Julius Blum GmbH, Beschlaegefabrik

Rethinking living Focus on new living space concepts Living office Working from home in Oslo Your style, your kitchen Create your LEGRABOX

2 Blum Inspirations ʻWe put our customers’ needs at the centre of our think ing.ʼ

3 Blum Inspirations Ed itor ial Times of change of ten spark reflection and lead us to align with core values such as family, fr iends and cohesion, but also qualit y, sustainabilit y and longevit y. All this finds expression in our lifest yle and living space. The home environment is the ideal place to develop and find fulfilment. This is where we at Blum would like to be involved. What requirements and ideas dr ive you? What do you need to implement them? How can we help? Innovative ideas are not created in an ivor y tower. They are born in dialogue. We want to help facilitate a bet ter qualit y of living and provide new solutions for end users and furniture makers alike. Our goal is to enable bespoke furniture, mak ing the best use of living and storage space, so that ever yone can be inspired to create even more exciting designs. To do all this, we cannot stand still. We are dr iven by our passion to move for ward. Motion is one of our core foundations and is reflected in our guiding pr inciple ʽMoving ideasʼ. Just like our products deliver smooth motion to homes, we work together with commit ted par tners, employees, end users and customers to move things for ward and create the greatest benefits for ever yone involved. In shor t, our customers and end users are our inspiration. What inspires you? The Blum Inspirations Editor ial Team

4 Blum Inspirations You’ll be amazed at how Blum products can make your life easier ever y day. Not only in the kitchen, but in all living areas. The high-quality, award winning fit tings from Austria are used in furniture all over the world. Blum inside Lif t systems Wall cabinets equipped with AVENTOS lif t systems fold up, swing up and over, lif t or pivot up, of fer ing the r ight opening action for any living space. Even large and heav y fronts open with supreme ease and remain in the desired position. Runner systems MOVENTO and TANDEM runners ensure that even heavily laden wooden drawers and pull- outs have a feather-light glide. Hinge systems Blum hinges ensure that cabinet doors open with elegance and close sof tly and silently. The technically innovative CLIP top range of fers great scope in terms of opening angle and design. Box systems Blum of fers the per fect drawer for any situation: LEGRABOX, MERIVOBOX and TANDEMBOX. All box systems can be configured to suit individual requirements and boast exceptional engineer ing and design. More information

5 Blum Inspirations Motion technologies Blum br ings enhanced convenience to furniture in four ways. BLUMOTION gives you sof t and ef for tless closing, TIP- ON one-touch opening and TIP- ON BLUMOTION is a marr iage of the t wo. SERVO -DRIVE is the electr ical motion technology for one-touch opening and sof t and ef for tless closing. Cabinet applications Practical and creative furniture ideas that of fer ma ximum flexibilit y so that you can make full use of the storage available and simplif y work flows. Solutions by Blum of fer easy access, are designed for heav y loads and are really eye- catching. Inner dividing systems AMBIA-LINE and ORGA-LINE are flexible inner dividing systems that deliver organisation to interiors – from kitchen drawers to bathroom pull-outs. The dividers can be flexibly adapted to storage items and your personal lifestyle. Pocket systems There is a growing trend to combine living areas and create new space concepts. REVEGO makes it possible to open up entire spaces when needed, and close them of f again when not in use – quick ly, easily and intuitively.

6 Blum Inspirations Smal l space wonders 10 Rethinking living Focus on new living space concepts 16 Fewer rooms, lots of space Family life in a lof t 22 Tips for more storage space Organisation made easy 24 All we need is SPACE Clever cabinet solutions 28 Living of fice Work ing from home in Oslo 34 Pract ical working condit ions Feel at home in your home of fice 36 Your of fice is ever y where Blum’s work place ideas 40 True greatness comes from within Micro living concepts Food culture 46 Authent ic, easy and creat ive Inter view with master chef Chiara van Emr ik 50 Dif ferent countries have dif ferent kitchens Cook ing around the wor ld 54 Your st yle, your kitchen Create your LEGRABOX 58 Good planning is half the bat t le Use the online Zone Planner

T rends 62 Smar t homes How much technology goes into furniture? 64 The golden years Aging at home 6 8 Time to get up and move Tips from occupational therapist Klaus Isele 70 Know today what might be impor tant tomorrow AgeExplorer® research 72 Dark sur faces The dark sur faces design trend 78 Tips Books and blogs Contents T he world of Blum 82 Blum facts Facts and figures 84 Digital inspirat ion Online plat form for end users and professionals 87 Masthead

Small wo

10 16 28 22 34 24 36 Rethinking living All we need is SPACE Your office is everywhere Fewer rooms, lots of space Living office Tips for more storage space Practical working conditions space nders

