The Bar & Lounge collection by the Florentine company Officine Gullo is designed to create an elegant space dedicated to relax and conviviality in the living area. It includes different equipment, modules and solutions that guarantee various customization possibilities. Moreover, the stainless steel of the modules structure can be painted in any color of the RAL range (in addition to the custom colors available on request), while for the brass details, such as the edges and the handles, a wide range of finishes is available including burnished brass, polished chrome, satin nickel, gunmetal, and even 24-karat gold.

The Bloody Mary stylish home bar
The Bloody Mary project was realized in London, in a Georgian villa of 1830, and includes the typical accessories and appliances of a professional bar. White is the dominant color of this sophisticated solution, which includes a counter (topped by a chromed brass cup holder) and a linear bar unit. In the latter, there are two fridge columns on the sides, a marble worktop with a central sink and a professional coffee machine. The island, instead, has a wine cellar on one side, two compartments for the ice machine, storage compartments, the sink integrated into a steel top and a cocktail station with shaker holder, ice holder, bottle holder and condiments holder. On the other side of the island is a cantilevered top and footrest.

Solutions for every environment The Bar & Lounge collection adapts to different furnishing styles, as demonstrated by these three projects: Old Fashioned is characterized by a linear bar unit with a steel top, a washing area, a countertop coffee machine and, on the sides, a refrigerator and two columns with glass doors. Moreover, the counter is equipped with a cocktail station and a dispensing system. Boulevardier instead, is a creation in which there is a main unit inserted in a niche in Verde Guatemala marble with an under-counter wine cellar, a washing area, storage compartments and bottle holders in chromed brass; on the sides of the bar unit two bottle holder and cup holder columns. Lastly, Cosmopolitan is a project made up of a bar unit between two column refrigerators with Arabesque Dream marble tops, two wine cellars, an object compartment and two refrigerator drawers; opposite the bar unit is an island with cantilevered top and stools, a sink, cocktail station, integrated and refrigerated bottle holder, storage compartments and professional glasswasher. In addition to complete bars, the collection also offers some unique pieces of furniture for the living space, such as a refrigerated display case, bar trolley, whiskey cabinet and mixology area.

Two outdoor kitchens of Officine Gullo have been chosen by two hotels in Tuscany, owned by the prestigious Belmond group: Villa San Michele in the Florentine hills and Castello di Casole in the province of Siena. The brand’s outdoor kitchens feature the use of top-quality AISI 316 stainless steel characterized by the excellent ability to resist corrosion. This material, which features a low ferrous content, offers unequaled durability, absolute resistance to corrosion, and an elegant design that brings out the very best in any decorative setting.

At Villa San Michele, the matt beige kitchen (RAL 1019) with satin chrome finish has been installed. It is a linear cooker with a pizza oven and lava stone barbecue, as well as two parallel islands. The first island is dedicated to food prep and washing, while the second one includes a chilled display counter for meat and fish. All kitchen worktops are made of Antolini quartzite. Officine Gullo also created two trolleys for Villa San Michele, one for making cocktails and the other for serving cheese at the restaurant tables. Two compact, versatile pieces, created by combining hard-wearing materials and clever design to achieve appealing, practical results.

At Castello di Casole, Officine Gullo has created an outdoor kitchen in gloss Pearl White (RAL 1013) with brushed chrome finishes, consisting of three elements: a kitchen with barbecue and pizza oven, an island with sink, induction plates and pasta cooker and a steel-topped prep counter. «We chose Officine Gullo for its great history, unmistakable aesthetics, and its practical use. The idea was to create a genuine poolside restaurant, seeking a classic style that is deeply rooted in Tuscan traditions and at the same time, “on the cutting edge”» says Luca Corsini, Food & Beverage Manager at Castello di Casole.

