21st-century Kitchen

Predictions made during any decade of the 20th century regarding the kitchen of the new millennium invariably involved a hefty dose of futuristic edginess, largely based on the idea that high-tech inventions would be the focal point of all our living spaces. Now that the new millennium has not only arrived but is solidly in place, it can truthfully be said that the 21st-century kitchen is much more complex than anyone had imagined in how it fulfills homeowners' needs.

The kitchen includes an eating bar. Shelves are cleverly created by inserting glass panels into wall slats. The effect maintains the crisp appearance of the space.

The kitchen has become the focal point of communication with family and friends, from everyday socializing and mealtimes to entertaining. This has influenced the shape of the 21st-century kitchen: No longer a square room cut off from dining and living areas, the kitchen today can morph into a variety of shapes and is more often than not open and adjacent to the dining area and family room.

The traditional runs of uniform cabinetry and countertops have been replaced by the now-standard technique of juxtaposing varied elements: combining multiple cabinet heights, door and wood styles, and door-front cabinets with open shelving, as well as including more than one countertop material.

Kitchens are designed to be versatile enough to accommodate cooking for every scale of gathering, from preparing meals for a small family to feeding dozens of guests. And, in line with providing this level of versatility, the kitchen has become larger, so much so that the idea of the “work triangle” has transformed into a series of “work zones,” with space and equipment organized to accommodate segments of the mealtime process: food preparation, cooking, baking, and cleanup.

A kitchen with two sinks, two dishwashers, a refrigerator/ freezer and additional refrigerated drawers or a mini-refrigerator, a wine cooler, and multiple ovens, in addition to a range or cook-top is now common in upscale homes. Islands are often equipped with eating bars and appliances for easy entertaining.

The kitchen, which is open to adjacent living areas, can be concealed behind movable wood-slatted panels.

Although “traditional” is still the preferred kitchen style in U.S. homes today, there have been changes in the look and makeup of U.S. kitchens since the turn of the current century. Clean lines and clutter-free spaces impart a sense of order and calm, which is attractive to today's busy homeowners. So the percentage of clients opting for contemporary or transitional spaces is on the rise.

There are other motivations at work here as well. At the high end, consumers are more sophisticated, well-traveled, and better educated than ever. Their attitudes toward design have broadened, and acceptance of the eclectic use of design elements has become commonplace.

There is a streamlined “international style” taking hold in Europe, Asia, and the U.S. — a common language of modern design that steers clear of the stark, sterile components of Euro kitchens that migrated to the U.S. a decade ago.

Instead, international style embraces the art of mixing materials — juxtaposing warm and rough elements with cool and smooth — to maintain visual interest while promoting the beauty of well-proportioned lines.

In these two examples of 21st-century kitchen installations, one carries the concept of entertaining to the extreme by enveloping the cook in a modern circular workspace; the other updates the all-white kitchen, incorporating a plethora of appliances while maintaining streamlined good looks.

Built-in LED lighting, and a stainless steel sink and countertops are 21st-century staples offered by Snaidero's Acropolis kitchen. Ten feet in diameter, the Acropolis is manufactured in Majano, Italy, and installed by Italian craftsmen. The 21st-century kitchen is an open space, which often blends in with the family room. This Wisconsin kitchen is open to living and lounge areas and reflects the clean lines and contemporary styling that many upscale homeowners seek.

Who would have guessed that the first U.S. installation of Acropolis, the cutting-edge circular kitchen designed for Snaidero by Paolo Pininfarina, would be in a private community nestled around a pond in the heart of the Midwest? Winner of the Good Design award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, the Acropolis is the focal point of this remodeled 11,000-plus-square-foot luxury residence in Edina, Minn., an affluent Twin Cities suburb.

According to Todd Huschka, president of Studio Snaidero Wisconsin, in Madison, Wis., the client was looking for something “innovative and refreshing.”

Heather Ahrens, director of sales and design and senior designer at the studio, suggested combining the Acropolis with the Ola cabinet line in blue, also designed by Paolo Pininfarina for Snaidero. “Architecturally, it is a linear house — very square — and it was screaming for a deviation in the sense of shape and form,” she says. “Injecting a circle into the middle of the space creates wonderful energy and movement for the center of the room.”

The kitchen, which has 14-foot-high ceilings, is open to the adjacent breakfast and lounge areas. “The Acropolis floats in the center of the space,” Ahrens says. “And the graceful curves of the two Ola wall units seem to dance around the perimeter of what truly is a sculptural masterpiece.”