10 Blum Inspirations Rethink ing liv ing living areas and functions merge, of fer ing many design options to suit all lifest yles. What is more, multifunctional rooms are an answer to the increasing shor tage of living space (especially in cities around the wor ld) because less space is needed for open plan living. Less space for many people In Shanghai, for example, living space costs t wice as much as in Munich while economic output is significantly lower. Cit y dwellers can of ten only af ford small homes so they have to be more creative in how they use the space available. This is not only the case in the Asian region. ‘More than half of the wor ld's population live and work in cities. The consequence is limited living space that requires intelligent design. What we par ticular ly need is an environment that can withstand the dynamics of a changing wor ld,’ explains futurologist Klaus Kofler. He researches a wide range of future issues, including In 1926, architect Margarete Schüt te- Lihot zk y developed the Frank fur t Kitchen, which is considered the archet ype of the modern fit ted k itchen. It was conceived for one person only: the housewife. To ensure ma ximum ef ficiency, the room was designed to be as practical as possible, like an industrial workplace. The layout not only aimed to maximise space, but also use the space more ef ficiently. Open plan living Living and work ing areas used to be defined by room t ype and role and were clear ly separated from each other. Things are dif ferent today. Knock ing down walls to form open plan living areas has become an integral par t of architecture – for both houses and apar tments. This development fits in with the vir tually boundar yless wor ld that we have created, not least through digitalisation. A wor ld in which we can take action and interact with others any time, any where. In open spaces, How we live is always a reflection of our time, culture and society. In the past, we mainly concentrated on improving and maintaining what we had; the focus today has shif ted to taking on new challenges. The complexity and dynamics of the modern world force us to rethink our lives, but also allow us to focus on our well-being and personal spaces. How will we design our living spaces in the future?

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12 Blum Inspirations Where are the most co -work ing spaces in the world? Worldwide percentages Source: Global Cowork ing Grow th Study 2020. cowork ingresources.org. the development of housing in a modern wor ld that is undergoing constant change. How do we deal with change that is perceived as being volatile, complex and ambiguous? In many areas change is replacing stabilit y and solidit y and creating uncer taint y. But these are not the only things in flux: researchers have seen a move away from consumer ism, and the focus is no longer on the presentation of consumer goods, but on their functionalit y. All of this is expressed in living trends, too. Co - living and working The good news is that as far as life and housing are concerned, we have a host of solutions at our finger tips for mak ing the most of this development. Less living space, for example, can be compensated for by co-living or co-work ing spaces, regardless of what phase of life you are in. Klaus Kofler has also given thought to these themes. ‘We’ve teamed up with par tners from the timber construction industr y and developed an interesting concept for people who work from their k itchens at home and have to deal with constant interruptions. The idea is to set up a container with t wo of fice units in the people’s immediate vicinit y. They can rent the space by the hour and work from there. This is the k ind of flexibilit y we’ll need to be able to accommodate work practices of the future.’ New lifest yles Ever changing lifest yles require ever increasing flexibilit y. Singles of all ages make up one of the largest groups in societ y, ranging from young digital nomads to silver sur fers. Their life paths are not just defined by childhood, education, career and retirement, but are far more var ied. New insights and realisations, professional and pr ivate reor ientation are the India USA United Kingdom 5.08% 10.69% 18. 30%

13 Blum Inspirations order of the day. The housing market has so far neglected to integrate these dynamics into its of fer ings. Future mindset We need a future mindset to cope with a dynamically changing wor ld. ‘We have to grasp that we can interact with the wider wor ld from any where. We no longer have to go to the of fice ever yday to catch up with work and colleagues. Things are so much bet ter if we open our minds to these dif ferent ways of work ing.’ says Klaus Kofler. According to the futurologist, people are at the centre of these developments and have a real oppor tunit y to make things work the way they want. However, they must be willing to embrace the new possibilities. Space as a source of inspirat ion Living and work ing spaces today are more impor tant than ever as we combine the t wo. How can living environments resolve this complexit y? A space must of fer a var iet y of possibilities. We could, for example, create dynamic walls that can be adjusted to meet our needs. Combine living areas and use the space available for dif ferent activities. And implement multifunctional inter ior furnishings to make all of this possible. The trend towards minimalism will play a big role in creating open spaces, resolving space shor tage and accommodating dynamic lifest yles. We will learn that less can be more. However, our living space will still need to exude secur it y, homeliness, sustainabilit y and individualit y. It will be a new key feature of our identit y and an emotional enr ichment: as a home, home base and reference point where we can come to rest. •

14 Blum Inspirations ‘In the future, we w i l l need intel l igent solut ions for a space that is as dynamic as possible, one that al lows us to constant ly change, adapt and expand our mindset.’

15 Blum Inspirations A B O U T Futurologist Klaus Kofler is co-founder of the Future Design Academie in Dornbirn, Austr ia and Wupper tal, Germany. Klaus Kofler tack les interdisciplinar y topics around futurology and future design, defines goals and strategies for shaping the future and is a sought-af ter lecturer, speaker and author. © fasching.photo

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17 Blum Inspirations As soon as Hanneke and Wouter crossed the threshold they knew they’d found their new home. To the lef t a view of the harbour and r iver and to the r ight the facades of the townhouses of Rot terdam. Ever y inch of the 1,460 sq. f t. (136 sq. metre) flat is flooded with light thanks to the floor-to- ceiling windows. ‘We were completely bowled over by the transparency and flow of the apar tment,’ says Hanneke. It took them just five minutes to decide to buy the place. Schiecentrale on Lloydstraat is par t of a former power plant that was redeveloped by Rober t Winkel from Mei architects and planners. The freelance educationalist and IT consultant had or iginally been look ing for a classic old building – not a raw industr ial lof t with bare concrete walls and ventilation pipes. But then they remembered their first shared apar tment in Gent in Belgium: ‘As soon as we moved in, we removed all the doors because we love the feel of spaciousness! ’ The lof t was a luck y find, of fer ing limitless scope for design. Inter ior designer Mar tijn Sorée channelled the couple’s ideas and needs into a bespoke design. With a small budget but many ingenious ideas, he has created a modern family apar tment that is almost totally open-plan and yet packed with possibilities for pr ivacy. Flexible spaces with thin dividing walls The sleek Finnish pine panels are multi-functional: they structure the floor plan, ser ve as a wall for hanging pictures, create storage space and can even be moved about. The ceiling-high folding doors to the children’s space, for example, run on ceiling tracks. Dur ing the day, the P H O T O G R A P H E R P E T E R K O O I J M A N L O C A T I O N R O T T E R D A M | N E T H E R L A N D S T E X T T I N A S C H N E I D E R - R A D I N G A R C H I T E C T R O B E R T W I N K E L | M E I A R C H I T E C T S A N D P L A N N E R S Fewer rooms, lots of space How can a young family find peace and quiet in a lof t, work undisturbed and at the same time enjoy a lively life together? Hanneke and Wouter’s apar tment on the harbour in Rot terdam is a fine example of bespoke living: with dividing walls, well defined spaces and a great love of order.