“Journey to Provence” is a custom-made kitchen project by Officine Gullo for a house located in Village de Gassin, among the hills of the French countryside. It is an open space (designed for cooking, eating and relaxing), which overlooks a garden through a large window. “We proposed two shades of contrasting colors to bring depth and light into the kitchen – explains Manfredi Conforzi, Commercial Director of the Tuscan company –. The mint green contrasts with the creamy white and the burnished brass finishes perfectly complete the project, making the environment even warmer and brighter”. To satisfy the customer’s requests, Officine Gullo has equipped the kitchen with high-performance technologies. In fact, there is an OG Professional 168 cooking machine, equipped with 4 professional burners, a smooth fry top and a pasta cooker. Above there is the hood, made in the same color. The wall used for storing food and drinks includes a professional refrigerator and two wine cellars, while the central island, with built-in dishwasher, has been entirely dedicated to washing.

The Made in Italy of Officine Gullo
Among the strengths of Officine Gullo’s projects are the high quality materials and tailoring. “Our kitchens – Conforzi underlines – are made with prestigious materials: steel, copper and brass, which are handcrafted with important thicknesses ranging from 2 to 7 mm. Above all, Officine Gullo is literally what it claims to be: a workshop, where raw materials are cut, bent and decorated, or rather forged, by the hand of man to obtain timeless works. The ‘ingredients’ are not industrial components, pre-finished or semi-finished, but plates, bars and rulers, and similarly the hammering, burnishing, nickel and chromium plating of the brass, the antiquing of the steel or the stove enamelling of the bodywork are made directly in the workshop after the piece has been molded into the shape and dimensions required by the customer”. Another “must” of the Italian company is sustainability: in fact, thanks to the more durable materials, the kitchens of Officine Gullo are made to resist wear and tear for a long time.

At Salone del Mobile 2023 in Milan, at the Officine Gullo showroom, starting from 18 April 2023, the company will present a preview of its new Bar & Lounge area proposals, a space dedicated to relaxation, and to the sociability that encapsulates the aesthetic and functional characteristics of Officine Gullo collections, now in living areas for the first time.

The Bar & Lounge collection, one of the essentials in luxury interior design, has different furnishing solutions, from bar furniture occupying fully-fitted wall units, to those organised on trolleys. For the very first time, Officine Gullo is dealing with the design of rooms other than the kitchen, using its creative flair to devise settings with a contemporary, cosmopolitan mood. The collection has a sequence of equipment, modular units and components, and it has been studied to meet the different needs of users, furnishing living areas with countless possibilities for customised looks.

Through a series of independent elements that combine together, the Bar & Lounge collection offers fully customisable solutions to meet different user needs, and seamlessly integrate with architectural features and furnishing elements. The stainless steel structure can be painted in any colour from the RAL range – as well as in the custom colours available on request – and are also available with decorative details in iconic brass finishes.

From the furniture layout to the selection of a wide range of the best professional domestic appliances and complementary features, it is possible to create configurations to fit the space they will be occupying, as well as the aesthetic tastes of the customer. Counter tops, chairs, units with wine fridges, fridges, ice buckets, ice makers, snks and taps, bottle shelves, and glass holders make it possible to share cocktails and drinks during a relaxing evenings or small parties at home.

Officine Gullo presents a range of products realized in Viva Magenta, the color named Pantone Color of the Year 2023. «The color protagonist of 2023 selected by Pantone is a chromatic nuance full of charm, very versatile, and at the same time capable of breaking the classic schemes: it is the color Viva Magenta, identified in the Pantone code 18-1750. A bright red shade, inspired by nature and the color of the cochineal: Viva Magenta is a symbol of pure joy, which encourages experimentation and self-expression, designed for a more positive future» – the company commented.

Officine Gullo’s range of products in Viva Magenta color includes: a free-standing kitchen, a hood and a regrigerator to create a complete kitchen enviroment with this nuance.
«Described by the brand as “an unconventional red for an unconventional time”, Pantone’s Viva Magenta 18-1750 is according to the Colour Institute already popular among the fashion and beauty community. It expects the interior world to follow suit. It probably will. Regardless of how critics feel about the shade, each year’s selection has an impact on color trends in fashion, furniture, and interiors» – Officine Gullo concluded.

