Kitchen

Explore new ways to cook and entertain, inspired by kitchen trends spotted at Eurocucina and Milan Design Week

Trends to watch and culinary spaces that inspire, as seen at Milan Design Week

MODERN INFLUENCE NEXT125 Elegant and ergonomic, the chic culinary spaces by German brand Next125 pair its Bauhaus and Cubist influence with a contemporary range of shades and surfaces. Colours presented at Eurocucina this year include the sleek onyx black, a bold ruby red, and a warm mocha brown; these are paired with textures of woodgrain for a rustic touch. Top picks include a ceramic front in a finish that echoes the appearance of Grigio marble, and fitted with sleek, handle-less cabinetry units in dark onyx. Optional garden panels help enliven the culinary space—it features integrated lighting suitable for darker spaces, where you could grow your very own collection of fresh herbs. Available at W. Atelier; watelier.com

DISAPPEARING ACT GAGGENAU Gaggenau’s new Vario cooling 400 series is in line with the growing trend for kitchens that match seamlessly with the living areas of a home. The integrated range of fridges, freezers and wine cabinets look good while keeping your food fresh and, more importantly, your wine at just the right temperature. The brand took inspiration from architectural structures and created a streamlined cooling system that will blend into the kitchen. A key visual aspect is the absence of any unsightly door handles, while the light and touch keys of the fridge’s ice and water dispenser light up only when you are in proximity. And for the things in the kitchen that you want on display— the wine cabinet comes with five pre-set lighting options to showcase your wine collection in the best light. gaggenau.com/sg

PURE FORMS SIEMATIC Making its debut at its Milan flagship showroom during Eurocucina, Siematic’s Pure collection ups the appeal of the minimalist kitchen. This new collection is characterised by its sleek look and distinctive use of mirrored surfaces, while featuring an improved grip for its recessed areas. Bronze tinted glass panels and filigree aluminium profiles add to the clean lines of the culinary space, while individually controlled LED lighting makes its glass cabinetry akin to a jewellery box; each cabinet becomes an opportunity to showcase treasured culinary tools while highlighting its wood veneer interior when the backlight is switched on. As a finishing touch, a special coating minimises the appearance of fingerprints on its surfaces. Available at W. Atelier; watelier.com

LEADING THE CHARGE LG Kitchens should impress at first glance but more importantly, it should function well and withstand daily use. As such, one needs the right combination of an ergonomic layout, enduring materials and high-quality fixtures to have a space that truly marries form and function. The Signature Kitchen Suite by LG would definitely answer the need for the latter. The appliance maker’s newest line of premium products includes a handle-less oven and an induction cooktop with a seven-inch LCD panel—both of which are equipped with Wi-fi connectivity and Smartthinq, a platform that allows one to control the appliances remotely. Presenting the latest innovations in elegant settings, LG showcased ways of seamlessly integrating technology into the kitchen space—a must for any modern home. lg.com/sg

EACH CABINET BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE TREASURED CULINARY TOOLS WHILE HIGHLIGHTING ITS WOOD VENEER INTERIOR

TAPESTRY OF STYLE MOLTENI&C | DADA The dual-role that today’s kitchen plays— functioning as practical places to cook and create as well as enjoyable spaces to indulge and entertain—was certainly in the mind of architect Vincent Van Duysen when he created Ratio, his latest kitchen design for Motleni&c | Dada. Marrying a sleek, architectural approach with sumptuous decorative elements, the brand’s creative director crafted a modular kitchen solution that combines warm woods, natural stones, and metallic grids resulting in an unconventional interplay of material and shape. The idea of allowing various compositions while still retaining an overall streamlined look creates a space that sparks creativity and inspires homeowners to enjoy quality time. Available at P5; p5.com.sg

SKY’S THE LIMIT V-ZUG Drawing spectacular parallels between design, science and technology, V-zug unfurled The Art of Innovation, an immersive exhibition showcasing developments in the Swiss manufacturer’s line of kitchen and laundry appliances. Held at the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, the event highlighted the brand’s evolution of creative home solutions, with the new Fullflex hob taking centre stage in a dramatic auditorium framed by Da Vinci’s artworks. In this latest iteration of the induction hob, the device does away with prescribed cooking zones to offer—as the name suggests—full flexibility, thanks to state-of-the-art conductors that detect the location and size of your pans automatically. The art is in the details: glass ceramic plate, full-colour graphic display and concealed silicone strips make this one of the sleekest kitchen appliances on the market. vzug.com/sg/en

THE SLEEK AND STREAMLINED LOOK CREATES A SPACE THAT SPARKS CREATIVITY AND INSPIRES HOMEOWNERS TO SPEND QUALITY TIME IN THE KITCHEN

NEW SOURCE MIELE With its Dialog oven, the result of seven years of research and development, Miele introduced a revolutionary new way to cook, an advance it likened to the introduction of the microwave to consumers. The Dialog oven has two sources of heat-generating electromagnetic waves that also detect how much of the waves’ power has been absorbed by the food, so the oven knows when the food is cooked to perfection. One of the demonstrations involved cuts of steak placed alongside vegetables and polenta patties, and all cooked at the same heat setting for the same length of time—without any of the items being overcooked or undercooked. With the intelligent cooking method of the Dialog oven, the different types of food only absorb as much energy as they need to be cooked perfectly. In its “dialogue” with the food, the oven also manages to cook it in a shorter time as well. And because cooking with electromagnetic waves means meat won’t brown and bread won’t develop a crust, the Dialog oven also provides traditional radiant heat to give food that appetising seared finish. miele.sg

ISLAND LIVING BULTHAUP Bulthaup took up a former church building and a landmark in Brera—the Chiesa di San Carpoforo— for its showcase, filling the vast space with interactive stations for people to experience its new designs through plenty of food and drinks. This included the “b3 island”, which transforms the island area in a kitchen into a more functional space, so the person cooking can interact more with family members and guests. The b3 island features panels that slide to reveal storage areas for utensils, spices and more. The panels can also be used as counter space and chopping boards, and can slide right up to the sink at the end of the island. Available at The Madison Group; themadisongroup.asia