Kitchen turns comfort zone for the pandemic-weary

The kitchen is the key to a healthy and happy lifestyle

There is hardly anyone who will contest that the kitchen has been the most hard-working space in our homes, most certainly in the last two years.

With the consumers steadily evolving to become more introspective, proactive and well-informed, coupled with the ambiguity in the outside world, kitchens are fast becoming the tranquil yet active spaces that hold the key to sustainable, healthy and happy lifestyles.

The year 2022 is all about solidifying this very approach, with trends that will give kitchens and consumers the power to transform this.

Here are the top picks that will define the "new normal" kitchen and consumer.

Equal parts functional, equal parts aesthetic

Changing demographics have urged design innovation and functional ergonomics to integrate into sleeker styles that match the new consumer needs. This is especially true for millennials and Gen Z's, who have been more active in entering and experimenting in the kitchen during the pandemic.

The Indian kitchen of 2022 is all about intuitive and innovative functionality. Kitchen products that are high on style yet efficient, high on performance and incredibly functional for everyday use will remain the top picks for the consumers. People will prefer more food prep tools for ease of use and reduced time for routine tasks.

The conscious consumer in the mindful kitchen

Consumers increasingly recognise their responsibility towards maintaining health and the need to do more. There is also a willingness to prioritise health over other benefits such as convenience. The consciousness extends to what they consume and how they eat it. They look at food and thereby their kitchen ecosystem to nourish their bodies while building their sustainable lifestyles. There is an emphasis on being green, in essence, sustainable and responsible.

This mindful eating has led to the need for high quality, nutritious food ingredients and sustainable tableware that is gentle on the environment. Consumers are looking for sustainable options not just in food and dining but also in kitchen storage. Storage solutions made from reusable materials such as glass and ceramics are likely to gain more shelf space in kitchens in 2022.

The kitchen as the new 'theatre' setting

Families have been gathering around the table, and experimentation in the kitchen has increased manifold, as people worldwide have spent more time cooking and eating at home in recent times. Many have attempted to replicate the dining out experience at home. Similarly, creating the holiday vibe at home has become necessary with periodic restrictions.

This is a trend likely to endure in 2022, with more consumers consciously creating a mood and vibe in their kitchen and dining spaces. This interest will significantly drive stylised designs, and premium finishes in tableware and experimentations with newer patterns, prints, and colours.

Kitchens to have a tech-vantage

There will be a larger preference for appliances that are high on technology for urban consumers. The new-age kitchens will see a more significant presence of IOT. With back-to-back work calls and an endless task list, homeowners would love to have the option to control the oven temperature while out on a walk or use an app to see the inside of the refrigerator while on a grocery run.

The year 2022 is likely to see consumers build on their learnings and experiences in the last two years, while savouring "the now." If curated with the right thought, our kitchens have the power to enable a mindful, responsible and sustainable lifestyle that will benefit us in the here and now.

Anand Baldawa is CEO of thinKitchen, a new age, premium kitchenware and homeware brand.