Officine Gullo opened a new mono-brand store in the United States, in Boston. The store is located inside a classic brick building at no. 500 Harrison Avenue, home to the SoWa Art + Design Center. An elegant and also strategic position, in a genuine destination for members of the local design community and many professionals in the industry.

This new space – the third in the United States, after New York and Los Angeles, displays some of the more iconic products by the brand, including the stoves from the OG Professional and Fiorentina lines. The showroom will also be a place to get a better feel of the products made by Officine Gullo, as well as to explore the vast catalog of colors and metal finishes, together with the countless options from the company.

«The Boston showroom – explained Matteo Gullo, US Managing Director – will be somewhere that clients can get first-hand experience of the beauty of the metals we use on our ranges: fine materials with a traditional charm and superlative characteristics, which we use to bring to life timeless creations destined for America’s most prestigious, elegant homes.»

With the opening of Officine Gullo Boston, the third flagship store in the United States after New York and Los Angeles, Officine Gullo is boosting its presence in the US, investing in a path towards continued expansion.

During the Milan Design Week, from June 7th to June 12th, 2022, Officine Gullo will be showcase some of its most interesting products from the company Milan Showroom in Via dell’Annunciata. Officine Gullo team will be present at the showroom from Tuesday the 7th to Sunday the 12th of June, from 10 am to 9 pm (Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm).

The company will also present its most luxurious of finishes: 24-carat gold. In addition to the wide range of finishes available for all of the metal details, including polished chrome, burnished brass, satin chrome, nickel, copper, and gunmetal, the 24-carat gold finish with its precious sheen is now also available. Metal parts such as frames, corners, hinges, knobs, latches, and handles are plated by way of a special processing technique using a 24-carat pure gold solution.

During the Design Week, a Fiorentina range cooker in the most luxurious of the finishes will be displayed in one of the windows of the showroom in downtown Milan. The 24-carat gold finish will be wonderfully enhanced by the beauty of an “Haute Nature” piece by Antolini: a Black Cosmic granite characterized by small golden-colored grains that emphasize the wild creativity of nature.

Following the opening of the 1.600 square foot flagship showroom in London in early 2020, Officine Gullo, the Florentine kitchen company specialised in appliances and kitchens, signed a new retail partnership with the kitchen brand Smallbone. Showcasing a range of specialist cooking equipment in a lifestyle-driven setting this new partnership will further increase Officine Gullo’s presence in London’s high-end kitchen design sector. In a new, state-of-the-art showroom on Brompton Road due to launch in winter 2020, Smallbone’s ‘Iconic’ collection will be powered by Officine Gullo’s professional ranges and specialist cooking appliances developed for home use. Also available at the Smallbone showroom will be a classical freestanding prosciutto slicer and professional BBQ. «Ultimately the companies have their own specific backgrounds but that is the beauty of this partnership Pietro Gullo comments – We have two brands with a deep heritage working in a different but parallel local tradition. It makes perfect sense for us to work together. It makes me proud to see our specialist appliances powering these beautifully crafted kitchens.»
Officine Gullo appliances are designed and developed to professional standard for home use. The company has a long tradition of product development in the metalworking district of Tuscany based on age old methods that are still carried out in Florentine foundries and mechanical workshops. Its kitchen bodywork of heavy steel is finished with fusions of hand-hammered burnished brass, copper and heavy gauge silver plating embodying Italian design.

The most advanced household appliances do not only perform their main function in the best way, but widen their action, becoming multifunction products to be more and more efficient and offer a greater user experience

by Elena Corti

The world of household appliances is facing big changes: appliances, in fact, do not perform only a single function, but tend to gather different functionalities in a single product, in order to offer greater comfort and performance to consumers. Considering the various types of appliances, those dedicated to the kitchen environment are among the most evident examples of multi-functionality.

