Why We Already Have The Kitchen Of The Future

The kitchen is often seen as a stronghold of tradition. It is here that we imagine the most practical of purposes, with solid kitchenware from chopping boards to accessories for baking. The tide has turned, as modern developments have meant that there are many new materials being used in the kitchen.

We now use all kind of modern synthetic materials, which are used alongside, or sometimes have replaced, traditional materials. Here are some examples of how technology has changed the face of the kitchen.

Thermoplastics

When it comes to the hardware of the kitchen, such as kitchen cabinets or tiling, there have been a lot of advancements. One of these is areas is the field of thermoplastics, which has become integral to the production of modern kitchen cabinets. You can achieve a clean, white look that can really lift a kitchen, giving it a contemporary style.

There are, however, wood grain effect thermoplastic cabinets and doors, which are often more affordable than the real thing. This is achieved by wrapping a plastic coating around MDF and heating it, shrinking it to produce a layer over the board. Effects can be sporadic, however, so it’s worth seeing the units before you buy.

Nylon

In the mid 1930s, the laboratories at DuPont created nylon, which is now the most widely used polymer in the world. First used in toothbrushes and then ladies stockings, it is now found throughout the tfashion industry, along with military equipment, sportswear. Like silicone, it has found its way into medical use, as well as telecommunications and electronics.

In the kitchen, nylon is used in cooking utensils and chopping boards. It is incredibly useful as creating tough, durable material that can be produced at a relatively low cost.

Melamine Resin

Unlike thermoplastics such as nylon, melamine resin is a thermosetting plastic, which a tough alternative to ceramic and china crockery. While melamine resin cannot be melted down, it is flame retardant, making it perfectly usable in the 50s and 60s when it first appeared. While broad uses of melamine can be found in crockery for children or specifically for camping because of its durability, it can also be found in contemporary designer diningware too.

Brands such as Rice homewares have produced an array of fashionable melamine resin items for modern dining. It is the bright colours and fun designs that have given melamine products a new lease of life, refreshing this kind of tableware from its original kitsch history.

It is these incredible developments that have made the kitchen a far more high tech place than it has ever been before, which we take for granted. Surely the most obvious sign that such products are essential to modern life.

Olive Loves Alfie offer a fantastic range of Rice homewares – beautifully decorated homeware items which look great in any modern kitchen.