What will the kitchen look like in a post-pandemic world? These are the kitchen designs of the future
The experts weigh in on the future of kitchen design

With the pandemic impacting every element of our lives, the way we use our homes has evolved with an emphasis being placed on hygiene, comfort and safety.
It goes without saying that the pandemic has had a huge effect on every part of our lives, including how we use our homes, so what will the kitchen look like as we settle into ‘the new normal’?
Many aspects of kitchen design – and kitchen trends – are likely to be impacted by the events of 2020, from the amount of time we spend in this space, to how we use it and the fixtures and fittings we choose for it.
Daniel Bowler, Director for Eggersmann, talked to Homes & Gardens about how Covid-19 has influenced the kitchen of the future, from hygiene and waste management to multi-functioning spaces.
1. Highlight on hygiene
A clean and germ-free kitchen in which to cook has always been important, of course, but with a focus on hand washing and many of us choosing to wipe down the grocery shop after a delivery since the pandemic first hit, features such as easy-to-clean surfaces, touch-free technology and pull-out spray taps will take on extra importance now.
2. Waste management
An efficient process for sorting recycling and food waste is a must in the modern kitchen. Having a bin close to the food preparation area is an important part of the working triangle to enable vegetable peelings to be quickly cleared away.
3. Go professional
Industrial-style kitchens were already a big trend before 2020, with the pandemic highlighting the need to take a more professional approach to its design.
Commercial kitchens were able to re-open for business relatively quickly post-lockdown because good hygiene systems were already in place for instance, and these are now being emulated at home too.
We’ll see this in the use of appliances too, with more in the way of tech that would normally be used by professional chefs, as more of us become confident with our own cooking abilities.
4. Multi-purpose spaces
We’re all spending a lot more time at home together, cooking, dining, working, learning and relaxing and many of these activities now take place in the kitchen, or open-plan kitchen/living area.
Zoning is becoming increasingly important, with space to work, rest and play all factored in. There will be spaces dedicated to working from home, more of an emphasis on sanctuary and a push towards privacy too.
-
-
Best robot vacuums: 7 top options for autonomous cleaning
Our round up of the best robot vacuums means you can sit back and relax while your vacuum zooms around your feet...
By Chris Haslam •
-
Headboard ideas – 16 statement headboards and interior designers' tips
These headboard ideas will transform your bedroom and create beautiful focal points. Interior design experts share their secrets
By Jennifer Ebert •
-
Country kitchen ideas – get the rustic look with our ultimate inspiration gallery
Rural dwellers and city slickers alike can take inspiration from our country kitchen ideas, incorporating everything from architecture and cabinets to handles and backsplashes
By Ysanne Brooks •
-
This is the kitchen color combination most likely to add value to your home – and buyers love it
New analysis shows the unexpected kitchen color combination that can add value to your home – and which buyers find most attractive
By Anna Cottrell •
-
This kitchen fuses classical cabinetry with industrial design – find out how to copy the look
This kitchen melds cool good looks with practicalities for a stylish yet wholesome design
By Homes & Gardens •
-
Breakfast bar ideas – stylish ways to create space for snacking
Flexible by nature, breakfast bars come in a wide range of styles to suit any type of kitchen, no matter the size
By Jennifer Ebert •
-
Floral stylist Willow Crossley shares her kitchen design secrets – and an unconventional wallpaper tip
Willow Crossley is famed for her bold twists on natural designs. Here she reveals her favorite things in the heart of her home
By Megan Slack •
-
20 white kitchen ideas – bright and stylish spaces that never date
Traditional or contemporary, a white kitchen is a timeless option you can't go wrong with
By Amy Cutmore •
-
The 'dirty kitchen' is the new must-have for serious entertainers – here's what you need to know
Discover what a dirty kitchen is – and why everybody wants one...
By Ruth Doherty •
-
Peek inside Christie Brinkley’s whimsical kitchen, complete with a cozy fireplace and gorgeous views of nature
The supermodel exclusively invites H&G to tour her fabulously unique kitchen while spilling the latest on her vegan prosecco line, Bellissima
By Marc Lupo •