Have you ever asked yourselves what more a stainless-steel kitchen has to offer compared to those made with other materials? At the time of designing domestic interiors, such as the space intended for domestic use, there are many technical-design aspects to keep in mind, such as:
- Material
- Lighting
- Acoustics
- Shelves and Opening Mechanism
- Useful Square Meters
One of the first elements an architect or interior designer assesses to design a high-profile designer kitchen is ascribable to the choice of materials to use, which must under all circumstances be suitable for the various tasks carried out: from storage to preparation, to cooking, dishing up and final washing. All five steps of the cooking process mentioned above require a hard-wearing material since they are carried out day-in-day-out. Stainless steel kitchens are definitely the best solution to aim for. cromatica® modular kitchen.
The extraordinary properties of stainless steel, which are particularly dear to great Chefs, do not make the material simply functional in the kitchen but are also highly appreciated in terms of styling, especially in domestic settings. This is why today stainless-steel kitchens have become a genuine trend, favoured by the popular industrial chic style.
If you have chanced upon this article, you may be curious to find out the properties of stainless steel and how it has come to play a leading role in designer kitchens.
Stainless steel in designer kitchens: why choose it?
Stainless steel affords outstanding technical and styling characteristics (not to mention sustainability). Let’s look at the main characteristics of stainless steel and what the reasons are for its rise in popularity among an increasingly demanding public, one that is careful and sophisticated, for those who cook with passion, for family and friends.
Technical characteristics of stainless steel
Stainless steel is a metal alloy with extraordinary properties in terms of resistance. The material boasts a massive quantity of chromium, with a presence ranging from 11 to 30%. This composition prevents stainless steel from rusting and corroding if exposed continuously to water and air. Indeed, the chemical element chromium, which oxidises with oxygen, is transformed to give rise to chromium oxide. The latter adheres to the stainless-steel product you wish to produce, preventing further oxidation and, therefore, the loathsome appearance of rust. Other binding agents found in stainless steel include nickel, copper, titanium, molybdenum and niobium. The total quantity of such binding agents must not exceed 50%. If the percentage is any higher, these are no longer steels but austenitic stainless-steel alloys. The variation of each individual binding agent affects the structural, mechanical and corrosion characteristics of the material.
Specifically, the American Iron and Steel Institute indicates with the acronym AISI 304 a top-quality austenitic stainless steel which contains 18% Chromium and 8% Nickel. This type of stainless steel proves extremely useful in the home, as it can withstand temperatures of up to 500°C.
A suitable material for use anywhere in the home, but especially for those surfaces, those items of furniture, those furnishings and functional objects which undergo strong stresses or which often come into contact with water. Here are the reasons why stainless steel is particularly used around the home, specifically:
- Load bearing structure or body
- Sinks
- Hoods
- Worktops
- Doors
In modular kitchens made of stainless steel, there are small yet fundamental details which determine the quality of the material itself. These are ascribable to door hinges.
In addition to resistance to weathering and therefore the inability to rust, the material also features extremely important technical characteristics which make it particularly suitable for use in the professional kitchens of great Chefs, as well as in the construction of structures for the home. Indeed, it proves to be:
- Long-lasting
- Biologically Pure
- 100% recyclable
- Easy to clean
- Suitable for outdoor use
Stainless steel is the ideal material for hygiene in domestic settings, because it is easy to clean and biologically neutral, in addition to being an eco-friendly product that is 100% recyclable. An eternal material, one that is charming and functional and that ages slowly without losing any of its characteristics. These are some of the main technical characteristics which make stainless steel the undisputed star of domestic settings.
Check out the range of Stainless Steel interiors by Cromatica