Products
InHouse Inspired Room Design offers the nx510 range of kitchens by Next125
L The
evolution of open
and broken plan
Working from home has now become normality for so many, but how has open and broken plan kitchen design evolved since the pandemic?
Words: Matt Baker September 2024
ike many sectors, the year 2020 was a critical time for the KBB industry; a global pandemic, multiple lockdowns, and fast-changing rules around public health all affected the way we did business. It fundamentally altered consumer
habits and what our customers needed from their kitchens. Working from home, either through flexible arrangements or outright furlough, meant people were not only spending more time in their living spaces, but were experiencing their homes in new ways. Four years on and the latest figures from the Office of National
Statistics suggest 40% of people still work from home. We’ve been running features in kbbreview on the effects of these changes on space planning and kitchen design ever since. So, now is a good time to reflect on how the conversation around open and broken plan has moved on, and how the latest product innovations have developed.
Evolving space There are many different elements that bring an open or broken plan
design together, including developing product trends. Leigh Price, co-director of Cheadle-based Real Tiles and Bathrooms
believes there’s been a shift in where customers are looking for ideas. “We have noticed that many homeowners are now taking inspiration from the layouts of houses in warmer climates, which are typically open plan, and often feature bi-folding garden doors that can be flung open to utilise the feeling of indoor-outdoor living.” Wet work areas of the kitchen are transforming, says Tim Bohmann,
director category managemr at German kitchen and bathroom brand Dornbracht: “Taps which offer more functionality to suit the varied demands on this space are becoming more intrinsic in a kitchen design. Mixer taps with a side spray or pull-down function, pot fillers and bar taps for filtered water, for example, transform wet work areas into functional units.” Chloe Blanchfield, product marketing manager at Hisense UK,
says built-in appliances are ideal for both open-plan and broken-plan kitchens as they provide a “sleek and seamless look, helping to
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