18 Blum Inspirations doors are simply folded away. The couple’s bedroom is tucked away behind the wooden panels with fanlights in the living area. It consists of a wall of wardrobes and has no windows – the hor izontal band of gla zing under the ceiling lets in enough natural daylight. Recipe for lof t life: well - defined living spaces and flowing transit ions There’s only one space in the entire apar tment that has masonr y walls and that ’s the bathroom. The other areas are open plan – and yet clear ly zoned. ‘We or iginally wanted to put our bed nex t to the windows. Thank fully, our inter ior designer convinced us other wise,’ says Hanneke. The living zone with the family sofa and long dining table now share the gla zed facade; the parents’ and children’s bedrooms are discreetly hidden by the wooden par titions. The t wo runs of k itchen units open a passage to the gla zed entrance area at the rear of the lof t. There is even space for a small desk. Living in a box: how can open plan designs incorporate enough storage? Lof t life teaches discipline. The couple had a big clear out and declut tered their belongings before they moved in. ‘We got r id of ever y thing we didn’t use.’ Closed walls such as the folding doors to the children’s area and the ceiling-high sliding doors to the bathroom and toilet create a visual calm. Having a lot of open space doesn’t automatically mean that there’s lit tle storage space for utensils: the t wo runs of k itchen units have ver y deep drawers which help to keep ever y thing nice and tidy. Bikes and tumble dr yer are concealed in a steel box in front of the apar tment door. ‘The best thing about l iv ing in a lof t is that you can customise your floor plan.’

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21 Blum Inspirations Material basics: How to weave homeliness into an industrial st yle interior Large tex tile sur faces absorb noise, par ticular ly in large spaces. But Hanneke and Wouter decided not to use cur tains. ‘The ceilings are relatively low so the reverberation is not so bad.’ In addition, the timber construction in the sleeping zone and a large carpet in the entrance area create a warm ambience. The exposed ventilation pipes, naked concrete walls and cast floor in taupe of fer a sober contrast to the sofa and the warm metallic hue of the copper lights. • ‘Bare concrete wal ls and vent i lat ion pipes: we love the indust r ial feel combined w ith the warmth of wood.’

2 2 Blum Inspirations T ips for more storage space Open plan living calls for clever storage space solutions. Fight against messy homes and create an inspiring living environment, where ever y thing is exactly where it should be. Our exper ts have come up with a few basic and easy to use tips and tricks.

23 Blum Inspirations 0 1 0 4 0 7 0 2 0 5 0 8 0 3 0 6 0 9 Specif y your storage items Storage space requirements dif fer depending on the size of your household and lifest yle. What items do you want to store in your cab ­ inets and how big are they? Ever y cabinet should have a designated purpose. Use fewer units It ’s more ef ficient to equip cabinets and sideboards with a few wide pull- outs than lots of narrow ones. Drawer and cabinet sides take up space. The fewer you have, the more storage space you create. Invest in pull- outs Pull- outs allow you to use the entire depth of the cabinet for storage (in contrast to shelves). And if you use high drawer sides and a high back, you can easily stack items. Unlock hidden storage potential Under-sink space in k itchens and bathrooms is frequently lef t unused. Create additional storage for small utensils with the U-shaped sink pullout. Incorporate inner pull- outs Smaller inner pull- outs make ef ficient use of the space behind high fronted pull- outs. They’re ideal for keeping objects that would normally clut ter work tops. Use inner dividing systems Inner dividers adapted to storage items tidy up inter iors and provide clear visibilit y of contents. They make it easy to organise the lit tle and big things in life. Make the most of every nook and cranny When planning a k itchen, you might find yourself lef t with small gaps in awk ward areas. Narrow cabinets with widths star ting at just 20 cm create additional storage. For example for spices, bot tles or chop - ping boards. Provide easy access Deep drawers should have full extension. This will make it easy to access contents and allow you to make full use of the storage space. Pull-outs with a depth of up to 65 cm can be implemented with ease. Opt for spacious cabinets Ver y few homes today have a pantr y. No worr ies. A spacious larder unit will do the tr ick too. What ’s more, large cabinet solutions of this k ind also deliver organisation to other living areas.

