2015: A new frontier in kitchen concepts
The Hettich booth at IWF featured a significant trends forecast for the kitchen and home environments in Kitchen Concepts 2015, illustrating how future generations will be cooking and living with…
The Hettich booth at IWF featured a significant trends forecast for the kitchen and home environments in Kitchen Concepts 2015, illustrating how future generations will be cooking and living with the implementation of today's innovative, sophisticated technology. This booth segment served as an inspiration for future developments in the industry, while Hettich's innovative hardware items were displayed throughout the rest of the booth.
{loadposition position10}
Kitchen Concept 2015 focuses on design, convenience, ergonomics, electrification and multimedia networking, says sales manager Mark Mrozik.
"In terms of design, Kitchen Concept 2015 interprets the kitchen as the hub of the home, integrated in the home environment rather than claiming to be the center of attention."
The booth awed visitors with new hardware ideas for space-saving options. For example, a homeowner could electrically retract faucets and sink handles on the counter to free up a work surface and reduce distractions.
Convenience played a central role in the display. Kitchen drawers opened from both sides of an island. That was the same for the dishwasher and trash compactor, which would save the homeowner several steps and introduce new kitchen design concepts.
Kitchen Concept 2015 showed height-adjustable wall units for ergonomic purposes. Control panels on the base unit provide the capability of raising and lowering cabinet elements independently of each other, moving cabinet contents to a level that best suits the user. An overhead stove with a tray that lowers the food from the oven, for example, can make it easier to tend to all food cooking at once.
All of these ideas can be possible with the Hettich hardware launched at the show. One item includes the new Easys hardware. Easys is Hettich's new electric aid for opening kitchen furniture. This hardware enables homeowners to open drawers automatically at the press of a finger anywhere on the drawer front. At the IWF show, booth demonstrations emphasized how the Easys hardware enables homeowners to open drawers at the mere press of a hip or knee, rather than using dirty hands.
"The significance of the Easys system is an electronic drive unit that produces a smooth, even-opening movement. The speed and opening distance of drawers and pot-and-pan drawers are selected to simulate opening by hand. Meanwhile, the opening movement halts reliably when slight resistance is met," says Mrozik.
Furthermore, the Hettich "Silent System" is part of the Easys system, assuring it works quietly.
In addition to the hardware solutions offered, the Kitchen Concepts display offered clever ideas for use of multimedia services and products that cater to the "iPod generation." Touch screens integrated into appliances allowed for digital displays of oven temperature and remaining cooking time. Internet, television and e-mail could be accessed on the cooking range, allowing homeowners to look up recipes, check webcams, or email friends while cooking. Of significance to booth visitors was the adjustable burner on the smooth touch-screen stovetop. With the touch of a finger, one could increase the cooking surface to suit the size of the pot or pan being used.
Contact: Hettich America. Tel: 800-777-1772. www.hettichamerica.com
This article originally appeared in the October 2010 issue.