Think of the extractor hob, which combines the cooking functions with the extraction of fumes and vapors. This product generally presents all the features of induction models (for example the Bridge and Boost functions, pause and timer, touch control commands, precise adjustment of power levels, residual heat indicator, pan recognition, the control lock for child safety, ease of cleaning), to which the typical functions of a hood are added, with different suction speeds, automatic delayed switch-off function, electronic programming, grease and anti-odor filters , energy efficiency. There are models with the aspirator positioned in the center of the top (with a circular or rectangular grid) or versions in which the extraction takes place through lateral slits or even products characterized by the integrated hood that emerges from the hob when needed and then disappears when it must not be used. These types of products have allowed a greater freedom in the design of the kitchen, reducing the overall dimensions of the hood to a minimum. From a physical-technological point of view, the principle at the basis of the suction hob consists in intercepting vapors and fumes directly from below.

These, in fact, rise with a maximum speed of 1 m/s: the suction system intervenes by extracting them downwards with a greater speed, creating a transversal flow. The cooking vapors are captured and the grease particles and odors are not dispersed in the environment and are not deposited on the surfaces of the furniture or fabrics.
A further aspect that characterizes the versatility of this type of hobs is the possibility to choose between the suction or filtering version. In the first case, the fumes are conveyed outside the house through a pipe, while in the second case the air, filtered and cleaned from grease and odors, is returned to the kitchen. There are also models that combine the suction or filtering system with the cold plasma technology that cleans and purifies, further improving the quality of the kitchen environment.

Moreover, always with a view to multi-functionality, systems are available on the market combining – in a single solution – induction hob with aspirator and teppanyaki plate. Among the latest innovations, there is also the extractor hob that integrates a scale to weigh foods directly into the pot and at any temperature level, making the preparation of a recipe easier and more immediate. The scale can also be used when the hob is off: among the different options, this appliance has the “tare” function (to weigh the ingredients one by one resetting when a new one is added) and the function to keep the selected weigh.
Within the hobs, another innovation that allows the user to have more functions available are segmented models, which combine for example induction, gas and electric plate. In this way a 3 in 1 product is obtained, allowing the three technologies to be used in the space of a normal hob, exploiting all the possibilities offered by the different cooking systems. Mixed hobs “move” in a similar direction, combining gas burners and induction zones and are available in different variants to adapt to different space requirements. All these solutions are designed to allow the user take advantages from any different cooking modes: in this way water can be boiled in a few minutes using induction without renouncing powerful burners for other types of preparations.

Finally, another trend that runs parallel to the multi-functionality is managing the space in an innovative way to harmonize the various functions in the kitchen. For example, there are products that combine the cooking function and the washing area in a single solution to make the most of the corner space. These are proposals designed on the basis of a detailed study of the movements, gestures and dynamics involved in daily actions: the result is a multi-functional work area designed around the ergonomics of movements. Moreover, among the most original ideas in the kitchen, there is also that of making the hob no longer an immovable object but an instrument that can be placed on the work area when needed and then raised or even hung on the wall when no longer needed: when the appliance is raised, the hob space becomes a work surface.

Oven: the multifunction appliance for excellence

Surely the oven is one of the devices that have been able to combine a greater variety of functions, making available an ever increasing number of automatic programs and cooking modes. The increasing use of electronics allows to offer consumers advanced technologies to obtain excellent results thanks to intuitive and user-friendly systems: displays and electronic controls in fact guide the user who can rely on automatic processes.