2 5 Blum Inspirations SPACE STEP SPACE STEP is an intelligent plinth solution that creates additional storage space in t wo ways. First, the hidden step gives you access to higher levels so there’s no stopping you from implementing high cabinets with ex tra storage. Second, you can keep seldom used items in the plinth drawer. Another practical plus point is that SPACE STEP provides children with a safe plat form to stand on to reach worktops or wash basins. SPACE TOWER Most items are kept in the kitchen. You need storage space for dinner ware, cooking utensils and food. The SPACE TOWER cabinet solution comes in all heights, widths and depths so it can be adapted to individual requirements and of fers plent y of storage space. The drawers can be opened individually, providing clear visibilit y and easy access to all contents. SPACE TOWER is also suited to other living areas. SPACE TWIN This narrow cabinet turns lef tover gaps into valuable storage for spices and baking sheets. SPACE TWIN ensures things are immediately to hand and simplifies workflows if installed close to the work top and hob. Despite its narrow construction, the cabinet is stable and can even be laden with heav y bot tles. SPACE CORNER Blum even of fers a solution for awk ward corners: the SPACE CORNER cabinet comes in all heights and widths and puts corner space to optimal use. Ergonomic full ex tensions ensure that you have easy access to all items, be it cutler y or other utensils. High back panels and drawer sides increase the storage volume and prevent items from falling down the back of the cabinet. A ll we need is SPACE Well-thought-out cabinet solutions use minimal floor space and yet maximise storage and create tidy homes – especially useful in open plan living areas. Blum’s ideas make it easy to create storage in places you would never have thought of.

2 6 Blum Inspirations The big plus of fered by Blum: good ergonomics and user convenience are impor tant qualities of storage space and furniture. Our four mechanical and electrical motion technologies BLUMOTION, SERVO-DRIVE, TIP-ON BLUMTION and TIP-ON ensure that pullouts and doors open and close sof tly and ef for tlessly. These motion technologies make it child’s play to open cabinets, store and remove items. More information

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2 8 Blum Inspirations Living office Regular home of fice workers need space for ideas and a rest ful environment for their eyes. That ’s why Johan Tran’s flat in an old building in Oslo is a per fect marriage of Scandinavian and Japanese designs. The architect from the capital of Nor way has opted for light coloured wood and uses ceiling-high sliding doors to divide the floor plan into zones. Kitchen, working and living areas flow into one another – Johan can withdraw to the study or shut out the kitchen chaos for the evening while he relaxes. The refurbished 545 sq. f t. (51 sq. metre) flat meets all the requirements of its style conscious inhabitants. A power place – sensual and simultaneously sober. P H O T O G R A P H E R I N G E R M A R I E G R I N I L O C A T I O N O S L O | N O R W AY T E X T T I N A S C H N E I D E R - R A D I N G S T Y L I N G H E G E B A R N H O LT

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31 Blum Inspirations ‘We played w ith flex i bi l it y. The sl id ing doors g ive us the possi bi l it y to combine two rooms.’ Integrat ing working space – with sense and sensit ivit y Johan Tran’s flat was a t ypical, compar tmentalised apar tment in an old building in the middle of Oslo. He and his gir lfr iend live together. Both work a lot from home. The designer’s first thought was to gut ever y thing and use ceiling-high sliding doors in the Japanese tradition to create flexible spaces for living, cook ing and work ing. This is how he created a multi-­ functional space bursting with Nordic Scandi vibes. ‘All we have to do is close the room divider bet ween the of fice and living room and we can both work in a rela xed way dur ing the day. It also creates a nice and pr ivate guest bedroom at night,’ says Tran. Ver tical slits have been milled into the sliding doors so that daylight can stream into the living room. ‘If we’d used permanent walls to zone of f the study, we wouldn’t have used the space af ter work.’ When the doors are open, the of fice becomes one with the living room. The calm colour scheme, green plants and discreet decorations are conducive to concentration – in the workspace and entire apar tment. The beech veneer desk that was designed by Tran himself is mounted to the wall to save space. Its drawers keep things tidy. Thanks to the wall mounting, the herr ingbone hardwood floor is in full view. ‘I like the classic look of the floor ing,’ says Tran. ‘What ’s more, the pat tern breaks up the str ict lines.’ Opt for bespoke solut ions and be creat ive Tran has not only designed the delicate desk in the study but also the dining table in the living room. ‘It ’s the standard height to ensure that you can sit in a rela xed position,’ says Tran. ‘But we’ve adapted its width and length to the size of the room.’ The wall shelf is also a per fect fit: not an inch of space is wasted. Tran has some good advice if you want to fit a lot in a small space: ‘Use space ma ximising solutions as much as possible.’ If you don’t think you’ve got enough know-how to design the furniture yourself, go to a cabinet maker, pick your favour ite wood and have the storage space solution or furniture made to measure by a professional – it ’s wor th the investment.

32 Blum Inspirations Create ex tra storage from ever y nook and cranny The room layout is a given in most old apar tments. And projecting walls, alcoves and corners could result in dead space. Johan Tran has reclaimed these tiny spaces and come up with ef fective solutions for ever y nook and cranny. He’s tucked a washing machine and tumble dr yer into the bathroom and fit ted a 20 by 10 cm spice shelf into the gap bet ween the fr idge and wall. ‘You can straighten up the lines by closing awk ward spaces.’ The ef fect is ama zing: ever y thing looks nice and tidy. In addition, Tran relocated the bedroom to the former k itchen. The compact fit ted k itchen, study and living room create a far more open and spacious layout.