The Acropolis is the main food preparation and cooking area. The circle includes three zones: a double-bowl sink in the center, a cooktop to its left, and a large prep area, with storage, on the right. The LED task lighting in the overhead “halo” mimics the shape of the circular base.

This wide circular lighting pelmet not only balances the design, but provides lighting in key areas. The open shelving that supports the pelmet offers more storage and is intentionally positioned on either side of the entrance at the back of the circular workspace, so interaction with other people in the room adjacent to the front of the work circle is easy to maintain.

The circular Acropolis is intended to be paired with a wall unit that would house the refrigerator/freezer, oven, dishwasher, and storage. The curving profiles of the two Ola wall units make them an ideal accompaniment to the Acropolis. The Ola unit directly behind the Acropolis circle includes a 36-inch wide refrigerator/freezer, two convection ovens, and pantry storage.

Santa Fe is part of the River Series of Silestone Leather engineered quartz from Cosentino. The countertop material has been treated with Microban to be anti-microbial, and is designed to mimic the look of leather.

The second Ola unit — to the far left of the Acropolis and near the lounge — serves as the breakfast bar and features a coffee system, a dishwasher, a gas cooktop, and a second sink. There's also a tall, slim, 24-inch-wide refrigerator/freezer tucked into the cabinetry at the far end. Storage space and halogen lighting above the open display shelves add to the unit's functionality.

An island in front of this wall unit provides additional work space or an eating area when chairs are added. There is also a butler's pantry located in a separate area behind the wall unit, for storing additional groceries.

The airiness of the space is enhanced by cream-colored 24-by-24-inch Italian marble floor tiles, as well as windows that offer a view of the pond and the willow trees on its banks.

The Acropolis kitchen, which debuted in 2003, breaks from the traditional positioning of cabinetry runs against the wall. But it is about more than just an innovative look. Made with steel and lightweight aluminum, the circular kitchen consists of carefully engineered modular elements that make it easier to assemble and install than many conventional kitchens.

Special joints connect the vertical and horizontal elements in the circular section, and the suspended elements are supported by hollowed honeycomb panels. Wiring to electrical sockets and the vent hood runs through a channeling system in the vertical support poles.

Taking utility into the realm of sculpture, Ahrens says the Acropolis is unlike traditional kitchens, which remain part of the house even when new owners move in. The Acropolis is “like a collector's artworks; it's something you take with you when you leave,” she says.

Interior design firm Cecconi Simone, based in Toronto, was asked to create a kitchen for a couple who love to cook and entertain.

Although the clients wanted an elegant all-white kitchen, they were concerned that it would be too “plain.” So the designers set about incorporating interesting details that add shade and shadow to create a sense of depth. These include the beveled counter edge profile that wraps down the sides framing the millwork, and the slatted back wall inset with cantilevered movable and removable glass shelves, which hold accessories and personal items to update and refresh the space.

Functional hardware makes cabinetry easier to use, as with the Aventos system from Blum.

Although the kitchen is open to the adjacent living areas, for the times when the owners want to shield guests from seeing the “mess” in the kitchen, the designers installed a slatted wood screen that can be rolled in to conceal the island.

Other customizing features that aid in the cooking process include pull-out drawers that hold ingredients, a spice rack concealed in the exhaust hood over the range, and tray storage set behind the flat panel TV, easily accessible from the side. White solid-surfacing drawer and door fronts are durable and easily cleaned.

Of course, this kitchen is also packed with appliances, some concealed behind white solid-surfacing panels; others, not. The island houses a dual-fuel range. Adjacent to the island is the microwave positioned below the plasma TV. The refrigerator/freezer and a wine locker are housed beyond the opposite end of the island.

Affluent consumers today worry less about resale value than did previous generations, and are opting to make living spaces reflect their own personalities.

Manufacturers have responded to this demand for personalization by offering more options in the colors, finishes, and sizes of their products. This wealth of design choices has made the “one-of-a-kind” kitchen a possibility for a greater number of homeowners.

Kitchen configurations today often incorporate features that satisfy individual needs: from a dog house custom-built into base cabinets, to countertops of multiple heights to provide work areas for tall adults and small children in the same space.

Today, kitchens are larger than ever, with designs for kitchen remodels often “stealing” space from an adjacent, infrequently used formal dining room, hallway, or butler's pantry.

Choices in work-zone setups include the KWC Waterstation, which rotates individual functions and accessories around a centralized point of water delivery — available as a freestanding unit, a built-in corner unit, or a built-in counter unit. The revolving cage in the base cupboard provides storage for pots and pans and houses a carousel with a removable waste-sorting system.

