Who Invented the Kitchen? The History of the Most Important Room in the House

The desire for comfort and convenience is the driving force of progress. German architect Margaret Schütte-Lihotzky wanted to simplify domestic women's work: make the movement around the kitchen faster and the workspace more functional. As a result, today the kitchen is the most important place in the house. We tell you where it all started.

What You Should Know About Early KitchensDozensKilometersof walking were taken by housewives while cooking. And all because of the incorrectly arranged furniture. The GalleyOn a Steamshipbecame the prototype of the first "modular" standard kitchen. In 1843YearCatherine Beecher was the first to think about a kitchen where everything would be within reach. The Ergonomics

1913: American Kristin Frederick conducted an experiment on housewives—exactly like that! She tied a string to the foot of each subject and at the end of the day measured how far the woman actually walked on the kitchen floor. As a result, Mrs. Frederick proved that dividing the kitchen into zones (cooking - washing - storage) allows a housewife to save almost half a kilometer of steps per day. Fewer movements, more achievements!

1920s: Lillian Gilbert, mother of 12 children, calculated the optimal arrangement of kitchen furniture, its shape and size based on personal experience. For that, she sketched the movements of all family members around the kitchen. The result was a series of "practical kitchens" created according to ergonomic principles. By the way, she invented the trash can with a pedal, shelves in the refrigerator door, and an electric mixer.

"Frankfurt Kitchen": What Is the Idea?

All the ideas and theories that had been developed were brought to life in 1926 in the first standard built-in kitchen designed by architect Margaret Schütte-Lihotzky. Why was the kitchen called the "Frankfurt Kitchen"? It's simple: it was installed in ten thousand apartments in Frankfurt and became the most important and beloved place in the house.

Frankfurt Kitchen in a Museum

This was the first kitchen in history made as a complete unit. All necessary furniture and equipment (stove, sink, worktop, cabinets) had the same height. Margaret proposed to "integrate" previously separate elements and fix them in a specific place. Lower kitchen cabinets lost their legs and were mounted on a concrete base. Three centers of activity appeared: the stove, sink, and worktop. What happened next?

In the 1950s, experiments with kitchen cabinet design began: plastic and stainless steel replaced wood. By the 1960s, household appliances had become decorations rather than utility items. The more appliances you had, the more prestigious it was. Manufacturers of household appliances didn’t lag behind and worked on increasingly functional models.

In 1963, in the birthplace of the "Frankfurt Kitchen" in Germany, company Miele released the first dishwasher with the possibility of integrating under the worktop. Today, this is nothing special, but then the G45 model with a 12-standard set of dishes, a stainless steel wash chamber, and a dispenser for cleaning agents became a hit.

Appliances You Can't Do Without on the Kitchen Today

No modern kitchen can do without household appliances. When creating a kitchen cabinet project, homeowners choose the optimal set of appliances. To smoothly integrate the functional elements into the intended interior design, it's best to choose built-in appliances.

Refrigerator

The masterpiece of any kitchen. First and foremost, consider its size. This determines how well the refrigerator fits into the kitchen's dimensions. A single-door refrigerator or Side-by-side will differ significantly in width and depth, while the height of various models can vary from 50 centimeters to two meters.

OVEN

Separate stoves have long been replaced by ranges with built-in ovens. This is convenient and functional: the oven can be placed at a comfortable height, taking into account the correct "work triangle".

Previously, one had to constantly watch over food in the oven. Today, housewives can relax completely. For example, in the Miele oven series Generation 7000, there is the TasteControl function—this makes it impossible to overcook a dish. After the cooking program completes, the oven door slightly opens and the cooling fan blows hot air out. Within just five minutes, the temperature in the working chamber drops by approximately 100 °C, and the appliance door closes again.

Smartphones are also involved: in ovens with the FoodView function, there is an embedded camera protected from heat. It transmits high-resolution images to the Miele@Mobile app on a tablet or smartphone.

If the dish isn’t browned enough, you can adjust the cooking time or temperature in the app. You don't even have to be in the kitchen for that.

Exhaust Fan

Integrated exhaust fans are designed to neutralize the appearance of unpleasant odors and reduce the impact of vapors on the kitchen walls, ceiling, and cabinet fronts. They are essential when the kitchen also serves as a dining room or part of a studio. One of the main criteria for choosing an exhaust fan is its size. Ideally, it should be slightly larger or equal to the width of the cooktop.

Dishwasher

When choosing a built-in dishwasher, plan a space for its placement. Ideally, it should accommodate 8 to 14 sets of dishes: this is optimal if you have a large family or often have guests.

Today, it’s no longer necessary to manually dose cleaning agents: the Miele dishwasher series G 7000 does it automatically. The AutoDos system automatically dispenses the required amount of detergent depending on the selected program and the level of dish soiling.

You can control the process via the Miele@Mobile app on your smartphone or tablet. With the AutoStart feature, starting the dishwasher at a convenient time for you is no problem.