33 Blum Inspirations The sleek material mix exudes calm and creates a holist ic ambience Basic design rule: The smaller the apar tment, the more impor tant it is to keep the look calm and spacious. Johan Tran has confined himself to using just a few understated materials in line with Japanese design pr inciples. And he has used them consistently throughout the apar tment: the fit ted k itchen units, sliding and wardrobe doors, tables and shelves are beech ply wood with a natural soap finish. He has added brass details, like the metal band which runs across the dining table and the handles in the k itchen. A pendant light designed by Tom Dixon sets another lustrous highlight in the study. ‘You automatically create a tranquil feeling if you restr ict yourself to just a few materials,’ says Tran, explaining his concept. His design ideas are used throughout the apar tment: the sliding doors used as par tition walls are not the only elements that feature ver tical slits. The wall shelf has them too. Decorat ive items set visual highlights Johan Tran has enhanced the tranquil set ting with some timeless design classics. He bought the second hand 1960s dining chairs and restored them himself. The daybed by Ole Wanscher dates back to 1949. Sof t fabr ics counter the harshness of the clean lines, and healthy plants like the monstera in the study improve the room climate because the large leaves create good humidit y. •

Blum Inspirations 3 4 Practical work ing conditions Storage Keeping your desk tidy will also help clear your mind. Give yourself plent y of well- organised storage so that work essentials are immediately to hand and can be cleared away again in a jif f y. Ambience One of the greatest advantages of work ing from home is that you can personalise your workspace. You can create a pleasant work ing environment with plants, pictures and other decorative items. Dynamics Sit ting in the same posture for long stretches of time can lead to neck and back tension. You can prevent aches and pains by frequently changing your position or standing while work ing. The working world is undergoing a major rethink. An increasing number of people are working from home, and more impor tance is being at tached to achieving a healthy work-life balance. There are a few things you should consider if you want to work ef fectively at home and be able to switch of f af ter a hard day.

3 5 Blum Inspirations Ergonomics Desk and chair should be set at the r ight height. Upper and lower arm should form a r ight angle. Your posture is optimal if the angle bet ween your thighs and torso is more than 90 degrees. Break You should take regular breaks away from a display screen and get some exercise. Outdoor walks are a great way of recharging your bat ter ies. Standing while on the phone also has a positive ef fect on posture and circulation. Light The amount of natural daylight might not be enough to adequately illuminate your work place. In this case, use a supplementar y light source such as a daylight or LED monitor lamp to protect your eyes from fatigue. Colour Blue light disrupts our sleep -wake cycle. This not only applies to working late at computer screens but also to smar tphone displays. Turn on the night mode to protect your eyes. Special work place glasses can be bought with a blue light filter. Air Open the window regular ly to keep ox ygen levels high at your workplace. This will significantly increase your physical and mental per formance. Rest A quiet environment will help to keep you focussed and productive. That ’s why your home of fice should be protected against noise. If you don’t have a separate room, it might help to use a visual par tition or room divider.

3 6 Blum Inspirations Instant work space If you’ve incorporated a home of fice into your living space, you want to be able to shut it away when not in use. The REVEGO pocket system allows you to conceal individual areas and even entire runs of units. When it ’s time to work, open the doors with a single touch and push them into the side pockets. At the end of a long day’s work restore the space to a living room by simply closing the doors. Your office is every where Ver y few people have the luxur y of a spare room that ’s available to be turned into an office. But you can compensate for the lack of space with space-saving furniture. Here are three ideas by Blum.

37 Blum Inspirations Home of fice on wheels The mobile multifunctional workstation fits into even the tiniest home and can be moved to wherever it is needed. It is a fur ther development of a standing desk and has pullouts that are opened on opposite sides to prevent instabilit y. The upper work top easily slides to one side, so you don’t have to clear things of f the desk top to get to a laptop underneath. • Wall cabinets are just the job Stay lif ts like AVENTOS HK top are ideal for studies. The wall cabinet front lif ts up and out of the way. Blum’s patented opening angle stop ensures that the front does not hit the ceiling. The fit ting is ex tremely functional and compact and has already won several awards for its minimalist design. More information

R E V E G O – h o m e o f f i c e s o l u t i o n w h e n c l o s e d

After work

4 0 Blum Inspirations True greatness comes from within Quality of living has nothing to do with the size of a home as demonstrated by micro living. Micro living is not just about living in a tiny home. It ’s a holistic concept that extends from the building envelope to interior furnishings. The micro housing scheme implemented by Rhomberg Bau in Dornbirn, Austria is a fine example of this new approach, in which Blum acted as a consultant. P H O T O G R A P H E R D I E T M A R W A L S E R L O C A T I O N D O R N B I R N | A U S T R I A

41 Blum Inspirations ‘Our modern housing approach tack les three major challenges at once: lack of bui ld ing plots, const ruct ion costs and af fordable housing.’ Mar tin Summer, Managing Director of Rhomberg Bau More information

42 Blum Inspirations Small living spaces that are big on comfor t: the DAVID housing scheme consists of apar tments with 355 sq. f t. (33 sq. metres) of floor space. They are fully furnished and combine top qualit y mater ials with timeless, highly functional design. Features that don’t fit into the apar tments are located in shared, co-­ living spaces: a lounge with a k itchenet te and book corner, bicycle park ing, workroom, utilit y room and outdoor areas with raised beds, a BBQ and seating area. Young and old The concept is designed for residents of all ages. Whereas students and young professionals used to be the key target group for one room flats, more and more older people are coming to appreciate the benefits of micro living. And not just in Austr ia. The dif ference lies in the additional ser vices that make these apar tments more at tractive than standard sized homes. They range from free WLAN, car and bike shar ing and cleaning ser vices to ser viced apar tments in which older residents can benefit from care ser vices. Shor t-term fad or long -term trend? The number of one-person households is projected to r ise to 44% in Germany by 2035. This is a wor ldwide trend and likely to give additional impetus to the micro living boom. The main reason for this development is that more and more people want to live in urban centres and remain flexible. Furnished apar tments with shor tterm tenancy agreements are just the job for digital nomads. Urbanisat ion and shor tage of living space Micro living has been in vogue for some years in Great Br itain and the USA. A beautiful example is Carmel Place in Manhat tan – a modular housing concept that of fers tiny units to residents of New York. The demand for af fordable dwellings has also been high in Japan’s metropolis of Tok yo for decades. Japan’s first micro apar tments were created in the Nakagin Capsule Tower which still has a futur istic air although it was built way back in 1970. Designed to the last detail Creativit y is essential if you want to pack a lot of functionalit y into a small footpr int. You have to utilise ever y inch of space to the ma x. Design, qualit y and convenience also play a ver y impor tant role. These requirements are met with made-to-measure, (ideally) floor-to- ceiling fit ted units and multi-functional furniture. DAVID’s micro apar tments in Dornbirn, Austr ia boast a well-thought- out room layout and smar t storage solutions in all living areas. Residents repor t that these features make the space feel bigger than it actually is. At the same time, this way of living inspires you to pare things down to the essentials. Less can be more in many aspects of life. Together not alone Regardless of age or stage in life: living alone does not automatically mean

