The kitchen after the Coronavirus is an issue we can’t stop thinking about. This pandemic that has changed our whole world and the normality as we used to know it came to highlight a series of hygiene standards that although have always existed, today find the perfect breeding ground to become stronger.

However, beyond the simple act of cooking, cleaning the area or the strictness when it comes to washing food, the basic practice of eating and doing all these activities as a family are, according to experts, important in times of confinement. Furthermore, the experts add that “perfoming activities as a team at home reinforce the sense of wellbeing among household members, which helps attain psychological stability.”

But how would our lives be afterwards? What should the dynamics be like in a room that’s especially crowded and with such need for cleanliness after the pandemic stabilizes? These are questions that both architects, epidemiologists and heads of households are asking themselves. Here, we share some answers.

What will come after the confinement?

Many architecture websites are already talking about what will become important in terms of the design of a space after the COVID19 crisis is over. Spaces with large windows so that the sunlight and wind can circulate freely, buildings with fewer floors and whose elevators and doors can be operated through smartphones and houses with larger rooms and kitchens, are some of the features that will be exploited in post coronavirus constructions.

“The coronavirus will affect all areas of life as well as our own homes in relation to the safety and protection of the people we live with and also in relation to those who work in our homes or visit us,” explained Dani Blanch, urban planner and co-founder of Knowhaus in an interview he offered to the magazine El Mueble.

In fact, the renowned urban planner recognized that from now on the kitchen will be the most important area of the house. The expert said that the space called “the heart of the home” had demonstrated -during the days of confinement- that it’s a place that provides calm, stability and makes us feel good because it’s there where spend time with the family, so he believes that architects will bet on better designs for the kitchen as a result of this.

On the other hand, the renowned architect, María José Peñalver, stated to the website Invertia that her colleagues around the world are in “a period of reflection or instrospection to observe all the deficits or weaknesses that exist in the place where we live at.” Peñalver also pointed out that the need to rethink the interior space and make it more flexible has originated from this crisis.

Hygiene dynamics

But not everything relates to the current or future design of the kitchens. This pandemic has also made us reflect on the importance of the strictness of hygiene standards at home and especially in the kitchen.

In addition to resuming the sacrosanct habit of washing our hands before eating and after arriving home, during this pandemic we have learned how important are time and form when it comes to that simple activity. In fact, great chefs are like surgeons, they wash their hands well before “operating” in the kitchen. So washing your hands methodically and for a minimum of 20 seconds is an excellent practice that will stay in kitchens after the coronavirus.

But what are other things that will change in our kitchen after this pandemic? Here are some of them:

• Cleaning before and after cooking. If before the coronavirus crisis, the kitchen demanded constant cleaning, going forward the kitchen will be treated almost as an operating room. It’s common to read that among the current recommendations is the disinfection of surfaces before preparing meals and after doing so as well. It’s even suggested to use products with antibacterial properties and special soaps in this room of the home.
• Choosing cooking utensils. While nothing can seem to replace a wooden spoon to cook, after the pandemic it’s very likely that this utensil will probably be forgotten since wood is a porous material that can easily store microorganisms.
• The demand for dishwasher will increase. Thanks to its disinfection and drying functions, the dishwasher has started to become the most appreciated appliance in the house. Advantages such as water and energy savings will add to the possibility to prevent utensils, cutlery and dishes from being potentially contaminating.
• Using more than one kitchen towel. This practice not only prevents cross-contamination, but also prevents microorganisms from expanding.
• Using connected devices. This is something that will change inside and outside the home. Fear of infection will decrease the resistance of some to use and install smart systems in the kitchen.

Definitely, in the future the kitchen will be a space quite different from what we know today after the Coronavirus.