Platform about design and technology in the kitchen, home, and bathroom industry
Aesthetics are important. After all, the eye wants something, too. And we like to show off a beautiful (the most beautiful) kitchen. But what good are pretty looks if the products in a kitchen don't work properly. "Aesthetically it has to be right, but never lose sight of the technology," is the motto of Welcome To Design.
That attention to technology Eric Aerts inherited from his father who was a technician and repaired electrical appliances. Eric Aerts: "He always said that an appliance had to be good and do what it was supposed to do, because otherwise it would cause a lot of problems. Wise advice that I have always remembered." Eric Aerts founded the company Welcome To Design about 20 years ago with which he became Eggersmann's exclusive commercial agent for Belgium and Luxembourg. This German manufacturer of luxury kitchens highly values technical perfection and timeless elegance, so it fitted perfectly with Eric Aerts' vision. "Today that click is still there and so I am still an Eggersmann agent," Eric Aerts confirms. "Thus, under the name of Eggersmann Belgium, we participated in Batibouw, an excellent platform to meet both professionals and consumers."
Eric Aerts: "Stainless steel is and will always be a top performer in the kitchen."
A few years after founding Welcome To Design, Eric Aerts felt the time was ripe to work more broadly. He expanded his portfolio, not with a second brand of kitchens, but with a quality complementary product. "The fume hoods from EMB, or full Edelstahl Möbel Beck, were state of the art at the time," Eric Aerts explains. "They were vapor hoods to go out with. No one had seen vapor hoods popping out of the worktop to get rid of cooking fumes before. In addition to the wow factor of a brand-new concept - which also looked good - the engineering and technology also appealed. The fume hoods were and are of excellent quality. EMB prides itself on always tailoring equipment to suit any situation. Thus, cooker hoods are made for every conceivable cooktop, ranging from 50 centimeters to about two meters wide. Today, cooker hoods that sit in the worktop have become mainstream, whether they come out of it or are fully incorporated. However, at EMB, and thus Welcome To Design, we pride ourselves on ensuring that each product is always customized to the needs of the customer. Of course, changing the laws of nature is not going to work; realism must be there. Regardless of these laws, we always look for the appropriate solution."
Products from a German hot-rolled stainless steel specialist then joined Welcome To Design's portfolio. "Stainless steel is high-quality stainless steel," explains Eric Aerts. "Only the best of the best will be used by Stadler Edelstahl. Strong, pure and beautiful are the three pillars on which Stadler Edelstahl looks very strictly. We pride ourselves on the fact that they are the only ones today who carry this out at such a high level of quality. Countertops, sinks and also kitchen cabinet fronts: it can all be made in stainless steel from the best base material and finished with an eye for quality." Because even in terms of finishes, Stadler Edelstahl maintains its high quality standards. "This constant search for the best quality does not hurt us," emphasizes Eric Aerts. "We are therefore proud that we were able to collaborate with Colruyt in recent years, a collaboration that is still ongoing. The Colruyt Group organizes cooking workshops at several fixed locations. These Academies were furnished with kitchens from Eggersmann using stainless steel from Stadler Edelstahl." The manufacturer always keeps its finger on the pulse when it comes to materials. For example, brass and copper are popular today. "Not materials you would immediately expect in a kitchen," says Eric Aerts. "At Stadler Edelstahl we protect these materials with a layer of wax, although we always take into account their possibilities and possible limitations."