4 3 Blum Inspirations living in social isolation. The residents can withdraw to the pr ivacy of their own apar tments but are not alone. The micro living concept gives those who would like to socialise and interact with others the possibilit y to do so in shared spaces. Communit y is an integral par t of the micro housing concept. • ‘Micro apar tments score in terms of clever floor plan, ingenious f urniture and a focus on the essent ials.’ Mar tin Summer, Managing Director of Rhomberg Bau

Food cul

58 54 50 46 Dif ferent countries have dif ferent kitchens Authentic, easy and creative Your style, your kitchen Good planning is half the battle ture

4 6 Blum Inspirations P H O T O G R A P H E R J U A N W Y N S L O C A T I O N S I N T - N I K L A A S | B E L G I U M What is food culture to you? I think that tradition plays a ver y impor tant role in food culture. You can exper iment, modif y and combine things but you should never forget your roots. However, the place you live in will always have an impact on cook ing and enjoyment. So although you stick to the recipe and always prepare things the same way, traditional dishes will taste dif ferently depending on the region and countr y you’re in. It ’s not always easy but it is impor tant to preser ve these dishes as par t and parcel of the culture. Where do you take your inspirat ion for new recipes? Well, much of my day revolves around finding inspiration for new dishes and recipes. It can be a picture or a photo, a tr ip, a par ticular dish in a restaurant or a conversation. I can spend hours talk ing to my good fr iend Wouter Van Tichelen about food, recipes and ideas. He used to have a Michelin-starred restaurant and is now Master Chef at Botanic Sanctuar y in Ant werp. Af ter our conversations I like to immediately tr y out all the ideas buzzing around in my head. Are you an ar t isan or an ar t ist? I feel like an ar tisan when I cook. And more like an ar tist when I bake. The lat ter requires more finesse and thought. Of course that could also be the case when cook ing, you just have to look at the unforget table plates that star chefs conjure up. But that ’s not my st yle. I love classic, traditional and healthy dishes that are well- craf ted. Have you got a favourite ingredient? That ’s a tough question! But if I have to choose, I’d say herbs and spices. I think they’re totally underrated. I recommend using herbs to add a fresh and personal t wist to your dishes. Even if you don’t like cook ing or think you’re not good at it: go for the herbs. Use more salt and pepper, but above all herbs and spices! Authentic, easy and creative Belgian master chef Chiara van Emrik is firmly convinced that you’re missing out in life if you don’t take the time to cook and enjoy good food. Her culinar y exper tise is inspired by childhood memories and the cuisines of dif ferent countries around the world.

47 Blum Inspirations

4 8 Blum Inspirations ‘Food and dr ink are not just f undamental to human surv ival. They form an essent ial par t of who we are and how we feel.’ What food trends should we look out for? People have become a lot more open to exotic tastes and foreign flavours, and thank fully, there is a greater emphasis on authenticit y, for example with Chinese dishes that are popular in the West. There’s also a trend toward hummus and muhammara from the Near East, but cauliflower and celer iac are also exper iencing a revival. More and more impor tance is being at tached to good qualit y local produce that has been sustainably grown. There’s no need for vegetar ians to nibble on a let tuce leaf any more: there is a growing range of plant based foods. The same applies to non-alcoholic dr inks. Digitalisat ion in the kitchen: blog versus cookbook – what ’s changed over the last few years? The internet is a great source of inspiration for recipes but to my mind, it can’t replace a good cook book. Holding it in my hands and browsing through the recipes is the greatest thing for me. I think it ’s the same for the younger generation. I don’t mind if the pages are stick y from rogue splashes of sauce – as long as I made them. What will the kitchen of the future look like? What requirements will it have to meet? I think it ’ll always be impor tant to have enough space to move around and large enough work tops. You also need to have enough storage and pull- outs. Make sure you have large, wide drawers that are deep enough to stash lots of items, including ugly food processors, waf fle irons and mixers. My tip is to store chopping boards and bak ing sheets upr ight in pullouts. This will keep the k itchen nice and tidy and free up your oven for bak ing. What couldn' t you do without in your own kitchen? I definitely don’t need a k itchen aid or Thermomix to cook a meal but I would miss them. To answer the question sensibly: good knives and chopping boards. In my kitchen I need less ... ... distraction In my kitchen I need more ... ... time. •

