Smart home innovations are on the rise. Even today’s kitchens are getting smarter and more tech-savvy. A recent report from the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) highlighted a growing desire to integrate technology into the kitchen. The NKBA report analyzed data collected from 25-65 year old homeowners planning to remodel their kitchens in the next two years. These homeowners recognize kitchen technology as adding to home value, comfort, and enjoyment of this versatile space, and aesthetic appeal. Here are some ways you can incorporate kitchen technology into your home.
Smart Appliances Play Their Part
Professionals, homeowners, and renters alike are becoming more interested in smart appliances for the kitchen. In fact, 74% of the people surveyed in the NKBA report wanted to know more about smart appliances. Even the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show featured a number of smart appliances for the kitchen such as the KitchenAid Smart Display.
While new appliances like these are coming onto the scene, smart appliance staples remain top of mind. The latest smart refrigerators monitor expiration dates on food and send you reminders to use food while it’s still fresh. This information and more is available via the appliance itself or through a smartphone app. Some smart fridges have transparent screens to view inside the fridge without opening the door. The LG InstaView Door-in-Door Refrigerator is a great example that offers many of these features and more.
Monitoring and controlling smart oven settings is getting easier through apps or hubs such as Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa. Smart ovens can connect to apps such as Yummly to view recipe instructions. Using these instructions, these ovens can preheat, cook food, and even turn off when food is ready.
Insight into Centralized Light
The second highest area of interest for those surveyed by NKBA was centralized lighting controls. In general, lighting controlled via central hub or smartphone app is becoming more popular. Centralized smart lighting in the kitchen provides opportunities to customize brightness and locations of lighting. This also eliminates the need for complicated or space-consuming light switch panels. Smart lighting can get a leg up by voice-activated assistance from Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. Using voice-activated commands to monitor lighting makes cooking and navigating the kitchen with full or messy hands a breeze.
Hands Free Is the Way to Be
Smart lighting is not the only kitchen technology that complements navigating with ease. Hands-free solutions work well with those want to work smarter and not harder in the kitchen. Fifty-seven percent of NKBA’s survey participants wanted to know more about using voice-activated devices in the kitchen.
Home displays such as Apple’s HomeKit support hands-free operation of smart devices in the kitchen through voice activation technology. Using voice commands, you can open shades, turn a kettle on or off, or adjust the temperature. While not yet voice-activated, 51% of those surveyed by NKBA were interested in automated faucets. You can easily activate motion sensing faucets, like the Moen Arbor Single Handle Kitchen Faucet, by a wave of your hand. Bringing an object like a plate or cup close to one of the faucet’s sensors can also activate the faucet. Motion sensors can also open cabinets and activate task lighting. Multi-tasking and maintaining productivity in the kitchen is easier than ever with these hands-free options.
WPL Interior Design is constantly seeking out the latest technology that can be integrated into the home. If you are looking to turn your kitchen into one of the future, give us a call today and we’ll help you turn your vision into a reality.