The multi-functions ovens are designed to allow the consumer to cook easily without the need to manually set temperatures and cooking modes thus avoiding making mistakes: from bread to pizza, from meat to recipes that require slow cooking, up to keeping warm, these devices also allow less experienced users trying prepare also elaborate recipes. Desserts remain soft, bread perfectly rises and forms a golden crust, meat cooks in the best way while remaining tender. These results are also possible thanks to the fact that the more advanced models are equipped with accessories that were previously used only in the professional field, such as the meat probe or the refractory stone for ovens equipped with the Pizza function that are able to reach a temperature of over 300 degrees, creating a cooking similar to that of a wood oven.
Moreover, there are devices in which a series of recipes are already stored or models that allow you to connect to the Internet and view video recipes on the door of the product that becomes a screen.  In addition, the connected ovens enable new functions: they can be managed remotely through a smartphone, with which for example you can activate the pre-heating so that the user, returning home, find the appliance already warm.

Among the latest trends in the field of ovens, there is certainly steam cooking combined with traditional one. This type of product not only makes it possible to choose between different programs where the use of steam is regulated (for example for cooking sous vide), but also offers the possibility of combining steam and hot air for a tasty but at the same time healthy cuisine. Steam can be very useful in the kitchen: just to mention a few, it helps to obtain an excellent leavening of the dough, preserves the nutritional properties of the vegetables and makes the meat soft and succulent. The range of opportunities made available consumers to experiment with different types of cooking is further extended.
Among other products dedicated to the kitchen, it is also worth mentioning the microwave ovens which offers more and more features and types of cooking that can also be combined. Today microwave ovens not only heat and defrost, but can also be used for cooking: the most advanced models allow, in addition to cooking with microwaves, even ventilated and steam cooking.
Finally, even among freestanding cookers there are versions designed to allow a multifunctional use of the product: for example there are models equipped with an oven that can work both with electricity and gas, thus allowing the best of both technologies to be exploited, choosing the one or the other depending on what you want to cook.

Cold and not only

If the world of cooking has made multi-functionality one of its strengths, even the Cooling segment has been able to offer innovations in this direction, going beyond the already innovative technologies for storing food with differentiated areas and compartments. There are for example refrigerators that integrate the wine cellar, allowing you to preserve the quality of wines without having to provide an extra space in the kitchen. Refrigerators are also be launched on the market equipped with the accessory to make ice cream and products coated with a special slate-effect paint that turns the outside of the fridge into a blackboard on which to write. Further proposals are represented by devices that allow to choose any time which compartments to dedicate to cooling and which to freezing: the refrigerator becomes a very flexible multi-zone device, able to respond to the changing needs of the user. Finally, some refrigerators are equipped with innovative technologies and functions that make them not only a tool to preserve but also a hub for the Internet of Things.

This type of device is connected and allows to look inside the refrigerator even when you are away from home, using a smartphone and internal cameras. Moreover, through a large screen integrated into the product, you can create the shopping list and even order it on-line, find recipes, share photos and messages, watch TV programs and listen to music.
Remaining in the field of Cooling, a tool that stands out for its multi-functionality is the blast chiller. This product, created for the professional channel, is proposed on the domestic market as a device capable of performing multiple functions both in terms of cooling and cooking. The presence of numerous programs allows the blast chiller to be versatile and to be used to meet different needs. In terms of cooling, this product can, for example, quickly reduce the temperature, freeze, sanitize fish and cool the bottles. As for the heat, it can leaven, cook at low temperature, regenerate and thaw. It is a tool designed to be simple and intuitive so that the user can easily manage the multiple functions.

Purifying, illuminating , furnishing

Hood is a household appliance that in recent years has undergone a strong evolution, which has led it to improve its performance and to increase its functions. As already mentioned for the extractor hobs, it does not limit itself to extract fumes and odors but can also filter and purify the air. If domestic environments become unhealthy, the latest generation hoods are equipped with sensors that detect pollutants and are able to activate automatically to restore air quality. For the user, this translates into a healthier environment and greater comfort. Furthermore, new features have been made possible by the digital technologies: for example, connected hoods can be managed by the smartphone through an app and there are also models capable of communicating with the hob.

