In an expert interview with the foresight team at Electrolux, we explored some compelling ideas on how future shifts in human values and living environments could reshape the home, particularly the kitchen. The team presented five intriguing archetypes they’re considering for kitchens of the future: the space-conscious kitchen in compact homes, the experimental kitchen for culinary adventurers, the mindful kitchen focused on wellness, the social kitchen centered on community, and the nomadic kitchen that isn’t bound to a specific location or ownership.

Reflecting on these ideas, I shared my perspective on how our relationships with appliances are evolving. For example, people often anthropomorphize their devices, naming robots like vacuum cleaners and interacting with them almost as though they’re pets. This shift hints at a new design paradigm of “more-than-human” relationships where our homes are less human-centric and more like shared ecosystems, with each device or appliance playing an active role. Rather than being solely functional, appliances could become integral parts of our living spaces, fostering a sense of connection and even companionship.

We also discussed the increasing importance of community and emotional connection in design. There’s a unique opportunity to create products that resonate not only with practical needs but also with the deeper cultural and emotional layers that influence how people experience home. For example, kitchens have long been considered the heart of the home, a gathering space as much as a workspace, but what if the essence of “home” was redefined? Perhaps the future kitchen could be about shared experiences and interactions, extending beyond the individual household to foster broader social connections, supporting a sense of belonging in a more fragmented world.

I pushed the Electrolux team to think about how these insights could influence not only their future product offerings, but also their approaches and ways of exploring and synthesizing consumer market research and other quantitative and qualitative research. Rather than focusing only on technological advancements, they could look at creating products that inspire connection and wellbeing, products that make people feel seen and valued within their spaces. In doing so, Electrolux has the potential to redefine what it means to make a house feel like a home.

This conversation was inspiring, sparking ideas amongst the Electrolux team about how they might collaboratively translate these forward-thinking concepts into meaningful design solutions that go beyond functionality. Considering what “home” and “kitchen” could mean, and considering the ontologies of these social spaces in the future, I encouraged them to open the doors to design experiences that feel alive, meaningful, and resonant.