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

The desire for comfort and convenience is the engine of progress. German architect Margaret Schutte-Lihotzky wanted to simplify domestic women's work: make the process of moving 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 kitchen on a shipon a ship became the prototype of the first "modular" standard kitchen. In 1843year, Catherine Beecher was the first to think about a kitchen where everything would be within reach. That same ergonomics.

1913: American Kristin Frederick conducted an experiment with housewives — exactly like that! She tied a string to the foot of the test subjects, and at the end of the day measured how far the woman actually walked in a day on the kitchen floor. As a result, Miss Frederick proved that by dividing the kitchen into zones (cooking — washing — storage), a housewife could 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 furniture on the kitchen by personal experience, its shape and size. To do this, she sketched all the movements of family members around the kitchen. The result was samples of a "practical kitchen" 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 developed were embodied in 1926 in the first standardized built-in kitchen designed by architect Margaret Schutte-Lihotzky. Why did the kitchen get the name "Frankfurt Kitchen"? It's simple: it was installed in ten thousand apartments in Frankfurt by default 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 cabinet. 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. The lower kitchen cabinets lost their legs and were mounted on a concrete base. Three centers of activity emerged: the stove, sink, and countertop. What happened next?

In the 1950s, experiments with kitchen cabinet design began: plastic and stainless steel replaced wood. By the 1960s, household appliances that were utilitarian items became decorations on the kitchen. The equipment was selected based on the principle: "the more, the more prestigious." Manufacturers of household appliances did not lag behind and worked on increasingly functional models.

In 1963, in the birthplace of the "Frankfurt Kitchen" in Germany, the company Miele released the first dishwasher with the ability to be built under the countertop. Today, this is nothing extraordinary, but then the G45 model for 12 standard sets of dishes with a stainless steel wash chamber and dispenser for cleaning agents was a hit.

Essential Kitchen Appliances Today
No modern kitchen can do without household appliances. During the creation of a kitchen cabinet project, homeowners choose the optimal set of household appliances. To seamlessly integrate the functional element into the intended interior design, it is recommended to choose built-in appliances.

Refrigerator

The masterpiece of any kitchen. First and foremost, you need to consider its size. Because that determines how the refrigerator will fit into the kitchen dimensions. A single-door refrigerator or Side-by-side will differ significantly in width and depth, and the height of different models can vary from 50 centimeters to two meters.

Oven

A separate stove has long been replaced by a range with an integrated oven. It is convenient and functional: the oven can be placed at a comfortable height, taking into account the correct "work triangle".

Earlier, one had to constantly watch over food in the oven; today, housewives can fully relax. For example, in the Miele oven series Generation 7000, there is a function called TasteControl — it's impossible to overcook the dish. After the cooking program ends, the oven door opens slightly, and the cooling fan blows hot air out. In just five minutes, the temperature in the working chamber drops by approximately 100 °C, and the appliance door closes again.

Smartphone involvement is also present: the oven with FoodView function has a built-in camera protected from heating. It transmits high-resolution images to the Miele@Mobile app on a tablet or smartphone.

If the dish is not browned enough, you can change the cooking time or temperature in the app. And it's not necessary to be at the kitchen.

Extractor Hood

A built-in extractor hood is designed to neutralize the appearance of unpleasant odors and reduce the impact of vapors on the kitchen walls, ceiling, and cabinet fronts. It is simply necessary when the kitchen also serves as a dining room or part of a studio. One of the main criteria for choosing an extractor hood should be 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 installation. Ideally, it should accommodate 8 to 14 sets of dishes: that's optimal if you have a large family or often have guests.

Today, it is no longer necessary to dose cleaning agents manually: the Miele dishwasher series G 7000 does it itself. The AutoDos system automatically doses the required amount of cleaning agent depending on the selected program and degree of dish soiling.

And you can control the process through the mobile app Miele@Mobile on a smartphone or tablet. With the AutoStart function, starting the dishwasher at a convenient time for you is no problem.