Kitchen and Bath Furniture Trends – Present & Future Perfect

Here is a collection of fixtures, cabinetry and furniture for the kitchen and bath that showcases innovative design concepts from across the pond. Most are production pieces, although a couple are still prototypes. The kitchen increasingly acquires a chameleon-like quality, continuing the European trend of recasting dedicated cooking areas into multi-purpose spaces in the home. To achieve this, appliances, sinks and fixtures retract, or are hidden by doors & drawers when not in use. In the bathroom, vanities with integrated sinks offer easy maintenance, clean lines, and exciting design possibilities.

Berloni's cooking & multimedia workstation for the kitchen
An all-in-one cook, work and play station.

The stunning €300,000 Berloni “Not for Food” prototype on display at the Shanghai Expo is an ambitious effort by architect Enzo Eusebi to create a cross-over product that is not only geared for cooking, but also accommodates work and play.

Enzo-Eusebi-multi-function-kitchen-furniture
Great idea for a minor manse since it takes a lot of real estate, of course it does cost €300,000…

Looking more like a starship console than a kitchen-lounger, the sleek carbon fiber piece allows one to relax in the semi-circular sofa, listen to music, work on the internet and watch TV as desired.

Bathroom Vanity with Integrated Cabinet
Pretty in pink!

For something more nostalgic, this bathroom vanity and storage cabinet in shocking pink lacquer paired with the round mirror invoke an Art Deco sensibility. Designed by A. Arter & F. Citton, the bold colors and sweeping lines of this vanity merge seamlessly from the counter into the tall convex wall unit.

Italian Bathroom Vanity
An bathroom vanity that’s reminiscent of the Nike Swoop.

The lilac lacquer Zebrano of the vanity is topped with lilac colored crystal to provide a sophisticated touch.

Italian Kitchen Cabinet with Curved Counter
Pleasure island – cooking is pure pleasure with this colorful and  spacious island!

The Valcucine kitchen offers generous amounts of counter space and storage on both ends of the softly curved island.

Italian Kitchen Cabinet with Rounded Design Elements
Running circles around the kitchen – continuity of the design aesthetic extends to fixtures and storage units.

The kitchen’s numerous options reinforce the sinuous look with round stainless steel sinks, curvilinear hobs, vent hoods, wall cabinets, and semi-circular storage units.

Corner Sink
A freestanding work of art.

The unusual shape of the Novello sink allows for creative placements of the fixture. On a more practical note, the deeper, elongated bowl can be helpful to wheelchair users.

Corner Sink integrated with Bath Tub
Now we see the full genius of this creative suite of fixtures.

This sensuous bath tub can be installed in different ways – as a free standing fixture or installed next to the wall. But nothing beats articulating the wash basin with the bath tub for this clever look of an oversized spoon with a ribbon-like handle.

French Retro Kitchen Cabinet
This concept kitchen by Antoine Fritsch conjures up a soft, retro feel.

The funky Hersey Kiss shaped exhaust hood, gloss white and pink palette, and soft rounded lines of the angled breakfast bar are somehow reminds me of the mid-century futurism of The Jetsons.

French Retro Kitchen Cabinet
Induction cooktops never looked so cool!

The cooktops are inset into the counter and artfully designed to echo the shape of the hood. The cluster takes on the stylized form of a plant (or so it seems), adding an unexpected twist to the term ‘organic cooking’!

Italian Rosewood Vanity
The striking vanity’s wavy, fluid contours conjure up images of water in a stream.

I love the attention to details: the directional Rosewood grain in this cabinet accentuates the flowing lines of the design. The Corian wash basin can be seamlessly integrated into the counter with a variety of shape options: as (what imaginatively looks to me) a stylized dog bone, contrast colored round under-mount, or romantic heart-shaped sink.

Italian Rosewood Vanity
Storage heaven.

This piece of bathroom furniture is not just all good looks – its drawers glide out to provide abundant storage, easily satisfying demands for both function and form!

The following 4 kitchens by Philippe Starck all share a neo-baroque aesthetic and the philosophy of furniturized kitchens which are designed to support the users’ daily activities of reading, dining, working & entertaining. To maintain focus on the design, appliances are kept hidden behind the seek doors and vent hoods disappear into the wall cabinets.

German Kitchen Cabinets Designed by Philippe Starck
This Philippe Starck kitchen has all the trappings of a library, replete with a library ladder for anyone with an outsized cookbook collection!
German Kitchen Cabinets Designed by Philippe Starck
Along the vein of a camouflaged kitchen, the bright yellow mirrored glass fronts and unusual sconces support the cooking functions with a decorative flourish.
German Kitchen Cabinets Designed by Philippe Starck
For palatial digs, Starck offers an island kitchen that can be accessed from two sides (with the end units providing ample storage as well).
German Kitchen Cabinets Designed by Philippe Starck
About 37” square and 91” hi, these towers rotate 340 degrees with appliances and storage hidden inside. An innovative option is to have sinks installed adjacent to flush mounted cooker hobs for easy clean up. The floor lamp turns the dining table into a work space as needed.