and closes when the touch display is touched. A handle is not needed. The appliance can also open the door slightly by itself during selected cooking processes to allow moisture to escape or to cool down the cooking chamber at the end of the process. (am)
