EuroCucina - the International Kitchen Furniture Exhibition - returns to present all the functional and aesthetic innovations of a sector in constant evolution. From 7 to 12 June, the biennial exhibition dedicated to kitchen furniture was staged at the Rho Fiera Milano exhibition centre, within the framework of the Salone del Mobile Milano. Now in its 23rd edition, EuroCucina is a must-attend event for discovering the latest trends in the sector, meeting the best Italian and foreign companies in the sector, and getting hands-on with the most innovative proposals. What innovations have emerged? What to expect from the kitchen of the future?
We interviewed Raffaella Zambellini, Co-CEO of SLIM, and Barbara Zago, Business Developer of the company, who attended the exhibition as visitors, giving us an overview of the new trends in kitchen design and appliances. Let's discover all the novelties together!
Specifically, in this article we will talk about::
What are the trends in large and small household appliances for 2022?
Click on the button below and discover the infographic dedicated to home appliance trends.
EuroCucina: the trends of the 23rd edition
Hello Raffaella and Barbara, how did it feel to be able to return to EuroCucina and meet some of your customers?
Raffaella Zambellini: Being able to return to the fair and take a closer look at the new kitchen proposals, the result of years of research, was very exciting. We noticed a great buzz among the public, with a good presence of international visitors, an indication of the desire to come back and meet other professionals in such stimulating environments.
Our visit focused on the halls dedicated to kitchen furniture and built-in appliances (within FTK - Technology for the Kitchen) and we were surprised by the new models presented. The key words of the 2022 edition are definitely: technology, innovation, efficiency and multifunctionality for a modern kitchen with built-in appliances that are increasingly intelligent, versatile and sustainable.
Sustainability, in fact, played a leading role in this 23rd edition. The brands showed particular attention to materials at all stages of the supply chain, both as recycle and supply. Technological development has enabled the creation of innovative materials, including environmentally sustainable, natural and new textile fibres made from bottle plastics.
Which direction is the modern kitchen heading towards according to the exhibitors at the new edition?
Barbara Zago: The exhibitors at EuroCucina have sensitively grasped the new needs resulting from the Covid 19 pandemic: the kitchen today is not only the place dedicated to preparing lunches and dinners, it is a multifunctional, convivial and open environment. Here, then, is the proposal of projects that are a hybrid between the kitchen and the living environment, in which equipment and appliances are perfectly integrated and camouflaged in the architecture itself, making the kitchen become one with the living room.
In terms of design and planning, what emerged?
Raffaella Zambellini: The different components of the kitchen focus on multifunctionality and technology. Appliances and larder solutions are specifically designed to be hidden or appear depending on use. On this point, with reference to technology, we find motorised and mobile volumes. For example, many companies propose concealed hoods on the hob that move when needed, showing the suction opening. Or, again, small backlit glass panels that rise up from the hob as a shield from splashing pots on the cooker. But that's not all, there are new features that allow you to change the worktop and reveal the sink and dish drainer.
As far as hobs are concerned, the trend is for camouflaged induction hobs, where the worktop itself becomes the hob, making the classic black ceramic induction stations disappear. By placing the pans in the appropriate zones, marked by minimal signalling, they are activated by recognising the metal support and heating up. Here again, multi-functionality and technology go hand in hand, merging into an innovative architectural design integration. In terms of design, minimal, very clean lines with refined and elegant finishes are appreciated. This is the case with the new kitchen hoods suspended over the hob, reminiscent of modern chandeliers, or concealed between the various wall units as if they were an integral part of a bookcase.
Speaking of trends in the kitchen furniture sector, have there been any new developments?
Barbara Zago: The lockdown years due to the pandemic have made Italians experience how pleasant it is to eat outdoors. In the wake of this new trend, new proposals have emerged for outdoor kitchens with outdoor appliances, built into modular units made of durable, waterproof material. Here too, the various companies have indulged in innovative, practical and functional yet aesthetically appealing solutions.
EuroCucina: the role of light
What role does lighting play in modern kitchen furniture?
Raffaella Zambellini: The furniture provides aesthetic lighting details that emphasise shapes and materials. Initially, light lines were placed under wall cabinets and on shelves to emphasise their profile: today, light is an additional detail that is placed inside drawers, on hoods and in pantries with a predominantly aesthetic purpose. These lines of light also transmigrate to the appliance, which features ornamental design light points. For example, at the ILVE stand, we had the pleasure of seeing the Panoramagic line on display, which features a backlighting detail on the oven knobs, created in collaboration with us.
What is SLIM's signalling proposal for new appliances?
Barbara Zago: For outdoor kitchens and their appliances, which require durable components, we propose vandal-proof light indicators: a high-brightness light indicator with high resistance to shocks and external agents, with IP65 protection. Returning to indoor equipment, in line with the trend for minimalist and refined design, we think that light profiles with SMD or fibre optic LED circuits, for cooker hoods and oven and hob knobs, add value to a high-quality product. For coffee machines and water and ice dispensers in refrigerators, on the other hand, the micro-LED spotlight, in its many variants, is the most suitable type of light indicator to provide the right degree of light intensity.
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