TECHNOLOGY IN THE KITCHEN
SMART APPLIANCES MAKING YOUR LIFE EASIER
By Cindy Harder

The kitchen is the “heart” of the home where life pulses to the beat of our hectic schedules no matter the time of day. Everyone seems to gravitate to this part of the house whether it’s doing homework, paying bills, cooking or visiting over a cup of coffee.

In our technologically advanced world, we have seen the future and it is everywhere, even in the form of the smart kitchen. The Internet Home Alliance Research Council found that the most desired kitchen innovations are the digital calendar, the universal charging station, wireless Internet access, and a home control station to manage HVAC and security systems easily.

For starters, Whirlpool makes the Centralpark Refrigerator, featuring an innovative charging accessory. You can attach a “third party” module like a MP3 player or cell phone charger directly to a port on top of the refrigerator/freezer door. The connection is hidden from view, keeping the kitchen tidy of plug-ins and the gadget it is attached to.

For the ultimate in “fridge tec,” the Ceiva Connected Digital Photo Frame may also be attached and features a Wi-Fi ready frame and eight-inch high-resolution LCD screen with a built-in camera card reader. Thousands of family pictures may be displayed on the refrigerator without a single magnet. Through the internal Wi-Fi, you can connect to daily weather, sports, and news without the clutter of a TV on the counter. Coming soon to the market for the Centralpark Refrigerator are additional innovative accessories – the Digital Calendar and Message Screen. If you would like to learn more about this smart appliance and its accessories, have a look at www.whirlpool.com.

Why a computer in the kitchen? How about for looking up recipes, e-mailing a friend while dinner cooks or even helping your child do homework! Notebook computers can be stationed under cabinets for easy flip down that utilizes wireless Internet or broad band connection, thus saving counter space. The iCEBOX Flip Screen multimedia center is really an all-in- one kitchen gadget – a television, FM Radio player, DVD player and Internet screen all rolled together. The 12.1-inch LCD touch screen makes it easy to use, but it also comes with a remote and keyboard. Fitting snugly under the cabinets, it is hidden until you want to see it. Check out www.kitchens.com to learn more about the iCEBOX.

Before you purchase smart appliances, consider how it’s going to work in your kitchen. Obviously, it’s easiest to plan the smart kitchen from the architectural design phase. The trend continues for kitchens to look more like furniture and to blend in with the rest of the home. “This desire, mixed with the digital age, is one more wave designers need to ride and stay on top of,” states Legacy Building Specialists designer, Lois White. “Often trying to blend a digital appliance into the kitchen without the eye being drawn to the clutter of the wires is a major tsunami.” We learn that a designer can hide devices while they are charging or not in use by using valances, panels and pocket doors with materials that blend with the rest of the kitchen.

There are wonderful things happening in the kitchen today and new products being created faster than can be successfully incorporated. As our options increase and more enhancements are created for our everyday appliances, take time to consider the benefits, space it saves or occupies, and how your designer can make it blend with the rest of your home. Legacy Building Specialists in Granby can help you choose appliances and design the space for your smart kitchen.


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• Green Solutions: Building and Renovating with a Conscience
• The Past Meets the Future: An Extraordinary Grand Lake Home
• Art & Design: Art & Technology, Local Artists, Woodworking, and Reclaimed Furntiture
• Be In the Know about H2O: Hydration Needs
• Raising the Roof: Meeting Jeff Johnston
• 2008 Feature Articles