Kitchens have always been an integral part of the home. Now, as the lines between residential and commercial design blur, kitchens have become equally important in commercial projects. In hospitality environments, they are essential to ensuring guest comfort and amenity, and in busy office breakout spaces they provide employees with a space to relax, prepare food during breaks, and interact with their colleagues.

As a result, the commercial kitchen space has become a crucial opportunity for innovation and creative expression through design. As designers turn their attention to commercial kitchens, a number of trends and common concerns are emerging. Both designers and end-users are seeking commercial kitchen spaces that meet three main criteria: style, function, and sustainability.

A key design driver in any context, style is a guiding principle in contemporary commercial kitchen design. Kitchens in offices and hospitality environments are taking cues from their residential counterparts, and are tending toward the sleek, streamlined, and sophisticated. Colour palettes are restrained and neutral, featuring clean whites and cool greys, and materials are selected for both their appearance and tactile qualities. Natural stone is a popular choice for its richly textured surface and subtle luxe aesthetic, while matte laminate is prized for its soft, satin finish and even surface that is warm to the touch.

In addition to demanding the latest contemporary aesthetic, today’s commercial kitchens require a high degree of functionality. Space is a major consideration in office and hospitality environments with limited floor and bench space. In response, designers are leaning toward compact kitchen appliances and furniture that maximises available space. This is coupled with a desire for highly functional, reliable products – in particular, high-traffic commercial and hospitality kitchens require clean, fresh drinking water that can be accessed at any time of day.

Reflecting the design industry’s increasingly environmentally conscious stance, neither style nor function should come at the cost of the environment. Trends in commercial kitchen design are underpinned by a strong eco focus and desire for products that tap into the green design movement and have minimal impact on the environment. Where possible, designers are seeking appliances and kitchen solutions that meet the relevant environmental performance guidelines and legislation.

For over 25 years, Billi instant filtered water systems have led the market in filtered water solutions for residential and commercial kitchens. Always ahead of the curve, Billi launched the world’s first underbench boiling and chilled filtered water system in the early 1990s and quickly earned a reputation as a leader in style, functionality, and sustainability. Billi units have been installed in countless homes, offices, showrooms, and high-end hospitality projects around the world, and are highly sought after for their reliable delivery of boiling, chilled, sparkling, still, and filtered water.

At the core of Billi’s range of functional, energy efficient filtered water solutions is an unwavering spirit of innovation and creativity. Australian-owned and Australian-made, Billi is finely attuned to market needs and the latest trends in interior design. Billi units effortlessly marry style with functionality, delivering clean water at the perfect temperature while maintaining a sleek, streamlined aesthetic. Designers can choose from a range of dispensers that include conventional levers and round and square slimline options. Advanced multi-stage filtration technology eliminates harmful sediments, minerals, chemicals, and cysts without compromising on a high, consistent flow rate.

Over the years, Billi’s strong eco focus has been unmatched by its peers. Billi products comply with Ecologically Sustainably Development (ESD) guidelines, and the company is continually fine-tuning its water treatment technology to ensure minimal environmental impacts. Billi technology recovers the waste heat energy produced by chilling water and reuses this to preheat boiling water; this energy efficiency is bolstered by high-performance insulation and a standby mode that conserves power during designated non-use periods. Some members of the Billi product family have achieved Global GreenTag International Gold Level certification, cementing their place amongst the most stylish, functional, and highly sustainable filtered water solutions on the market.