As the hub of communal comfort and entertaining at home, the kitchen commands a substantial investment. Crave talks to Hong Kong architects and design experts to uncover emerging trends in building the modern kitchen.
Text by Jason Spotts
A typical family from centuries past would gather at the kitchen for a very different reason. As an act of necessity, a central heat source was needed for warmth, comfort, and survival.
Our kitchens today serve a more recreational and holistic purpose. There, we seek comfort, rejuvenation, and harmony. More than any other room in the house, the kitchen creates a lifestyle.
And far from being isolated, the modern kitchen is merging with the overall aesthetic of homes. The ideal kitchen today does more than serve its function as a place to prepare food. It should be seamlessly incorporated into the living area.
Even in Asia where space is limited compared to European housing, a shift from pure function to lifestyle needs has taken hold.
“Probably the biggest trend shift in Asia is the growing acceptance of the open kitchen,” says Adrian McCarroll, founder and Managing Director of architectural firm Original Vision. “The kitchen can be the heart and soul of a home and it should form the principal meeting place for family and friends. The US has had open family kitchens for decades and Europe has the farmhouse equivalent. Asia is now growing to enjoy the interaction they afford.”
Which means that aesthetic design and furnishings will take an increasingly larger role.
“The kitchen has advanced from a workroom to a living space,” says Manfred Junker, Head Designer for German kitchen manufacturers Poggenpohl. “This means that its furniture will become more homely and appliances will be integrated or moved further out of view.”
Clement Cheng, interior designer of T.K. Tsui & Associates Ltd, believes that Asia has not always given due attention to kitchen aesthetics. “They were more perceived as a functional space,” Cheng says, “but customers and designers today expect to fuse kitchen design into the overall atmosphere and interior setting.”
The reason is simple. The kitchen can inspire a feeling of community more than any other room in a home. One may think of the living room as the heart of the house, but any room with a television is unlikely to be active. The essence of a kitchen, especially around a central island or cosy breakfast nook, encourages creativity and communal activity.
“During the week our homes are like hotel rooms,” says Roy Leung, Sales Director for the Kitchen Division of Mooi Living. “On weekends, we really want to enjoy our homes and the kitchen is best because it naturally promotes activity and conversation. We see the kitchen jumping out of the kitchen and right into the complete design aesthetic.”
Trends in colour and texture tend to vary by taste, but eco-friendliness has become a consistent part of kitchen design. Whether you enjoy a rustic or clean, contemporary look, the worldwide consensus for designers and consumers states a need to respect the environment.
According to Leandro Cappellotto, CEO of Italian kitchen designer Valcucine: “Our starting point is always nature. We were environmentally friendly 20years ago at a time when people thought it was crazy. Now, it’s different. It’s the standard.”
He continues: “Tastes in kitchen design have been more contemporary but I feel that we’ve passed the peaks. Now, we are seeing a return to more organic forms.”
Glass finishes and countertops are popular, and are even used in the structural carcass of kitchen modules. These modular units are being built to last even through a move, like transporting big Lego blocks. “Modular units that can be disassembled and reassembled – basically a fully recyclable kitchen – will become very popular,” predicts Cheng.
If money and space are no issue, proper planning remains the most important factor in attaining the kitchen of your dreams.
“Understanding the kitchen work triangle is crucial,” says Cheng. “First, identify the commanding spaces for the cook, then plan a triangle of three key points: storage, preparation and cooking work sites.
“The basic rules are that nothing obstructs a leg of the triangle, distance between points is efficient and functional, and household traffic does not flow through it.”
Around this basic geometric efficiency system, all popular kitchen layouts can be accommodated, from U-shaped kitchens, corner kitchens or a central island plan.
Then, according to McCarroll, function is the most important consideration. “What do you want to do with the kitchen? Will you be in there yourself or will it be staff, predominantly? Could it become the heart of your home and would you therefore benefit from a large work surface? Ask yourself what you really need from your kitchen.”
Allowing a designer’s input and understanding of your needs is crucial. It is advisable to allow the professionals to take over, albeit with your tastes and habits firmly in mind.
“A kitchen’s layout depends on its intended function and what the client wants to achieve with it,” says Leung. “Understanding is critical, even though some clients are reluctant to let designers into their homes.”
Which makes designing for the Asian market even more challenging. Lack of space in relation to Western floor plans can be an issue, as are differing habits in cooking and culture. But designers agree it is easy to alter designs to fit any market.
“We understand that there is a limitation on kitchen size, and that can affect our imagination,” says Junly Chan, a kitchen design consultant with German designers Leicht. “Thus, our designer is challenged to bring the same outstanding designs and concepts in situations where space is limited and also where space is plentiful.”
“There is a misconception that design in Asia and Europe is fundamentally different,” adds Leung. “The original designer takes cultural considerations into account because they can’t ignore the Asian market. You just apply the original design to Asian needs, such as lowering cabinets and surfaces.”
This flexibility must also apply to different culinary traditions. “Open kitchens can conflict with the local way of life,” says McCarroll. Asian cooking has a lot of open steaming and frying, best conducted in a closed space. We often split kitchen functions by having an open ‘display’ kitchen to satisfy the desire for a central meeting place, then an adjacent ‘working’ kitchen where woks and dishwashing facilities are closed off.”
Companies such as Miele also make special products for the Asian market. The typical electrical stovetop in Europe operates at three kilowatts, but high heat is a crucial factor in Cantonese cooking. So, they developed a special gas range with an equivalent energy output of eight kilowatts especially for the Asian market.
But despite the best of intentions, mistakes still occur. Appliances playa big factor in a successful kitchen plan but are also frequent culprits in wasteful designs.
“People in Hong Kong often have appliances simply for the sake of having them,” says Leung. “Ovens end up as dish cabinets because they saw one on TV, bought it, and used it once. Too many homeowners don’t think about use, only possession. If you install equipment that does not serve a function, you lose that space for no reason.”
Designers agree that selection of appliances should come very early in the process of planning a kitchen. After that, use of nooks and crannies can make all the difference between a storage-friendly kitchen and a messy collection of hidden equipment.
“In most cases, clients want a new kitchen because of insufficient storage space,” says Cheng. “Efficient cabinet layout, such as 180-degree revolving baskets, is crucial for storage of dry food, tableware, and bulky cookware. Imagine having a well-designed kitchen, but with pots or pans lying on the countertop.”
Leung agrees that corner solutions are key. “Utilise that dead-end space that goes to waste in corner units and select customised, adjustable shelves. If most of your glasses are six inches tall, why have shelves that are 10 inches apart?”
When properly executed, a well-designed kitchen does more than just improve efficiency. It increases the quality of life, and is a therapeutic solution to the grind of modern living.
Space-saving Solutions for the Modern Kitchen
An efficient kitchen takes advantage of every square foot, turning inaccessible corner space and wall units into an effective system of storage.
1. CORNER UNITS
Revolving or pullout corner units mean that items in the back are just a turn away.
2. ADJUSTABLE BASE UNITS
Design solutions in base units can increase your shelving and take up unused dead space.
3. PULLOUT LARDERS
In-built larder solutions can swing out of cabinets for easy access to ingredients.
4. DOUBLE SHELVING
Tall larder solutions turn one set of shelves into two for effective storage.
5. TWO-WAY OPENING
Customise island or peninsular units for efficiency, such as doors that open from either side.
6. ADJUSTABLE SHELVES
Out-of-reach back space in higher wall cabinets is easy to access with pullout shelves.
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