The kitchen is a space where communication, care, change, sharing and conviviality are integrated. More than a space, it is a small universe in itself that, given the wealth of possible stories and rituals, could give room to a variety of spatial and design interpretations. Unfortunately so, at the last edition of EuroCucina / FTK – Technology For the Kitchen, there were only a few surprises to be seen: many exercises in style, many new finishes, many small technical innovations, but little of real, lasting relevance. At this year’s return of EuroCucina at the Rho Fiera grounds in Milan, as part of the Salone del Mobile.Milano 2024, STIR looked at potential disruptors in the realm of kitchen design, selecting ten proposals among the companies introducing interesting novelties in terms of functionality, aesthetics, practicality and technology.
1. Nomadic kitchens by Very Simple: Kitchen
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The new kitchen proposals by Very Simple: Kitchen Image: Matteo Cigala; Courtesy of STIR
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Very Simple: Kitchen presents a refined selection of kitchen accessories, synthesising quality, aesthetics and durability Image: Matteo Cigala; Courtesy of STIR
The ‘nomadic kitchens’ by Very Simple: Kitchen, born in 2018, was one of the few true innovations to be found for the kitchen environment at EuroCucina. It is a modular system of stainless steel kitchens characterised by its extensive customisation of colours and finishes. It is, as the name suggests, a ‘nomadic’ kitchen easy to assemble, disassemble and reconfigure. In its first appearance at EuroCucina, Very Simple: Kitchen presented some new features such as a new corner configuration, new wall units, and a line of accessories created in collaboration with the Swedish studio Form Us With Love, boasting details that can enrich the cooking experience.
2. LG rethinks kitchen mood
While most domestic appliance brands focus on greater efficiency and remote control of products, LG, through its appliances, sought to rethink everyday rituals, atmosphere and ambient mood in the kitchen. The brand has unveiled the new LG InstaView with MoodUP refrigerator collection, featuring integrated speakers and bright doors with changeable colours and appearances via the LG ThinQ app. LG’s refrigerator makes it easy to look inside: simply knock on the glass panel (InstaView) to avoid unnecessary cold air leakage, and subsequently energy wastage.
3. Outdoor kitchens by Outerra
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Outerra’s outdoor kitchens Image: Matteo Cigala; Courtesy of STIR
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Outerra redefines Dafne with a modular system with an aluminium structure and a stainless steel Image: Matteo Cigala; Courtesy of STIR
One of the most outstanding outdoor kitchens seen at EuroCucina was Dafne, produced by the Italian brand Outerra: it is a modular system with an aluminium structure and a stainless steel or UHPC top. This year, the company presented a new version of the product, with a top made of grit from Murano glass processing waste. The surface combines strength and solidity with the play of colour and random shapes of glass, giving a new character to the kitchen.
4. Miele’s digital turn
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Miele’s sizeable stand was amongst the best at the exhibition Image: Matteo Cigala; Courtesy of STIR
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Miele showcased a minimalist design and digital, interactive elements in its exhibition Image: Matteo Cigala; Courtesy of STIR
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The brand presented two new colour schemes and digital features for comfortable and sustainable living Image: Matteo Cigala; Courtesy of STIR
Among the largest and most impressive stands—not only from EuroCucina but from the entire exhibition—was that of the German company Miele, which used almost 1,000 square metres of display space to present an immersive journey illustrating its digital turnaround. The main contents on display were two new colour combinations, but above all, the company’s new digital functions stood out as signs of convenience, immediacy, efficiency and interconnection. It is, at this juncture, better to avoid the term sustainability. In addition to the product showcase, the stand featured large animations on LED screens, which captured the attention of visitors, causing slight congestion at the entrance.
5. Integrated AI in the kitchen with Samsung
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Samsung introduced artificial intelligence in the kitchen Image: Matteo Cigala; Courtesy of STIR
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Samsung showcased its latest collaborations utilising SmartThings Energy at EuroCucina 2024 Image: Matteo Cigala; Courtesy of STIR
Connectivity is also at the heart of Samsung’s new home appliances, which at EuroCucina presented a new Bespoke AI concept: an expansion of connectivity not only in the kitchen but also throughout the home to make everyday domestic life simpler and more intuitive, requiring less effort in carrying out household tasks. The product that best represents this imagery is the oven, which thanks to the AI Pro Cooking function optimises cooking settings while controlling food. If the oven is set to cook a dish it is familiar with, using the suggested cooking mode, temperature and time, the AI Pro Cooking system can also send notifications to the user to prevent the food from burning.
6. NikolaTesla collection by Elica
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The Elica stand at EuroCucina Image: Matteo Cigala; Courtesy of STIR
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The NikolaTesla collection introduced an additional energy-saving feature called Airmatic for air purification Image: Matteo Cigala; Courtesy of STIR
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Elica also unveiled a new extractor, boasting half the cooking time and reduced energy consumption for a new and sustainable cooking experience Image: Matteo Cigala; Courtesy of STIR
In the Elica stand, a prominent space was given to the NikolaTesla collection of extractor hobs, displayed under a dramatic suspended light installation. “At the heart of the creative process of the entire NikolaTesla line is the combination of air treatment and optimum cooking results,” the company explains. At EuroCucina this year, we found the experimental vacuum hobs—which have now been rethought year after year starting from 2016, when the first product in the family NikolaTesla One was launched—to meet the ever-changing requirements of aesthetics, multifunctionality and integration.
7. Bertazzoni’s classics
At the Bertazzoni stand, the PRO95I1ECAT freestanding kitchen was presented in a bold orange colour. The product, awarded the iF DESIGN AWARD 2022 in the Product Design discipline (Kitchen Appliances category), was undoubtedly one of the most appreciated on the company’s stand. Among the new features presented by Bertazzoni was also the new Gold finish for the Heritage Series ovens.
8. Snaidero’s sophisticated kitchens
Snaidero has been a beacon of Italian excellence in the kitchen sector for over 75 years. This year, the company showed up at EuroSalone with a particularly sophisticated stand, and a modernity that seemed less Mediterranean and more metropolitan. Among the flagship products presented was the Joy kitchen, characterised by the absence of handles, allowing the enhancement of material combinations and, in the case of the model seen at the fair, the integration of light lines into the kitchen design.
9. Aran Cucine’s focus on conviviality
There were several new products presented by Aran Cucine, all under the banner of “conviviality”, wherein the kitchen was no longer just the environment dedicated to food preparation, but became the place for being together, welcoming and sharing. A new version of CUCINAnD’O was presented, a special kitchen conceived in collaboration with the well-known chef Davide Oldani, with whom the company has been working since 2022. Girasole is a new product designed exclusively for exterior use, bringing the intimacy and sociability of the kitchen into outdoor spaces. Finally, new finishes, compositions and equipment were unveiled for the Guadalupe and Quadro models.
10. Social and cultural meanings of food
The space we enjoyed the most at EuroCucina was undoubtedly the one that hosted the event All You Have Ever Wanted to Know About Food Design in Six Performances. Here, six international food magazines offered broader reflections on the topic of food each day, together with chefs, designers, artists and insiders. Through dialogues, presentations, tasting experiences, performances and temporary exhibitions, various themes linking cuisine to social and cultural issues were investigated: what food represents for our societies, the importance of convivial acts and being together, and the environmental impact of the food industry on the environment.
Stay tuned to STIR’s coverage of Milan Design Week 2024which showcases the best of exhibitions, studios, designers, installations, brands and events to look out for. Explore EuroCucina and all the design districts—Fuorisalone, 5vie Design Week, Isola Design Week, Brera Design District and Porta Venezia Design District.