Kitchens need to be larger to accommodate the plethora of appliances. And, in addition to accommodating cooling and cooking appliances and sinks, as mentioned above, kitchen designers must find space for specialty appliances, such as built-in coffee machines, wok modules, and steam ovens.

Amenities are definitely “in.” So what about advancements in 21st-century technologies? Although the basic appliances and concepts may remain the same, technology is enabling manufacturers to refine those products' capabilities to create more efficient, flexible, and functional kitchen designs.

The kitchen faucet, for example, not only has an easy pull-out spray feature, but can be accompanied by a water filter, hot-water dispenser, electronic hands-free on/off control, and even visual illumination that indicates on/off or hot/cold.

Storage has come a long way from simple shelves and pull-out drawers. Custom cutlery inserts, refined hardware that eases door opening and closing, and flexible base-drawer inserts that can be changed to suit the size of the objects needing storage are just some of the options.

The need to include more appliances in the kitchen while maintaining traffic flow has led to the increased popularity of a closet-like pantry inside or adjacent to the kitchen to hold less frequently used foodstuffs and small appliances.

The use of technology in crafting cabinetry has resulted in a variety of wood veneers, lacquers, laminates, glass, and metals, in addition to the standard range of solid woods. One manufacturer even offers the option of imprinting cabinet doors with the homeowner's choice of enlarged photos.

The Aquacentre from Julien Home Refinements can be installed as a built-in or an island. Measuring 54 inches by 26¼ inches, the cabinet includes a seamless integrated 16-gauge stainless steel sink and drainboard, and is compatible with most hidden-control dishwashers. Homeowners can also customize the Aquacentre cabinet to match their kitchen décor.

Countertop materials have long benefited from advancements in technology, with new materials that include colored concrete, engineered quartz, and solid surfacing. The 21st century has brought further innovation, including the infusion of antibacterial and stain-resistant treatments into engineered quartz and other stone surfaces.

Rising gas prices, increased media attention to the hazards of global warming, and the development of more eco-friendly and water-conserving products are all factors that have led to increased interest in green products and sustainable design.

There are other factors, however, which seem to be influencing consumers' interest in natural products, especially at the high end. We are all part of the natural world, and so the textures and colors of natural materials are associated with promoting a sense of calm, peace, and refreshment in the indoor environment.

As a reaction to the pressures of living in a society with global concerns, many homeowners are turning to clean-lined, uncluttered styling made interesting through the incorporation of natural materials as a way to bring order and serenity to their environments.

It's no surprise that kitchens made with natural materials are more prevalent at the high end of the market — many of those products cost more than their manmade counterparts. Products from the earth also appeal to the luxury client's desire to own something that is exclusive or special. Whether it's a basin carved from stone or a countertop fashioned from specialty wood, its organic nature guarantees it is one-of-a-kind.

Natural products may also have a “back story” associated with them that fulfills the luxury client's desire for an emotional connection with the brand — whether it's the exotic location in which the material is found or the intervention of skilled artisans from an exotic land in shaping it.

Bamboo has permeated a range of home-furnishings categories from furniture and soft goods, such as towels, to cabinetry and flooring. Natural materials that, in the century past, may have been part of the living room or dining area are making their way into kitchen spaces due to the openness of the spaces to each other.

Stainless steel has found its way into tiles that can be used for backsplashes or other wall treatments. Shown is the Subway Mosaic pattern from Kreana.

Tiles include options made of wood or stone, as well as porcelain and ceramic look-alikes. Glass can be shaped, patterned, and inset with other materials to heighten visual interest while maintaining the strength and durability to serve as countertops and eating bars.

Although the use of stainless steel in the kitchen gained popularity at the end of the past century, today the options and applications for using the metal have expanded. Previously used mostly in sinks and appliance fronts, now stainless steel countertops, tiles, and islands are part of established manufacturers' lines.

Kitchen lighting has seen a breakthrough as well. Under-counter illumination, which had been presented in relatively small low-voltage fixtures, can now be accomplished using LEDs, which have a longer life span than incandescent, fluorescent, or halogen lights. They are relatively cool to the touch and render colors well.

The 21st-century kitchen, then, is filled with space-age wonders. However, those modern design elements and technologically advanced appliances are merely enablers that allow tasks to be performed with efficiency and ease, so that the space itself can be enjoyed as a warm, welcoming socializing center for the deepening of relationships among family and friends.

Wanda Jankowski is a design and building industry journalist based in New York.