49 Blum Inspirations A B O U T Chiara van Emr ik realised that cook ing was her passion af ter seeing Belgian top chef Marc Paesbrugghe in action at wor ld-renowned Sir Anthony Van Dijck. Af ter completing her training, she worked with Roger van Damme, one of the best patissiers in the wor ld and became Njam’s first woman master chef. Van Hoecke is a supplier to the furniture industr y in Belgium. In the company’s showroom, Chiara shows end users how to make their k itchens fit for the future in terms of equipment and drawer design. Ser ves: 4 • ½ kg potatoes • ½ kg fresh spinach • 4 chicken breast fillets • A few slices of bacon • One large piece of Roquefor t cheese • Olive oil • Rosemar y • Gar lic • Nutmeg Just a handful of ingredients is all it takes to rustle up this fantastic t wist on a classic stuf fed chicken recipe. Roulades of tender chicken breast fillet filled with bacon and Roquefor t cheese go per fectly with roasted rosemar y potatoes. This is how it goes. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Cut the potatoes into small chunks, combine with some gar lic, olive oil and lots of fresh rosemar y. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for about an hour. Wash the spinach, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and sauté br iefly. Cut hor izontally through the breast, season with salt and pepper and lay slices of bacon over the flat tened chicken. Spread spinach and Roquefor t cheese on top. Then roll up the fillets as tightly as possible and wrap first in cling film and then in aluminium foil. Place roulades in boiling water for a few minutes, remove pot from heat and allow to rest for a while. Remove the foil, slice the roulades and ser ve with the cr ispy rosemar y potatoes. Smakelijk! Enjoy! Tender chicken roulade with rosemary potatoes

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51 Blum Inspirations Different countries have different kitchens Our way of living is shaped by the dif ferent cultures we inhabit all over the world. Ever y continent and ever y countr y has its own solutions to typical challenges. The clearest dif ferences are those between kitchens. The Requirements Research team investigates how kitchens and furniture are used all over the world. The depar tment is a fundamental par t of Blum. 681 obser vations have been carried out in 33 dif ferent countries to date. The depar tment ’s findings allow the company to develop products and ser vices that are tailored to international markets.

52 Blum Inspirations Roast ing or steaming Europeans will have a hard time finding an oven in a Chinese k itchen. Bamboo or stainless steel steamers are used instead. By contrast, Nor th Amer ican k itchens are equipped with ver y big ovens so that families can cook whole turkeys for Thanksgiving. Minimum or maximum Kitchens in China of ten have a minimalist design because they have to fit into a small footpr int. In other countr ies such as South Afr ica, k itchens of up to 538 sq. f t. (50 sq. metres) are not uncommon. They are the place where family and fr iends gather. Dr y and wet kitchen Oils used in Asian cooker y are incredibly impor tant and used liberally. This causes airborne grease and odours. That is why some households have t wo separate k itchens. Guests are invited to the dr y k itchen, but the heav y cook ing and fr ying takes place in the wet k itchen. By hand or machine In many countr ies, for example in Finland or Russia, washing up is usually done by hand. These k itchens have a cabinet with a built-in dish rack mounted above the sink. Dishes dr ip dr y out of sight. Fresh or food stocks While people in Asia t ypically buy fresh produce at the market, Europeans like to stock up. This has an impact on their storage space requirements in the k itchen. The most spacious pantr ies can be found in Australia and New Zealand, where people are likely to shop less frequently because of the distances they have to travel. Kimchi or crushed ice Kimchi is a Korean national dish. Koreans are so keen on the food that they might splash out on a special k imchi fr idge. Talk ing about chilling appliances, XL freestanding refr igerators with ice and water dispensers are character istic of the USA. Gas, grill or electric The advantages of a gas stove are appreciated in Asia and France. In Germany, however, people prefer electr ic cookers with easy-to- clean ceramic or induction hobs. In Ghana, despite modern k itchens, some dishes are traditionally prepared outdoors on a charcoal gr ill. Masala or merlot Herbs and spices are essential to Indian cuisine. No Indian cook could do without a spice box (masala dabba). By contrast, top pr ior it y is given to the storage of wine in France. Preferably in a wine cabinet (armoire à vin) directly nex t to the practical pull- out for baguet te. ‘We can only develop the r ight solut ions for k itchen f urniture i f we k now what users want – in markets across the globe.’ Sandra Boehler, Requirements Research Julius Blum GmbH

5 3 Blum Inspirations hou r s a day s ta nd i ng i n t he k itc hen? m i les (1. 50 0 k i lomet res) du r i ng t he l i fet i me of a k itc hen (approx . 20 yea r s)? k i log rams of items? Did you k now that on average we wa l k we spend we s tore 250 932 2

5 4 Blum Inspirations Inter iors say a lot about who you are. The inter ior design of your home reflects your personalit y. Great inter ior design is about mak ing a space your own and creating a bespoke signature st yle. The LEGRABOX box system by Blum gives you endless possibilities for creating a bespoke look. You can not only personalise the ex ter ior but also the inter ior of drawers. When open, the drawers show how much

5 5 Blum Inspirations allow you to carr y the stunning design of the space through to drawer inter iors or create dar ing contrasts with strong accents. at tention to detail as gone into them. A wide array of colours and mater ials, pr inting and laser-engraving options allow you to create completely unique designs. The double walled drawer sides of LEGRABOX Your style, your k itchen

5 6 Blum Inspirations Opt for subt let y Drawer sides with glass inser ts make drawers with closed sides look light and air y. LEGRABOX free lets the drawer contents shine through. Make it bespoke Pr inted drawer sides are special design features that create a visual surpr ise – one of the options of fered by LEGRABOX individual.

