Until the 1950s, the kitchen was the most utilitarian of rooms. Design, either for aesthetics or improved function, was barely a consideration, because this room was only inhabited by the servants or, in poorer households, the women of the house. “It didn’t matter how efficient it was for the maid,” says Zoe Hendon, head of collections at Middlesex University’s Museum of Domestic Design and Architecture.
Two phenomena conspired to change the kitchen: the fall in the numbers of domestic servants and the rise of technology. From the 1960s, labour-saving devices were much more prevalent. Washing machines, tumble dryers, electric kettles and fridges meant the need for more plug points and a rethink of the kitchen’s layout – where to put all these items? The need for a utility room arose.
1960s kitchens were modular and durable. Plywood units were finished with fancy and often brightly coloured new materials such as Formica and PVC. Not only were these finishes inexpensive, they were easy to clean.
With fewer hours spent on chores, families had more time to enjoy themselves and that extended to meal times. Modern-style socialising around food preparation and meal times meant kitchens were no longer shut away and, from the 1970s onwards, they became a focal point of the home. “There was a move towards open-plan kitchen and dining areas, because the activities of the kitchen became social,” says Hendon.
According to Shoreditch’s Geffrye Museum of the Home: “The kitchen was changing from being a separate workspace to being an integral part of the living room and increasingly the centre of family life.”
White minimalism with hidden storage and handle-less cupboards made an appearance in the 1990s, and designers such as John Pawson stripped everything back to the fundamentals, and we are yet to shake-off that aesthetic.
Kitchen appliances have proliferated as cooking styles have evolved, health concerns have come to the fore and technology has facilitated these changing consumer demands. Over the decades, the latest gizmos have jostled for position on work surfaces. Countertop microwaves went on sale in the late 1960s, and were displayed with pride. Now they are more likely to be a low-profile item, integrated into the oven.
Since then, bread-makers, food mixers, juicers, coffee machines and most recently vegetable spiralizers have been given pride of place. They may take up precious space on the kitchen island but they can be admired from the breakfast bar, and fancy kitchen brands like Alessi have become household names.
While some appliances have got bigger – those gargantuan Smeg fridge-freezers spring to mind – others have reduced in size or disappeared completely. Cordless kettles are being ditched in favour of taps that provide instant boiling water. Other appliances have become more environmentally friendly, in tune with their consumers. Energy-saving features on fridges and washing machines were once an additional extra – now they are standard.
Now, digital advances and the advent of the internet of things – which will see more and more appliances being controlled and monitored remotely through apps on smartphones – will help people to run their kitchens and homes more efficiently.
The Hive thermostat, for example, already allows homeowners to control their heating remotely, so there’s no need to come back to a cold home and chilly mealtime. Other advances such as smart plugs are on their way from Hive; these mean devices can be turned on and off remotely via your smartphone. You can turn on a slow cooker while at work so your dinner is ready when you walk in though the door.
Not so long ago, it would have been hard to imagine technological advances that allow you to perform tasks remotely, but such innovation has transformed the kitchen from a hidden workroom into a social hub of the modern home.
