Dining & Living Trends 2008

The consumer goods industry with the sectors tableware, kitchen and household is a highly competitive and fast moving industry. Here design is a fundamental economic instrument. Products have been exhausted in terms of function; therefore design is indispensable for differentiation in the global market. In order to sell good design, a clever communication of the design concept is essential.
 
Due to the economic globalisation individual products and product statements are changing; new forms are evolving for new life situations. In the field of tableware the breaking up of the classic order continues further. Over the last years globalisation has completely changed the form of eating, communicating and activities at the table – if it still is the table. This development is met with constantly new responses from the industry. From a classic western manufacturing view products are designed for international dishes, which results in further differentiation and specialisation for individual dishes and drinks.

Geometrical forms continue to dominate the field of classic china. However, these disappear the deeper you enter the field of the “globalised” form of tableware described above. Here the form of china becomes more open and overall more organic.

In the realm of colours a spectrum from lemon yellow to apple green dominates. As a counterpart to that first signs of a tendency towards lagoon blue can be observed, a colour which has not yet become dominant, but which will definitely become a trend colour in future. There are currently still many hues from the berry colour spectrum around, but in future the tendency will go towards a shining pink. Black and white continue to dominate.

Initial innovations in the field of cutlery are created by a black surface finish, an interesting kind of innovation, which follows the example set by the automotive industry. Here new paints have been launched onto the market such as the BMW Z4’s matt mix of silver and grey. Now other industries are also attempting to incorporate and further develop this trend.

Everywhere in Europe cooking programmes achieve high viewing figures on TV, and cooking and eating together are becoming increasingly important. This has inspired the industry to launch new products for eating and cooking onto the market. Against this background there has been a development from smallish to larger kitchens and finally to open plan kitchen-living rooms in recent years. Now the cooking process is brought directly to the dining area. Rechauds, which can be used with a wok, a grill or a fondue, are solutions that allow food to be prepared directly at the table and which incorporate influences from Asian culture.

 
Another important innovative factor is the use of interesting materials and new material combinations such as the use of silicone in cookware. Due to its qualities such as high heat resistance, temperature adaptability, insulation, and noise-absorption this material is ideally suited for cooking. A silicone ring with different-sized vents which is located in the inside of the lid allows the lid to be adjusted to four different sized openings and to close quietly.

We will introduce you to further current examples in our photo gallery:
>>Photo gallery "colours"

>>Photo gallery "forms"

>>Photo gallery "materials"