Kitchen Design Wellness Trends – According to LiLu

Kitchen Design Wellness Trends

Last year we wrote a blog about newest products on the market that supported kitchen design wellness trends, including, quartzite counter tops, gardening in your kitchen, glass front refrigerators and steam cooking. All trends that are still going strong. Since wellness has become even more of a focus for many families, this year we are adding to our knowledge about supporting well-being at home and sharing the things we saw at KBIS this year that are great products to add to your wellness kitchen.
You can read 2020’s blog on Kitchen Design Wellness Trends Here.

Authenticity and Self-Expression Supports Wellness

There is a trend toward personalization in kitchen design that is coming on strong which I predict is a trend that will continue to blossom for decades. With flexibility in materials and
advances in technology the ability to customize and change elements in a space without a complete remodel will become more and more common.
Self-expression and authenticity are a key elements of wellness and mental health. What better place to practice these two things than in your home? When you are planning your kitchen, we encourage you to find ways to add touches that are uniquely you or offer opportunities to express yourself.
This year at KBIS we spotted three products we think exemplify this trend and are a kitchen design wellness trend.
The first is the bespoke glass front refrigerators from Samsung. They come in eight sizes, nine colors and three textures. The combinations are almost limitless. You can use the colors and textures as a way of expressing your authentic self in your kitchen. If you ever tire of the colors or want a new look the panels can be replaced with new ones. Check out the possibilities on the Samsung website!
Another development in appliance designs for the kitchen comes from Blue Star. They are using digital printing as a way to allow homeowners to select refrigerators and ranges that are are pieces of art. There are 1,000 options for prints that range from bold and abstract like the fridge below to a bit preppy like the plaid range. See the options for self-expression through your appliances here.
Another product I thought was clever is this Elkay apron sink with interchangeable aprons. If you get tired of one look you can change the front without replacing the sink! I hope more manufacturers start to think this way, it’s a fun way to express yourself at home and a sustainable idea.

Indoor Air Quality and Kitchen Design Wellness Trends

Indoor air quality has a big impact on your health. Americans spend more than 90% of their time indoors. The quality of the air indoors then has a bigger impact on our well-being than pollution in the outdoor air.
This new product that monitors under your sink and other hidden areas like a water connection to your refrigerator for leaks. Leaks and moisture cause mold spores in the air which will impact the indoor air quality in your home. According to the EPA, (read more here) eliminating the source of moisture and removing mold in your home is an essential part of improving your indoor air.
By monitoring your home for leaks you can prevent a problem from ever occurring.

Galley Sinks

I have mentioned before that a well-designed kitchen helps you love cooking (less stress) and eat healthfully at home. Galley kitchen sinks are a true innovation in food preparation and a kitchen design wellness trend that is here to stay. They are designed to support every function in the kitchen and allow families and friends to work together on food preparation. They are such a great idea that other plumbing brands have designed similar products that allow you to cut, rinse, prep all your fresh fruits and veggies.
If you are a regular reader of our blog, you will know I’ve mentioned it before, but it is worth repeating, kids who help prepare food make healthier food choices. You can read the study from the University of Alberta here.
These long sinks with built-in prep tools making working side by side with your kids easy and fun. They add function to any kitchen but are especially helpful in a small kitchen because they essentially expand your counter space to the sink itself.

Touchless Kitchen

Keeping a kitchen clean and germ-free is certainly a great way to support the health and wellness of your family. When you think of frequently touched surfaces in the kitchen the faucet and cabinets top the list.
Touchless faucets have been around for a while, but a fairly new innovation is the smart faucet. You can now use voice control for your faucet. This faucet from Kohler, the Tone, was new this market. It turns on an off using your voice and you can ask it to dispense a specific amount of water!
These hinges allow for push openings of cabinets allowing you to remove handles and pulls from your cabinets. You can use a knee or the side of your hand to open cabinets. This prevents the spread of germs from repeatedly touches pulls and makes maintenance easier. No pulls to clean!

New Cooking Technologies

In the US new cooking technologies are adding to the nutritional value of the food we prepare at home. I was introduced to Sous Vide cooking this year through Design Hounds and Signature Kitchen Suites. I wrote an entire blog about sous vide and the benefits which you can read here. In addition, induction cooking has become more popular and has definite kitchen wellness design trends attributes. From preventing burns to contributing to indoor air quality, induction cooking is a wellness trend in the kitchen that benefits not only human health but the health of the planet as well.
Check out these induction ranges that are super stylish.