Platform about design and technology in the kitchen, home, and bathroom industry
One week in September, that was all it took for the Küchenmeile to once again show why it is among the most important events in the European kitchen sector. Leading exhibitors put their best foot forward and presented novelties, materials and spatial concepts characterized by natural elegance, functional design and visionary ideas for tomorrow's living.
A visit to the Küchenmeile actually begins, just like a ‘real’ vacation, while preparing for it. The destination is already fixed, namely Keukenland. Planning to visit as many attractions as possible, a feat every year.
And yet that's where the excitement is already starting to rise. What will we discover? Which hotspots will blow our socks off? And what will it be like in terms of atmosphere and friendliness? Then the long-awaited moment has finally arrived to get in the car and drive towards Löhne and its surroundings. The addresses are nicely noted, or perhaps programmed into the navigation system.
The legs are creamed. Finally!
Our Küchenmeile trip took us past the known hotspots. You obviously have all the Hausmesses of the many manufacturers who have gathered under the umbrella of the Küchenmeile. In addition, such attractions as Gut Böckel, of which we have made an ‘own’ article elsewhere in this Kitchenmeile, Kitchen Center Löhne, Art of Kitchens, Architekturwerkstatt, House4Kitchen, area30, IDF34... You read it, a hell of a pace and a carload of kitchen delights. Below and on the following pages an anthology.
Lhov is radically changing the way we stand in the kitchen. The words didn't lie; neither did Elica's expectations. And it must be said, Lhov stole the show. The appliance that for the first time brings together induction cooktop, extractor and oven was something everyone wanted to see. And to try it out. The controls? Through a clear control display and as intuitive as a smartphone. The design? Matt black glass, conceived so that the Lhov forms one beautiful unbroken line with the other kitchen furniture. A particularly useful feature we discover in the extraction system. This, of course, removes the fumes and odors generated at the hob but also those from the oven. So whoever opens the oven will not have to deal with an attack of hot air or steam.
The official language in the Architekturwerkstatt seemed to be Dutch for a while. It was nice and busy at Dekker, which traditionally presents the kitchen trends of next year. The kitchen will claim its place in the interior even more emphatically, is the motto of Dekker. A true centerpiece where materials, forms and atmospheres merge into one whole. It should therefore come as no surprise that Dekker also wants to transform the kitchen worktops into real eye-catchers. Four new edge finishes do the job because ‘in an interior where round shapes and living kitchens are increasingly the norm,’ these edge details offer a unique and personal touch. The four variants are DRT (double edge round receding), DFF (double edge with fish mouth), D2R (double edge with radius) and D2F (double edge with facet). They are available in two variants: Evora Qstone Cosmolite and Obsidiana, both composite stone.
Feel at Home. Schüller wanted to make every kitchen professional feel at home. The exhibition motto, but also the company motto that is nicely contained in the new logo that was presented at the same time. Feeling at Home perfectly describes the 2026 collection. Our home is where we unwind, where we live and grow up, where we spend a pleasant evening with friends. A cozy atmosphere in the home is crucial to this. Warm colors and round shapes more than do their bit to give the rather austere plans a modern twist after all. New to the collection: elegant ends for kitchen units and kitchen islands. The rounded cheek elements blend seamlessly into the overall living environment and provide a gentle contrast to angular wall units.
Liebherr unpacked at the Architekturwerkstatt with a built-in refrigerator-freezer combination with energy efficiency class A. “The model ICBa 5123 is thus the first in the world,” it sounds during the presentation. “We achieve this top result by combining innovative freshness technologies with environmentally conscious handling of raw materials.” Indeed, Liebherr integrated BioFresh technology, which ensures that fresh food stays fresh a whole lot longer thanks to ideal humidity and temperature. “Up to five times longer,” calculates the manufacturer.
Lots of news at Leicht. With the METURO and IDEA series, Leicht introduces two innovative acrylic surfaces. The calm appearance of these silky matt surfaces with homogeneous, opaque appearance supports minimalist furnishing concepts in which color and form form form a clear whole. Our own home is increasingly becoming the safe haven in which we retreat to unwind, and Leicht has understood this well. METURO is a supermatte acrylic surface, available in the colors satin platinum, satin graphite and satin copper, which convinces with its ease of care and insensitivity to fingerprints. IDEA is based on an acrylic glass surface. The material brings together the beautiful appearance of glass with the functional properties of high-quality glass acrylic. Four colors are available. With the colors carmine red and sage green, IDEA creates targeted accents in a design while the colors sand white and almond gray support an understated, timeless room effect.
Reginox brought color to area30. Literally. Just as striking for those who visited the Reginox booth in previous years: the iconic sink wall gave way to atmospheric mood boards that stylishly brought the sinks to life through various design elements. News on the product front we discovered in the colorful PVD range as the existing (and popular) Miami and New York series are joined by the Ohio series. These sinks are produced and colored in-house and come with matching faucets for a harmonious kitchen design. The granite range is also expanding further. Alongside the stylish black versions come two new soft colors that complete the color palette: Soft White and Champagne.
A first with character, this is how Caressi describes the new color Brass Patina. The faucet and sink in this warm,
elegant finish proved to have strong appeal. Consequently, Brass Patina will be officially added to the range in 2026 which will lead to a complete line that brings together character, class and elegance. Visitors also discovered three other potentially new colors at the booth: Beige, Blonde and Tarnish. Caressi organized a poll among the visiting kitchen professionals and fanatic voting took place via tablet. In the end, Beige turned out to be the favorite color with a whopping 79% of the votes, ahead of Tarnish and Blonde. Will Beige get a permanent place in the color range?
The CombiSteamer Grand, the redesigned Pearl interior of the CombiCooler V6000 178NI, the Supreme Line that, in addition to 90 centimeters, is now also available in 75 centimeters. The protagonists at V-ZUG in the Architekturwerkstatt were plentiful. “The Supreme Line stands for perfect food preservation and an elegant aesthetic that combines generous space and high-quality materials,” said Don Wijnschenk of V-ZUG. “With the 75-centimeter version comes an additional elegant side-by-side solution. Also new: the Profi-Pizza function in the Combair V6000P oven that allows you to bake pizza at home at a professional level. The oven reaches a temperature of 350°C and, combined with the enameled pizza steel and wooden pizza scoop from the V-ZUG Pizza Set, provides an authentic Neapolitan experience.”
Novy's fresher and more open booth stood out. The concept of the booth invited interaction and the many visitors eagerly took advantage of it. Live cooking demonstrations supported personal conversations with the Novy team. The Novy Undercover, the invisible cooktop fully integrated into a Dekton worktop, was a popular topic of conversation. But the Matte Line collection, which includes the Novy Easy 80 Matte Line and the Novy Panorama 120 Matte Line, was also met with acclaim, especially thanks to its matte finish that is less susceptible to fingerprints. “Area30 for Novy was not only about the products, but above all about inspiration, meetings and a shared passion for cooking,” it sounded after the fair.
Falmec is expanding its range considerably with matte black induction hobs, dynamic lighting and advanced filter technology. So those who wanted to discover these innovations had to be at the booth at area30. With the matte black finish for various induction hobs, Falmec is surfing along on the most striking trend in the kitchen industry today. Falmec: “The combination of this scratch-resistant finish in matte black and the white LED touch controls creates a subtle contrast that fits nicely into today's kitchens. Well-known models such as the Brera 90, Brera 75, Zero Easy and Level One are available in this finish.”
