The Evolution of Kitchen Design
September 9, 2025
Team Kitchen Ideas
Women pioneers and modern shifts have underlined modern kitchen design.
Now everyone realises and accepts that over the years, kitchens have gone from being the humble, utilitarian space at the back of the house to the heart of the home—where family life and culinary creativity come together. What many even among the design fraternity don’t realise, though, is that the transformation of the kitchen owes much to the vision and ingenuity of women designers who, over the course of the 20th and 21st centuries, redefined how we cook, live, and experience the space.
This is not a feminist take on design but a statement that when women were socially supposed to be tied to the kitchen, a revolution in kitchen design was brewing. The remarkable thing was that it was led by women.
Take Dorothy Draper, for instance. In the mid-20th century, Draper, an American interior designer, shook things up by blending function with beauty in a way kitchens had never seen before. She proved that kitchens didn’t have to be drab spaces filled with stainless steel and cluttered counters. With her use of bold colours, luxurious materials, and stylish layouts, Draper transformed the kitchen into a space of vibrancy and personality. This was more than just a fresh coat of paint—it was the beginning of a cultural shift that made the kitchen a place people actually wanted to be in, not just a space where meals were hurriedly made and served.
Meanwhile, in Austria, Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky was already on a mission to make kitchens more functional. In the late 1920s, she created the Frankfurt Kitchen, which would go on to serve as the blueprint for modern kitchens. Schütte-Lihotzky’s design wasn’t about aesthetic indulgence; it was about practicality and efficiency, specifically addressing the immense physical labour women were expected to endure in the kitchen. In her design, every design choice, from the layout to the placement of utensils, was meant to minimise movement and maximise productivity. Her work recognised the importance of making kitchen spaces not just efficient but also more equitable for the women spending the most time there.
As the decades passed, kitchen design evolved alongside broader societal shifts, and by the 1960s and 1970s, women architects like Eleanor D. Porter were designing kitchens that weren’t just about cooking anymore—they were spaces meant to support the changing roles of women in society. With more women entering the workforce, kitchens needed to adapt to the demands of modern life. These new designs focused on flexibility, multitasking, and efficiency, reflecting the ways familieswere evolving.
Fast forward to the 21st century, and designers like Patricia Urquiola and Ilse Crawford continue to blend beauty with function. Urquiola, for example, has revolutionised the kitchen by integrating high-quality materials and sleek designs that prioritise both aesthetics and utility. Crawford takes a slightly different approach, focusing on the emotional connection to the space, creating kitchens that aren’t just practical but inviting and comfortable. Both have redefined how we think about kitchen design, making them spaces where we not only cook but live, work, and entertain.
The shift toward high-end kitchen equipment and modular designs is a clear example of how kitchen design is no longer just about function—it’s a lifestyle choice. Photo Courtesy: Unknown
The Road to Recognition
Of course, the journey hasn’t been all smooth sailing. Despite the central role women play in the kitchen, the design industry itself has long been male-dominated. In the early 20th century, design was largely seen as a male profession, and women who dared to enter it often faced steep obstacles. Not only were women expected to focus on domestic tasks, but the very idea of a woman designing kitchens-spaces that were viewed as “women’s work” in a traditional sense-was often met with scepticism.
Even pioneers like Schütte-Lihotzky faced challenges in gaining the recognition they deserved. The work they were doing was considered, at best, “domestic” and “feminine”, and at worst, unworthy of serious attention. That meant many early women designers worked largely in the shadows, overshadowed by their male peers. And when their designs did get attention, it wasn’t always the kind of recognition they had earned. Still, these trailblazers persisted, proving that design could be both functional and transformative, no matter who was behind it.
But women in design didn’t just wait for recognition to come to them—they created networks that would allow them to carve out their space. Organizations like the Association of Women in Architecture and Design (AWA+D) and the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) have been instrumental in providing platforms for women to advance in their careers, share ideas, and push boundaries. These networks have enabled women to find support, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities, helping elevate them from the margins to the mainstream of the design world.
Women in the Kitchen Design Market
Today, women designers are not just shaping kitchen aesthetics—they’re also driving the industry forward. The kitchen design market has seen remarkable growth, particularly in segments where high-end design and innovative kitchen equipment are concerned. As consumers in both Western and Eastern markets demand more personalised, smart, and aesthetically pleasing kitchen designs, the influence of women is palpable. The shift toward high-end kitchen equipment and modular designs is a clear example of how kitchen design is no longer just about function—it’s a lifestyle choice.
Women designers in India are embracing this challenge, creating kitchens that meet the demands of today’s urban households while also honouring the cultural significance of the kitchen as a gathering space. Photo Courtesy: Unknown
Here in India, for instance, the kitchen design market is booming. According to recent industry reports, the modular kitchen market in India is expected to reach in thousands of crores by 2027. This growth is largely driven by urbanisation, smaller family sizes, and a growing desire for sleek, functional kitchen spaces. High-end kitchen appliances—ranging from smart refrigerators to advanced cooktops—are already increasingly popular, particularly in metros like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Consumers are no longer satisfied with basic cooking setups; they want technology, sophistication, and style. Women designers in India are at the forefront of this shift. Shabnam Gupta, based in Mumbai, has become known for her unique ability to combine contemporary aesthetics with traditional Indian design elements, creating kitchens that reflect both modern sensibilities and cultural heritage.
Her designs cater to the needs of a changing demographic—families who still want to preserve the essence of traditional Indian cooking but seek the convenience and style that modern kitchens offer. Similarly, Sussanne Khan, a prominent interior designer, has worked on creating kitchens that balance minimalism with luxury, appealing to India’s growing middle and upper classes, who want their kitchens to be as stylish as they are functional.
These high-end kitchens are also changing the role of technology in the Indian home. With the rise of smart appliances, automated systems, and energy-efficient designs, the modern Indian kitchen is becoming more than just a place to prepare meals; it’s becoming an integrated, efficient hub for the home.
The Kitchen as a Cultural Touchstone
Across the world, kitchen design is no longer just about cooking. It’s about creating a space where we live, where we gather, and where we build memories. The kitchens of today and tomorrow must accommodate a variety of needs and styles, blending culture, technology, and tradition in new ways. In India, where the kitchen has long been a focal point of family life, this transformation is particularly poignant. The traditional Indian kitchen, with its vast cooking areas and emphasis on communal meals, is evolving to reflect the fast-paced, urban, and technology-driven lifestyles of modern families.
Women designers in India are embracing this challenge, creating kitchens that meet the demands of today’s urban households while also honouring the cultural significance of the kitchen as a gathering space. Whether through sleek modular designs, smart appliances, or thoughtful use of materials, these designers are paving the way for a new era of kitchen design that merges the old with the new.
The influence of women in kitchen design is undeniable. From the early work of Dorothy Draper and Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky to the modern innovations of Patricia Urquiola and Ilse Crawford, women have been at the heart of redefining the kitchen as a space where beauty, function, and life intersect. These designers have turned kitchens from purely functional spaces into areas of comfort, style, and even joy.
The kitchen has come a long way, and women designers continue to be the ones leading the charge into the future, making sure the heart of the home beats stronger, smarter, and more beautifully than ever before.
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