Let’s face it, a kitchen should be more than just a place where you cook food. Each day, our kitchen is the center for family life – a place to share meals and stories, pay bills, study homework and catch up on gossip over coffee or tea. The best kitchens create a sense of well-being, helping keep stress at bay and making everyone in the household feel good.
There’s no doubt that technology has drastically changed the way we live our lives. And when it comes to home improvement, there are now more options than ever before. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the latest technological advancements that are making it possible to transform your home even if you don’t have any construction experience.
So whether you’re interested in adding an extra bedroom or remodeling your kitchen, read on for some tips.
Google Home/ Alexa
With hands-free devices like Google Home and Alexa, you can set multiple timers, quickly access recipes, and even have recipes read to you. Cooking becomes easier, and more fun– just ask your device to play a podcast, or create a “Kitchen” playlist so you can enjoy your favorite tunes while you work.
Charging stations
We love moving phones, tablets, and cameras to a built-in charging station hidden in a drawer. This frees counter space while ensuring your devices stay fully charged, but also keeps them out of sight (and, maybe, out of mind).
Touch-activated faucets
A touch-activated kitchen faucet is a new and innovative technology that lets you turn the water on and off with a tap of your hand. With this easy-to-use feature, you can conserve water while saving yourself time and effort.
And it’s perfect for those moments when your hands are messy and you don’t want to make a bigger mess trying to get clean.
The touch-activated faucet might be a bit expensive, but it’s a great upgrade for those who want to make washing dishes, cleaning the sink, and preparing food even more convenient
Hidden screens
With the right accessories, even your kitchen can have an attractive screen for you to use for recipes, cooking shows, news, or video-chatting with friends. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Small television screens or tablets can help with meal prep or provide entertainment. You can designate a shelving area or get creative by hiding a screen inside a cabinet– just remember to plan for a cable hookup and make room for wires.
Kitchen appliances
The kitchen is the heart of the home, so it’s no wonder that there’s high demand for new and innovative kitchen technologies. While you might not need high-tech kitchen appliances, they sure are fun.
That’s why designers have responded with everything from touch-screen refrigerators and Wi-Fi-controlled trashcans to microwaves with smart sensors that automatically adjust cooking power based on what you’re preparing. If you want to take kitchen technology to the max, opt for a refrigerator with a touchscreen and the ability to stream music, a stove you can control from your smartphone, a trashcan you can open with the wave of a hand, and a microwave that customizes its presets based on your usage.
Just remember that technology evolves quickly, and high-tech kitchen appliances might need to be replaced sooner than their low-tech counterparts.
Device bowl
Ok, so this one is low-tech, but it’s for tech.
At dinner, you need to focus on your family and friends, not your phone. The “Device Bowl” is a simple solution for your tech-heavy dinner table. We love the idea of having a big bowl in the center of your table, so everyone who sits down for a meal has to place their phone in the bowl. This ensures a tech-free dinner, lively conversation, eye contact, and a much-needed break from our beloved technology.
Kitchen technology can make cooking and working in the kitchen easier- and more fun- so when you think about your kitchen design, don’t forget to consider the kitchen tech.
For more kitchen design inspiration be sure to visit Ark Design & Construction blog page or schedule a meeting with our kitchen design experts!