57 Blum Inspirations Add colour accents Inner and outer drawer sides can be designed dif ferently thanks to the clever double-shell design. Trendy noble rust comes into its own here (LEGRABOX special edition). Create amazing harmonies Dark fronts and sur faces with matching colour drawer sides harmonise with light shades of wood – LEGRABOX individual. •

5 8 Blum Inspirations Good planning is half the battle Are you familiar with Blum’s Zone Planner? It helps you calculate your personal storage needs and preps you for your first meeting with a kitchen consultant or cabinet maker. You’d like to fit ever y thing in, make full use of the storage space available and create smooth workflows? No problem, the Zone Planner will get you star ted.

5 9 Blum Inspirations Step 2 P L A N Z O N E S Star t the online Zone Planner which will take you through the dif ferent topics step by step: consumables, non- consumables, cleaning, preparation and cook ing. Forgot ten any thing? You can add items yourself and enter quantities in ever y step. Step 1 S P E C I F Y I T E M S What supplies, cook ing utensils, plates and cutler y do you want to store in your k itchen? Consider which storage item is the tallest (olive oil bot tle) or largest (food processor), what you want to have within reach when cook ing and where you’d like to keep your dishes so that you can quick ly lay the table. Step 3 I M P L E M E N T P L A N S With just one click you can pr int out your personal list of storage items, matching cabinet solutions and suggestions on inner dividers for drawers and pull- outs or send it to your k itchen consultant or cabinet maker. The easy way to plan your k itchen – hand in hand with your manufacturer. More information

Trends

62 70 64 72 68 78 Time to get up and move Tips Smar t homes Know today what might be impor tant tomorrow The golden years Dark sur faces

62 Blum Inspirations Smart homes The digital revolution has opened up infinite possibilities in the field of home automation – and this is just the beginning of an exciting journey to a smar t future. Blum is on board.

6 3 Blum Inspirations There are three main reasons why not ever y household has embraced smar t home technologies: lack ing interconnectivit y bet ween dif ferent systems, complex provider landscape and users’ concerns about cybersecur it y. This applies in par ticular to Germany. There is less scepticism in the USA and Great Br itain. However, forecasters believe that the number of smar t homes in Germany is set to hit 18.5 million by 2025. Intelligent lighting systems top the popular it y char ts followed by net worked secur it y cameras, doorbells and smar t household gadgets that can be controlled via an app. What is the motivation behind it? According to a sur vey by Statista, 72% of the inter viewees are convinced that smar t technologies provide enhanced convenience and a bet ter qualit y of life. 65% say that the desire for greater secur it y is a deciding factor. Bet ter energy management and consequently increased energy ef ficiencies are also among the dr iving forces of this development. Last but not least, smar t Ambient Assisted Living helps older people and those in need of care to stay living independently in their own homes. What trends are emerging? In the future, a single wireless standard will ensure that all devices are compatible with each other. Solutions that are independent of WLAN connections are also in the of fing: users will be able to control their smar t devices even when of fline, in other words without having to connect to the provider’s cloud. Another home tech trend is voice controlled smar t displays that simplif y operation. Can fit t ings solut ions be smar t? We at Blum have been investigating the topic of smar t homes for many years because we want to be able to suppor t future developments and living trends. We believe that furniture of the future will be a ‘home’ for smar t devices. We’re already work ing on infrastructure for charging devices inside furniture – via the most commonly used inter face USB-C. And we’re interested in the operation of furniture via voice command. •

6 4 Blum Inspirations In the modern world there is a desire to return to traditional living arrangements, where older people remained in their own homes – aging at home. People star t the new chapter in their lives with energy, high demands on quality and convenience and surprising digital dexterity. These are the best prerequisites for aging at home. The golden years

6 6 Blum Inspirations Having several generations under one roof used to be quite common, but ex tended family living is in decline today. This is prompting people to think about where they would like to live in old age. Most people are keen to stay in their homes as long as possible. Oppor tunit ies and challenges Having roots is impor tant for body and soul. Aging at home means staying in a familiar environment and continuing to belong to the communit y and social net work. Ideally, there will be strong relationships with the family – this will give adult children the assurance that their parents are well. Depending on physical fitness, it might be necessar y to do some remodelling to make ever yday life easier – for example, in the k itchen or bathroom. However, with a bit of understanding, acceptance and advance planning, the transition will be easy. Adaptable homes When you’re young it ’s dif ficult to imagine the challenges that come with old age. Age can, for example, af fect your sense of touch. Movements that used to be easy become hard. Homes and furnishings have to be adapted to these age-related changes. ‘Most people don’t realise that their current homes don’t meet the requirements of independent living in old age until it ’s too late,’ says Lothar Mar x, architect of housing and social real estate. ‘The thing is that you should really consider accessibilit y r ight from the star t of the construction process.’ Lothar Mar x’s specialist field is accessibilit y in building construction for the disabled and elder ly. He is an Honorar y Professor at the Technical Universit y of Munich. Design for all The design for all concept (universal design) is gaining traction. The idea is to create accessible layouts and inter iors that are appealing and accommodating for ever yone. Af ter all, ease of use and convenience are benefits for ever yone. The trend is also having a positive impact on residential construction but there are some limitations. ‘It ’s presumptuous to think that we can build a home that fits ever yone. We’re all individuals. What ’s ‘Functionality is top priority when you build and furnish an apartment or a house. You can change the design if required. But it’s difficult to replace missing functionality later on.’ Lothar Mar x, Architect and Honorar y Professor at the Technical Universit y of Munich

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