i+D - November/December 2019 - 28

As technology increasingly infiltrates all areas of the home,
kitchens and baths remain at the heart of everything.
Our authors in this issue of i+D divulge their personal tech
preferences and professional experiences.

1. Robert Nieminen, Creative Coverage
While he was researching his article about intellectual property (IP), "Creative Coverage"
(p. 22), Robert was surprised to discover that IP theft is so pervasive. Even more so,
he states, is "how difficult it is to defend against it. While copyrights, patents, and
trademarks offer protections here in the United States and Canada, they mean little in
countries like China and India, where enforcement of IP laws is virtually impossible."
He agrees that social media is a double-edged sword in the IP world "in that it is both
an unprecedented marketing platform and a veritable gold mine of ideas people can
pilfer." On a personal note, the high-tech devices Robert uses include a cell phone,
a computer, and a basic Bluetooth speaker to play music. He does not, however, own
any smart home devices-"nor do I plan to." In fact, he adds that "the kitchen is
definitely the heart of my home because it's a place of community where good food and
conversation happen. ...[and] the one place we tend to connect without technology."
2. Jessica Goldbogen Harlan, The Connected Kitchen
Jessica has an extensive "foodie" background, attending both culinary school and
authoring several cookbooks, so it's no wonder that "The Connected Kitchen" (p. 30)
is "probably [the] favorite piece I've written yet for i+D. I loved learning about some of
the cool new technologies coming out of the kitchen appliance segment...and for [them]
to become more accessible for homeowners." Accordingly, reveals Jessica, the kitchen
is the heart of her home. Why? "I write frequently about cooking and it's one of my
passions. I'm always trying out new recipes. I just wish [my kitchen was] bigger and I had
more storage space, because I'm a total gadget geek!" With respect to high tech in other
areas of her home, the one "gadget" Jessica wishes for is a single remote for the TV/sound
system that is easy and intuitive to use: "We currently have two and it still seems to take
me forever to get to the show I want to watch."

i+D - November/December 2019

3. Kim Cook, The Connected Kitchen: True Rebel
If Kim could create a new tech tool for her home, she knows
exactly what that would be. "I have a Labrador Retriever
who goes on a two-hour hike in the woods every day. Way
too often, she comes back stinking of swamp water or rotten
something-or-other," she explains. "I would love an automatic
car-wash contraption that she could just walk through and
be instantly cleaned and deodorized." Generally, however, Kim
recognizes that the tech wave can be less freeing or simplifying
than touted by industry enterprises. She found a refreshing
viewpoint from one of her sources during her assignment on
high-tech kitchen appliances (p. 36). "Andrew [Shead] at True
[Residential] was the outlier. He was the only industry professional
to echo what I had been thinking, and back it up with empirical
evidence in the form of design professionals' feedback," she says.
"What most folks...really wanted was a well-made, super-reliable,
great-looking machine that did the job...and wasn't going to be
hamstrung by gadgetry that might malfunction."
4. Michele Keith, The Luxury of Wellbeing
Michele's dream tool would be "my own personal Tess the Techie,
[who] would immediately come to my office-like a genie in a
bottle-whenever I encountered a problem with my computer
or any other electronic device. I'd also like a robotic masseuse!"
she says. The latter is not a surprising desire, especially after
Michele completed her article on at-home spas (p. 38). She notes
she was amazed at the innumerable variety of bath products
geared toward all aspects of wellbeing. "Not only are there scores
of categories, but dozens of variations within each. And, the
designs are outstanding! Sculpted shapes, rich finishes, an eye
toward beauty in addition to health. It makes you want to buy
them just to have them around to admire."
5. Ambrose Clancy, ICONic Profile: Ray Calabro
In his regular "ICONic Profile" series, Ambrose displays a keen
insight into his subjects' personalities-both professional and
personal-including the recap of his interview with Ray Calabro
of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson (p. 46) in this issue. "I liked Ray
immediately," recalls Ambrose, of his time with Ray. "He was
cheerful, smart, and obviously in love with what he does. He
wears his learning lightly and is clear in his opinions." Something
Ambrose obviously does as well. In fact, displaying his own
sense of humor when discussing the technology he himself
uses, Ambrose reveals, "We have a stupid home, more or less."
Furthermore, he doesn't aspire to purchase-or, for that matter,
wish for-any futuristic tech tool in the near term. His special
personal place? "[The] kitchen, absolutely. It's where we cook,
prepare for the day, and begin to wind down when the day
is ending," says Ambrose.
6. Brian J. Barth, Integrated & Sophisticated
The smart home is the focus of Brian's article, "Integrated &
Sophisticated" (p. 48). Although he admits he's not a fan of tech
"when it complicates my life," Brian indicates he definitely would
be game for a system in which "numerous smart home features
can be tied together in a single, voice-controlled interface."
In real life, he finds the most benefit from his "smart" security
system, noting, "It allows me to see what's happening on my
phone while I'm away and even turn lights on and off." Wishful
thinking might offer up a tech tool that "fills the bath at just
the right temperature on a cold night." And, it's clear that Brian
enjoys his home base-especially when responding to a query
about defining the heart of his own residence: "Tough call.
I would say the kitchen, because that's where the people are."

Image 1: Robert Nieminen/Image 2: Erin Brauer/Image 3: Katherine Cook/Image 4: Andrew French
Image 5: Kirk Condyles/Image 6: Christine Nobel

Contributors

i+D - November/December 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of i+D - November/December 2019