Thanks to the controls integrated in the top, in fact, hood operates automatically while the user cooks in order to always guarantee a healthy and pleasant environment. But not only. Among the different functions that the hood is able to carry out, there is also that of a chandelier, which ensures effective lighting and for some versions is also adjustable in intensity.  Light and suction, despite being two distinct elements, find harmony within a single product: in particular, there are models with a very refined design in which a perfect balance is created between technological innovation, visual comfort and attention to aesthetics.

Additional factors that make the hood a multi-functional product are inherent in the product structure itself. Think of the models that also become shelves (for example using eco-sustainable materials such as wood) and are equipped with electrical outlets, USB ports, supports for the tablet and areas set up for placing kitchen utensils. Among the most original solutions, there is the hood that can accommodate even a small vegetable garden with aromatic plants.
Finally, more and more frequently hood combines elements that make it a piece of furniture to functions related to the technological aspects.  The concept of multi-functionality goes beyond all the hi-tech functions of the appliance and extends to a range of finishes and styles that expand the use of the product, which can be displayed with pleasure because it becomes an object simultaneously functional and aesthetically pleasing.
In the area of ​​products dedicated to air treatment, not only kitchen hoods can be considered as multifunction products. Also purifiers have evolved, with solutions that are at the same time instruments able to guarantee the quality of the air and lamps to be placed in the environment, equipped with adjustable LED lights. Models made in various colors are available on the market (to better adapt to the context in which they are inserted) and with indicators that visually signal the state of the air and the progressive improvement of environmental conditions.

 

A 360 ° look at the world of household appliances Although in some segments the trend towards multi-functionality is particularly marked, it actually affects the whole world of the home appliance. Small appliances, such as food processors and cooking machines, are more and more all -in-one devices thanks to the large number of accessories and automatic programs available. A similar concept is also found in products for male beauty, also equipped with various accessories and functions to take care of beard and hair using a single appliance, while in the vacuum cleaners segment we find versatile electric brooms that allow users to pass easily from the broom mode to the hand held vacuum cleaner mode, or brooms that combine steam and cyclonic technology, or even robots that have wet and dry cloths with which they are able to perform both dry and wet cleaning. Another multi-function small domestic appliance is coffee machine, able of preparing numerous drinks in addition to the classic espresso. If we move then on to air-conditioning, there are now many products that cool and heat, while if we think of washing, the multi-functionality of a washing machine is increased not only by the growing number of programs but also by the new possibilities offered by the Internet connection: in particular, among the latest trends there are washing machines that can communicate with dryers or washing machines able to interact responding to voice commands. Finally, even Brown Goods are strongly distinguished by the tendency to multi-functionality: just think of smart TVs and smartphones.

Our search among companies continues to understand concretely what it means to integrate appliances and kitchen furniture. Trends can be different: from the creation of a perfectly homogeneous environment, to conceiving a space characterized by a harmony of contrasts.

by Elena Corti

The increasing integration between home appliances and kitchen furniture is now an ongoing trend, which can however be achieved by focusing on different stylistic and design choices. There are those who aim at a very uniform effect, with essential lines and spaces designed to best accommodate a growing number of devices that almost “disappear” in the kitchen furniture, and those that conceive the integration as a harmony of contrasts, where the appliance is highlighted and becomes a protagonist thanks also to the new proposals in terms of design. Certainly colors, materials and finishes are key aspects for the integration of the various elements of the kitchen environment, without forgetting the technical factors that allow the perfect installation of appliances in furniture and ensure functionality.

Glem Gas

1 In our opinion a polarization will be created: on one side we will have the furniture and the appliance that will integrate with each other and will find in the kitchen environment, that is more and more important, a harmonious collocation, while – on the other side – the contrasts will prevail that will lead to make the appliance and the furniture stand out in a complementary way. On the one hand, therefore, we will have the perfect and complete integration of the appliance with the furniture: in this case the tendency is to maintain an extremely clean and essential design where the lines perfectly merge together. On the other hand, we will have instead a real “explosion” of design, where appliance will become the protagonist of the kitchen and where color contrasts will prevail. Here we will have a product that will tend to be more and more customizable and with an extremely appealing design. Colors and innovative style will distinguish it and make it a furnishing item full of character and functionality.

