The Dazzling Future of High-Tech Kitchens

For families, the pandemic has changed just about everything, especially in the kitchen. Like no time in the past 50 years, homeowners are cooking and eating more meals at home, and the room where all this action takes place has experienced a technology and design renaissance.

It has been noted by more than one clever kitchen connoisseur that “Eating is still analog, but kitchens have taken up residence in the digital age!” A recent article noted that “designers and appliance makers are increasingly relying on a host of technological innovations to update the traditional tasks of cooking, storing and cleaning up. Kitchen-appliance categories haven’t changed much since the 1970s, when microwave ovens began appearing on ordinary countertops. But cameras, sensors, artificial intelligence and building materials are now turning those appliances into ultra – sophisticated hardware, while smart functions and connectivity are recasting the “cloud” as the latest kitchen accessory.”

Sanitation is also high on the list of homeowners. According to a recent survey compiled by the National Kitchen and Bath Association, “concern about COVID is changing homeowners’ basic expectations for the kitchen. Kitchen product manufacturers are seeing soaring requests for items that help keep the cooking area more sanitized, such as touchless faucets and antimicrobial surfaces.”

Efficient Kitchen Design

The builders in the master-planned community of ARTAVIA™, located north of Houston in Conroe,  have always been on the forefront of efficient kitchen design and these “stay-at-home” times have encouraged even more innovations. One of these builders, Highland Homes, has been recognized for its energy-efficient building materials, earning an “Excellence in Energy Performance Award.” Ravenna Homes has been awarded the PRISM award for Best Product Design from the Greater Houston Builder Association. David Weekley Homes has long been recognized for the company’s EnergySaver™ homes which are built utilizing the latest in energy-efficient building techniques which are backed by the “Environments for Living ® ” program’s heating and cooling energy usage guarantee.

Other builders such as J. Patrick Homes, Lennar, Coventry Homes, Perry Homes and Westin Homes offer the latest kitchen appliances with cutting edge technology. ARTAVIA™ builders offer innovative lighting packages, upgraded kitchen faucets and other “smart” products to transform the once low tech kitchen into a command control center for anything related to cooking, clean-up, grocery shopping and food storage.

Other Kitchen Technology Innovations are Coming Soon!

Many experts who study and write about “smart technology” innovations have found a wealth of interesting innovations in the kitchen. While many of these kitchen products are not available yet, here are a few examples that will likely make their way into new homes in the very near future.

• Apps are being used to adjust the light in the kitchen, monitor solar-powered production for the home and adjust the thermostat for individual rooms in the home.
• Cameras in refrigerators can be accessed on a smartphone allowing the grocery shopper of the family to “look” into the fridge from the grocery aisle to see what is needed to be replenished.
• A Dekton composite countertop that resists heat, light and scratches is popular among the early adopters for kitchen-tech.
• Kohler, says a majority of homeowners are starting to regard the touchless faucets as “must-haves.” Kohler now combines voice automation with their touchless feature, allowing you to command your faucet to pour exact amounts of water. Homeowners can go so far as to customize voice orders by recipe.
• Thermador offers an extra-low simmering feature that, the company says, lets you melt chocolate on a paper plate. Thermador users can also hook up all its appliances categories to the same app, which will alert the chef that the fridge door is open, let him or her preheat the oven, or adjust the temperature of a wine cabinet to accommodate an unusual varietal.

High-Tech and High-Touch

The future looks bright for the busiest room in the homeFor the homeowners in ARTAVIA™  the natural trails, friendly neighbors, and unparalleled amenities complement the cutting-edge technology. Come see why more people are choosing to Live Colorfully. Click here to schedule a tour today.