PROFILE, FAMILY OF FIVE

WHO LIVES THERE:

ERLING, DAD:
He is the main person that cooks for the family, sees it as his own time, and relax
situation. Most of the family goes around him when he cooks and adjusts to his
whereabouts around the kitchen area. He is 49 years of age and a business man, likes
expensive kitchen equipment, and would love a coffee machine in his kitchen. Goes to
the gym, and cares about his diet. Likes Jamie Oliver and craves new technology.

CECILIE, MUM:
She uses the kitchen more as a place to keep desktop appliances that she would need.
Her sowing kits and bits and bobs that she uses has its own place on the island in the
middle of the kitchen. She is a clean freak, and wants all surfaces clean at all times.
Clean meaning clean underneath all the stuff on the tabletops. She goes to the gym,
and is one of the family members that does not eat that much. She rarely eats a lot of From the pictures they sent me on email. And below the film that was
lunch and has a little breakfast. Works in television, and is a producer, and with that filmed for research reasons in a normal situation.
she hates the telly on during a meal.

VÅR EMILY, 17 YEARS:

Goes to the German school in Oslo. Is very disciplined, and started to go regularly to
the gym with her friends at the age of 14. She is very into her diet, and rarely eats car-
bohydrates. She has a lot of friends and is barley home, she spends her time at home
in her room or in the kitchen. She eats a lot of food, and mainly prepares it herself. But
this excludes the oven, which she claims she can not use.

ERLE JOAN, 12 YEARS:

Her hole world evolves around horses, and the only time she is in the kitchen is when
she is preparing for school or to go to the stables. Dad cooks the most meals for the
whole family and she has to take in and out of the washing machine as one of her
chores. As oppose to her sister, she likes to cook, but hasn’t got the time, in between
the horse and school. She knows how to use the most of the appliances in the kitchen,
but this because she is the only one that actually joins in when daddy cooks meals.
GEORG, 18 YEARS:
The cousin, that lives with the family, now that the eldest daughter of the family has
moved out. He is very handy in the kitchen, and can use most of the appliances. The
trouble would probably be about the quantity of food that he consumes and uses during
cooking, so measuring might be a problem. He is very healthy, and goes to the gym
a lot. He enjoys War hammer figurines, and spends his time doing homework by the
kitchen table or down in his room.

THE HOUSHOLD HAS ALSO GOT TWO DOGS. OFFE AND ZORRO.

HOW THEY USE THE KITCHEN SPACE:

Erling himself explains that the “This is where we talk. The kitchen is the most social
space in the house. Everything evolves around the kitchen table, not only eating but
kids do their homework here, people are reading at the table, and at least one laptop is
on the table at any given time.”
Observations also made from the research video that I was provided, was that the
island in the middle is where all groceries goes in the beginning of a shopping trip
return.
They have a very specific system of where everything goes in their cupboards and
drawers. They have separated the kitchen equipment in to two categories. There is
the cutlery fro formal occasions and special occasions, and then there is the everyday
where. They each have one huge drawer each. This is what they say about their old
kitchen, “After 5-6 years with an IKEA kitchen and bad solutions, we had enough.
The old kitchen that was not costumed to our house and felt impractical and cumber-
some. Especially when it came to the drawers and
cabinets that were not exciting as you can see from the pictures.”