2 Of course, this trend has already been in place for years. We only think of the 75 cm hobs, that were a novelty 10 years ago. Today there are 78 cm induction hobs and built-in fridges higher than the latest standards. We will go towards a gradual redefinition of the dimensions, even in width: for example, we start to see refrigerators for furniture of 75 cm.

3 Unfortunately, in recent years we have seen less and less people able to understand the furniture, its “soul” and its use. We see appliances completely different from the reality and needs of our time. They seem to be designed by people who do not put their noses out of their technical studies.  Fortunately, there are some companies, like ours, that make design combined with practicality their reason for being, combining vision and mission in dedicated projects that, launched on the market, obtain great successes. If I had to summarize all this, I would say that the factor that allows integration is only one: good taste.

Ilve

1 This is a trend that during the latest years has seen the appliance “disappear” in furniture. It is dictated by a choice of minimalist taste, usually associated with a return of the white/gray/black colors that a few years ago had disappeared from the ranges of household appliances, supplanted by the stainless aesthetics, and that today are in vogue. These trends, we have seen, are cyclical and last a few years. Personally I think that the appliance, being the functional part of the kitchen, must be positioned so that it is easy to use and has no limitations in performing its functions. I’ll give an example: flush top built-in hobs have limited burner powers as they heat a lot.

2 For what concerns us, our flagship products are the “cooking blocks” of a professional type, thought however for the home, and I must say that often the design of the kitchen starts just from the cooking block that becomes the qualifying element of the kitchen itself. The appliance (in particular when we speak of cooking) is in fact the part that most characterizes the kitchen. Ilve is used to selling “big” products; the appliances we sell the most are of 90, 100 and even 120 cm with two or three ovens. Kitchen, however, even if the spaces are reduced, becomes more and more a protagonist because the wall between kitchen and living room is often broken down to obtain an environment where is possible stay all together. In addition, the tendency is to see the size of the appliances grow but, above all, to see the number of the same increase, perhaps including a steam oven, a blast chiller or the vacuum machine of which they speak so often in the “star” kitchens.

3 Without doubt, colors, materials and finishes (handles and knobs). Also the measures are important as finally the integrated installation (for example the “flush top” hobs mentioned above). But be careful to “hide” the appliance completely, the risk is to make the kitchen a walk-in closet…

Officine Gullo

1 It is a trend that certainly has an important relevance because the style of a kitchen acquires greater identity when the appliances are well integrated into the environment, making it perfectly homogeneous. Moreover, for a better optimization of the spaces, the furniture is custom-designed on the basis not only of the dimensions but also according to the various appliances.

2 Absolutely yes. Technology is constantly changing and brings changes in the way to design the kitchen space. Increased attention is given to the cooking tools, both in terms of appliances number and type and of their size. It is inevitable that the distribution of spaces changes but not only: the choice of materials also changes, that sometimes must be suitable to support even non-usual temperatures.

3   Making a comparison between a kitchen and a car, we can say that the dashboard of a car masks the internal technology giving an aesthetic perfectly integrated with the bodywork. In the design of a kitchen we see more or less a similar process: household appliances are placed in specifically designed spaces and then uniformed to the environment through the use of aesthetic elements, such as masks or colors, where any detail, perfectly cared, completes and uniforms the entire kitchen space in an excellent way. Exactly like the chrome details of a vintage car.

Sirius

1 We are not very interested in trends or fashions, so I cannot answer. Instead, we are interested in creating products that last over time and that use technology, not for mere marketing purposes, but to improve people’s lives. We follow with great interest the developments that are taking place in recent years in the Information Technology field, above all regarding the artificial intelligence subject. We are aware that in the near future such progress will radically modify the man-appliance relationship and consequently the relationship between man and kitchen space.

