Häfele UK’s Elizabeth Briggs shares design concepts as well as budgeting ideas for integrating multi-functional hidden kitchens into residential designs post-pandemic
The rise in popularity of hidden kitchens has multiple factors, but it is undoubtedly driven what we can call the ‘pandemic effect.’
During lockdowns, people spent more time in their homes – whether working, home-schooling or exercising. During that time, there was a need for homes to be clutter free and spacious, as people had such little space to enjoy compared to usual. Then, as restrictions were lifted, families and friends spent more time entertaining at home rather than going out.
As a result of this, the desire for kitchens – as the heart of the home – to be multi-functional and free of mess has grown significantly. Being able to ‘shut off’ an area is now more important to homeowners than ever. In fact, last year, we surveyed over 2,000 homeowners who told us this capability was critical when choosing a new kitchen, with 15% saying they want to be able to change the function of the room on demand. For example closing off areas to hide a mess or change the use of the space. Further to this, 65% of people bake in their kitchen, one in 10 use it as a home office, and 4.5% exercise in this space.
Customers clearly want their spaces to work harder for them, but many don’t believe they have the budget or floor space for a hidden or ‘second’ area within their kitchen. What many don’t realise is that the concept is scalable; while budgets vary considerably, so do product ranges.
With this in mind, architects and designers are currently in a strong position to demonstrate how hidden kitchens can be integrated with ease – whether an existing space or as part of an extension. The key however is taking a personalised approach to the customer’s needs, considering both their practical requirements and their personal taste.
Dedicated storage
Some people want their worktops to be clutter free, and for small appliances like kettles, toasters, coffee machines and microwaves to be out of sight when not in use. Having a dedicated area for items like these creates a cleaner, more streamlined aesthetic in the rest of the kitchen space, but can also become a key design feature that can act as a hidden kitchen space.
For example, a breakfast cupboard that opens up when needed and closed off when finished with can be a great addition to a kitchen. This idea can be taken further for people who have a particular hobby, like baking, with specific tools and equipment that take up a lot of space. In this case, creating a concealed ‘prep area’ that exists behind closed doors, or dedicating an area within a newly added utility room for the activity, will act as a secondary space to the main kitchen and can be used to place mess and equipment quickly out of sight.
The power of pocket – and pivot – doors
For homeowners with a larger floor plan, walk-in pantries or butler’s kitchens – also known as spice kitchens – are increasing in popularity too. These might be integrated as part of an extension, typically taking up a whole corner of a room or an entire wall, rather than consisting of one large cabinet as a breakfast cabinet would. The premise, though, is still the same – homeowners want the luxury of having a space they can close off once their task is complete, to return to entertaining their guests, with mess out of sight.
With such a big installation however, open traditional swing doors would take up a significant amount of floor space. Instead, pocket or pivot doors can be installed, which slide back into a recess in between walls or cabinets so they’re out of sight when the pantry space is open. When needed, they slide back into place and form part of the overall kitchen design, simultaneously keeping mess, smells and washing up contained.
Brilliant broken plan
Where and how doors are installed in a space undergoing a renovation is central to how the overall room will work. While open plan has dominated design for years, fixtures and fittings that allow homeowners to shut off zones within their home as and when needed are more popular today. For example, many homeowners want to strike a balance between large kitchen diners and smaller, more intimate dining spaces which aren’t impacted by the mess and smells created by cooking.
Sliding doors play a key role in this, as they create physical and visual connections in a space as well as carving out specific areas for designated purposes, and save space compared to traditional swinging doors. Today, there is an endless range of door designs available, incorporating on-trend colours and matt finishes, which can also be paired with a wide range of stylish decorative handles. By making doors a key functional part of a space, flexibility will be achieved which creates the illusion of a ‘second’ space without major structural work.
Spaces that don’t work effectively for us can impact our day-to-day lives and relationships in a negative way. But with some tactical thinking and using the clever product ranges available today, designers can more easily create the feeling of second spaces that help homeowners feel more comfortable and productive in their homes.
Elizabeth Briggs is category manager at Häfele UK