Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
Issue link: http://kitchenbathdesign.epubxp.com/i/623962
and Wabi Sabi elements he calls "Rough Lux." Translating design into emotion is his guiding principal. Assessing this high-tech storm from his unique perspective, he described how the introduction of electricity and indoor plumbing fundamentally changed the kitchen, along with continuous cabinetry, standardized appliances and open foor plans. Now, we are developing devices as exten- sions of our brains that advise us and collab- orate with us through interactive functions, helping us to lead more convenient and healthy lives. Grey cites the example of Ikea's conceptual design – called Smart Table – as an example of smart furniture interacting with us to achieve a more mindful approach to food and its prepara- tion. There is a fascinating YouTube video about this conceptual product at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=qD60cBQOABY. Representatives from Dacor, Electrolux and Moen were among the panel presenters who talked about products they've already brought to market and what may be in the pipeline for the future. THINK SMALL We already have, but underutilize, many innovative products like touchless and sensor faucets, interactive ovens and refrigerators with built in Wi-Fi connectivity. However, many of the new prod- ucts discussed were smaller countertop appliances and devices. The reasoning for this is simple from a marketing stand- point: The average lifespan of large, built-in appliances is 8-10 years – too long for most product innovators who want to see quick and early adoption of their product. Hence, there is a sur- plus of smart tea, cofee and beer brewing appliances, amazing- ly smart and efcient countertop ovens, toasters, slow cookers, sous vide cookers, scales, cookware and smart recipe devices, to name a few. The kitchen is the new toolshed for early adaptors of in- novative technology, but as kitchen designers, we are trending toward more sleek, minimalistic designs with fully integrated appliances and uncluttered surfaces. Are these competing trends a disconnect? It's generally acknowledged that people eat healthier when they eat at home. There already are many food delivery services that have made real inroads with busy millennials, like Freshub, Peapod and Blue Apron. These are subscription meal services delivered to your door complete with detailed instructions to prepare delicious and healthy meals, efectively eliminating the shopping and planning aspects of traditional meal preparation. Wi-Fi-enabled helpers like Amazon's Echo and WeMo ofer convenience and interactive information services as well as ofering the possibility of interacting with one's appliances, lighting & HVAC controls and security systems. Devices like Hiku (http://hiku.us/) allow users to scan bar- codes of items in the kitchen and easily upload shopping lists to a smart phone – or to a shopping service like Peapod – for a fast and easy shopping experience. Personally, I went from never having heard of a Hiku shopping button to being pretty well convinced I absolutely needed one. Before being exposed to all of this heady and futuristic information, I had considered myself reasonably computer savvy and tech aware, albeit in a Baby Boomer kind of way. I will admit to compiling an impressive list of "things to Google" during this conference. I did not know, for example, that "IoT" is an entire feld of market specialty – Internet of Things, for you fellow dinosaurs. A list of some of the things I had to Google included WeMo, OrangeChef Drop, SmartPlate, Anova Culinary, Amazon Echo, Amazon Dash, Sage, June Oven, Hiku, Peapod, Freshub, Picobrew, ChefSteps, Yummly, Teforia, Seva Cofee and Freescale. RECIPE EVOLUTION Smart technology continues to change how homeowners cook – a trend that impacts both built-in appliances and smaller, countertop ones. And while kitchen designers have long focused on major appliances, understanding how these countertop appliances are changing the way people cook is important for design professionals who need to understand everything that is trending in the kitchen. Already available in the marketplace is the tantalizing Juno oven (http://www.cnet.com/products/june-intelligent-oven) – described by one attendee as a "super fancy toaster oven." Admittedly, this stylish countertop oven is designed for "hands of " cooking – it is described by the manufacturer as a computer that cooks, boasting the concept of "live stream baking." The oven is equipped with a camera that recognizes what users put into it, and remembers how they like it cooked, or recognizes how it is cooked by other users. Recipes and software updates are down- loaded through a processor commonly used in mobile devices, so the concept is – the more people who use it, the more recipes and cooking techniques it will have avail- able. Of course, it notifes the user when the dish is ready, and ofers remote control settings (which prac- tically goes without saying in today's Wi-Fi connected home). Our kitchens are already becoming much more connect- ed by how we access recipes now. The quiet revolution of the iPad over the traditional cookbook has already taken place through hugely popular apps such as Yummly and ChefSteps, that go beyond traditional recipes by being more interactive, Hiku scans barcodes and recognizes the us- er's voice, allowing users to create a shared shop- ping list on a smart phone. It is also integrated with Walmart Grocery and Peapod for direct ordering for pickup and delivery in over 40 U.S. markets. The Anova Precision Cooker, available with Wi-Fi, allows for sous vide cooking with a lightweight, easy- to-use design that connects to the user's smart phone. A corresponding app provides access to sous vide recipes, cooking blogs and more. January 2016 • KitchenBathDesign.com 77