2 As mentioned before, the traditional kitchen environment will no longer exist. There will be a changing space that will transform according to the needs of those who live there. Not just the kitchen, but the whole house will be a hybrid space in which functions mix and overlap.

3 More than of integration between household appliances and kitchen furniture, I would speak of a relationship man-appliance-kitchen space. In the future, as already happens in some sectors, it will be possible to communicate with the kitchen equipment and monitor them from outside too. In a less near future, home appliances will be able to make autonomous choices, minimizing the human intervention. I like, therefore, to think of the kitchen of tomorrow not as a minimalist environment with furniture that hide appliances, but as a container of technology at the service of man.

Smalvic

1 It is a trend that will develop further, especially in the high-end range. Here design and technology are the password, and designing the kitchen and living space as a unicum is one of the cornerstones of design. To integrate into the cooking space means, from my point of view, to make the elements coexist in an intelligent way, not necessarily to hide, thus seeking innovative solutions.  Even in the “normal” kitchen the trend is a design that aims to integrate: not devoted to aesthetics in the absolute sense, but looking for practical solutions, easy in every sense.

2 The “non-traditional” dimensions of ovens and hobs have always been in the heart of Smalvic: we have in the catalog since an immemorial time the 90 cm ovens, but also the 45 or 36 cm ones, and for the hobs … we really have all measures! Also for free-standing cookers, our Less kitchen block is produced in 3 sizes: 90, 120 and 150 cm. Our company has chosen to have a wide range of measures and solutions (think for example of the a gas oven) to be competitive in international markets. In Italy the new “out-of-size” measures are also the result of the trend that sees the cooking area and the cooking activity itself as the beating heart of the home and that makes the kitchen the place of the aggregation for excellence.

3 The aesthetic component is very important, but we must not forget some more technical aspects such as the compatibility of the used materials and the measures. The insertion of the appliance must be done in a rational way, taking into account the needs of the built-in and so correct distances, spaces for venting, materials able of supporting a functional combination… for us, integration into the kitchen is not just a furnishing trend.

Zepa-Teka

1 We at Zepa- Teka Group believe that the trend will be directed towards increasingly functional and modular areas, with specialized blocks for cooking, storage and washing. The basic purpose is obviously to pursue the stylistic rigor of the whole. This belief is confirmed by what emerged at the Salone del Mobile 2018 or at IFA in Berlin, where the main drivers were the prestigious materials, the personalization of the spaces and the combination of living and kitchen in general. The classic subdivision of base/hanging furniture has thus been overcome to reach equipped areas, hidden by retractable doors or even integrated into monolithic blocks. And in all this, home appliances become protagonists of furnishing.

2 Undoubtedly. The not “traditional” dimensions first had an impact on the height of kitchen cupboards and worktops. In fact, the traditional depth of the 60 cm bases has reached greater and more ergonomic measurements, and this has happened for a simple reason: increasing the depth of the bases means lowering the wall units that so take on a much more functional position. In addition, the depth of 80 cm allows greater visibility on the work surface and offers the possibility of cooking in a more open space, eliminating the sense of constraint and increasing the freedom of movement. For these reasons, the home appliances world has embraced this new stylistic and functional trend with the creation of larger products than the classic 60×60 cm: just think that the Zepa turnover related to the aforementioned models is constantly increasing by 20%.

3 First of all, we are looking at a transformation of the kitchen that is no longer, as in the past, the place around which the family reunites; in fact nowadays the kitchen is furnished according to the ritual taste of the visit and no longer of the affections. Just like in fashion, there is the search of a total look for the kitchen and for the home, and we start talking about total living. In my opinion, therefore, given this stylistic/functional trend, attention to detail and attention to high quality are very important integrating factors in the creation of a homogeneous environment, as well as the uniformity of style and design.