This is what they say about their new kitchen “We got the new kitchen designed by
HTH (Danish company) White goods are from Siemens (dishwasher, gas burner, hob,
oven and damp-oven) We have integrated dish-washer from Bosch, and waste-grinder
in the sink. As you can see from the pictures it was the benches full of things that took the kitchen is a place for everything, but when they cook, the tastks that needs carring
most of the workplace when you would cook food. out, they all stick to routines and set tasks and know not to go in eachothers way. This
This makes the new kitchen much more efficient even if at times here is very opposite of what they do in other familiys in England that we have reaserches.
too should have had more counter space. Where they sing and interact and have it as a family activity to cook.
In the new kitchen, everything is within reach when cooking. Cutting and preparing zone this is where they keep the
at the right end of the cooking zone, on the left side is the bench seat and the kitchen everyday cutlery and plates.
machines. To the right, oven and steam oven. The oven doors should have been The drawers underneath there again
hinged on the right-hand side instead of left as it is now, but we felt that was is the formal and event table wear.
a bad solution and the doors now go towards you instead that it should be gone from
you. The refrigerator is also easily accessible on the right.
Under the hob, you have 90 cm wide drawers, these contain the most commonly used
Table rules, and interaction around
kitchen equipment, behind you have 90 cm trays with dry goods and utensils, etc.,
the table is very interesting,
There is also waste.”
Compared to other cultures. As this
is Norway, England might have
completely different norms of table
manners and rules. This family is
very strict, and the only one
getting a bit of lavage is the nephew,
because he isn’t the
Mothers son.
INTERVIEW WITH ERLING, THE DAD OF THE HOUSE. 14.04.10
1.So can you tell me who do you share the household with (if anyone)?
My wife and 2 kinds and one nephew so 5 people in total
2.And how long have you been living here?
10 years
3.Do you use the kitchen a lot or does any other member of the household use it fre-
quently?
Me and my wife uses the kitchen the most, but the kids have to use it in order not to
starve to death…
4.How often on a daily basis?
From breakfast, and then from four o clock in the afternoon and through out the day
since the kitchen is an integrated part of the living room.
5.What are the common activities you encounter in your kitchen environment?
This is where we talk. The kitchen is the most social space in the house. Everything
evolves around the kitchen table, not only eating but kids do their homework here, peo-
ple are reading at the table, and at least one laptop is on the table at any given time.
6.How would you describe the kitchen atmosphere?
The kitchen is functional and spacious with a lot of space to interact with each other.
7.Do you hold social events within your home? How does this change the kitchen envi-
ronment?
Yes we have dinner parties and that includes the use of the kitchen as one of the main
arenas for cooking and socializing. The dinner table is an extension from the “kitchen
island” so this makes the kitchen an important part of the “party zone”.
8.Since you have been living here, have you refurbished or personalised your kitchen
environment?
Yes we totally refurbished the kitchen for about 3 years ago. And changed all the
household appliances.
9.Could you tell me about the refurbishment? What changes took place? Any implica-
tions or particularly easy times you had when the kitchen was under construction?
The old kitchen was thrown out completely and it was a mess. The kitchen supplier
delivered of course some wrong elements so the kitchen was not usable for a month!
Then you find out that you really miss the kitchen, you suddenly find out this is the
most important room in the house.
10.Did you find that the kitchen design had to be fitted around the appliances, or was it
the appliances which fitted in with your kitchen?
The appliances was fitted with the kitchen, they where all new.
11.How much time was spent on the kitchen?
Too much time! Over a month.
12.In relation to other rooms in the house, did the kitchen receive a higher or lower
budget for refurbishing.
Probably one of the highest budgets was used on the kitchen.
13.Is this a one off thing, or do you constantly adjust the kitchen?
More like a one of , one tends to do small changes.
Ok, now to focus more on the appliances, being the oven and fridge;
14.Focusing on your oven and fridge/freezer appliance, can you remember where you
purchased them from?
The are all from Siemens
15.Was there any particular reason for this?
Got them cheaper through a friend.
16.What made you purchase into the brand? What feature(s) sold the appliance to you?
I picked out the appliances my self with the features I liked, large oven, steam oven,
and a large fridge with out freezer. The freezer is separate and is in the basement.
17.Have you encountered any problems with either appliance? Could you specify these?
Some of the lids on the drawers in the fridge are constantly broken.
18.How do you adapt to these problems, if you can that is?
Order new ones from Siemens, which I have done several times. It’s a hassle.
19.In an idea world, what would the oven and fridge/freezer offer you to make your life
more convenient? Your response does not need to be feasible?
Finally, lets talk about your kitchen experiences;
The oven should have a larger internal volume, it should heat up faster, it should be
self-cleaning, automatic cooking thermometer with outside display.
The fridge should be twice the size and have both water and ice dispenser. And it
should have a large area for fruit and vegetables.
20.Could you describe to me your typical return from grocery shopping as of when you
walk into the kitchen?
I put al the grocery bags on the tabletop and start unpacking which works well since
everything is within reach of the tabletop.
21.Do you have any implications when putting your goods away?
Only the frozen food since the freezer is downs stairs. I would like freezer drawers in
my kitchen.
22.How often do you cook?
Every day.
23.Do you enjoy cooking?
Yes.
24.Why is this?
It is mental hygiene, to be able to play with large sharp knifes and kill tomatoes…
No it’s the joy of making food the people love and talk about, nothing makes people
happier than a fantastic meal. But my wife is also a very good cook so if I am not in
the mood she cooks.
25.Do you cook on behalf of yourself or for the complete household?
I cook for everybody, and so does my wife.
26.What are your main concerns and problems you encounter when cooking?
What to cook, and not having the right ingredients. This is because I am a bad plan-
ner…
27.Do you ever alter the settings on your fridge and oven? Do you understand how too?
Yes I alter the setting on al my appliance and I know how to, but its not intuitive
enough.
28.Have you recently seen any oven or fridge appliances, which have ‘caught your eye’?
Could you name these if any?
Oven with built in microwave (Samsung has one I think), a double fridge with water and
ice dispenser and on min 700 liters, wine cooler drawer…..
29.And finally, what did you find appealing about these appliances?
Design is very important alongside with the functionality, that’s why I love http://www.
gaggenau.com but cant afford it….
This i s sort of a habit that cecilie has. She hovers the fridge once
a month. This is because the dogs hair gets into the fridge, and she
feels its the only way to keep it clean enough.