Refrigerator for the eat-in kitchen – daniels + erdwiens - design innovation development

A manufacturer of white goods asked us to develop a refrigerator concept, which can be more suitably integrated in a living room or eat-in kitchen environment.
Based on a french-door with high doors, we developed a completely new approach with exchangeable coloured linoleum panels, recessed in fine wooden frames. The panels are available in different colours and patterns and can be easily exchanged.

Grid areas with magnets and circular, recessed positioning aids attached to the side allow container modules, storage areas or plant pots to be attached.

The exchange of the panels is easy and fast due to the frames and magnetic holders, so that a change of color-decor or DIY designed photo panels can be made according to individual needs. Small textile flags facilitate the pulling and easy replacement of the panels.

The range of panels extends from simple color surfaces that can be individually arranged in groups of three to patterns, decorative surfaces and custom photo panels.

The current trends in the kitchen and living environment show a great interest in DIY, customizability and flexibility, however also a need for purism, smooth surfaces, clear structures and easy operation and cleaning. In order to meet these seemingly contradictory needs, we developed the idea of a poster and photo wall that can be customized via app, thus providing the user with another tool for digital customization. The user’s own photos are arranged on a smartphone or PC with the help of the app and then printed to the appropriate panel size via a service provider. Classic refrigerator family photo arrangements or full size posters can be individually layouted and printed on a matching panel.