Platform about design and technology in the kitchen, home, and bathroom industry
Because... how do you think it's going?
How much, how, and what have you innovated in recent years? Which one of you is the inspiring Steve Jobs of the kitchen industry? Which one of you is the always controversial Elon Musk of interior design? Which one of you is the new benchmark? (And, do you even want to be?).
Which of you has created a product that nobody missed when it wasn't there, but which people now can't do without because it is there?
In short, where were the kitchen industry's radical innovations in recent years?
I'll be completely honest: I haven't seen them. Of course, you could ask what exactly you mean by ‘innovation’, but I haven't seen anything truly radical, anything shockingly new that has really set a new movement in motion.
I see that ‘innovations’ mainly build on previous products. Actually, you're talking about ‘normal product development,’ right? In fact, it's all a bit conservative and perhaps even traditional.
I am therefore convinced that we must all remain vigilant.
Because it really is frightening when someone like Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, or another disruptive nerd suddenly enters the industry, causing us all to be pushed to the sidelines. Or are we powerful enough? Do we have the courage to show the boldness that occasionally crosses our minds, but which we do not yet practice in our daily lives?
Okay. Good question. I always try to be my own Elon Musk. I am constantly in dialogue with the industry, I want to stimulate and challenge when I exchange ideas with all possible stakeholders. I listen carefully to what I hear between the lines and, above all, I look around me. I force myself to be open to everything that comes my way. Without judgment, so that I can come up with something new at the craziest moments. In recent years, I have also started looking much more at young people: you sometimes find very surprising creativity there. And the beginnings of disruptive thinking.
The most important trends right now? Circular thinking, of course. When I look at kitchen countertops, I am delighted to see that they no longer have an end of life, but that new possibilities arise after their last use. I also see that space is becoming scarcer, making housing more expensive and prompting people to look for creative, integrated solutions in smaller spaces. These are wonderful innovations. I am proud to be able to work with them every day.
But still... Vigilance remains the credo. Elon, Steve, and other talented individuals are certainly ready to surprise us in the industry.
What is your answer?
