Industry Statements with Lasse Naber of Naber

Naber is a medium-sized family company based in Nordhorn, Germany. The company develops, produces and distributes a complete range of kitchen accessories. In the industry statements CEO Lasse Naber talks about interior solutions, urbanisation, individualisation and smart kitchens.

In 1948, Hermann Naber founded a trade office and a wholesale company for joinery supplies and furniture fittings. In the mid 1970s, Ingrid und Hans-Joachim Naber developed the new ‘Kitchen Accessories’ range. The company’s creativity, openness and market knowledge and its relationships with its employees, customers and suppliers enabled Naber GmbH to become one of Europe’s leading comprehensive providers of kitchen equipment. Lasse Naber, a member of the family’s third generation, joined the company’s management in 2003.

Why has the kitchen once again become such an important part of our domestic culture?

Rising property prices and the increase in urbanisation result in more compact designs that have modern, open-plan layouts. Despite being highly functional and being equipped with efficient technological devices, the homely design style of kitchens enables them to blend into open plan living solutions better than ever before. In this way, the kitchen becomes a central hub within the home. The flowing transitions between kitchen and dining areas sometimes extend into the living room area too and open-plan living is becoming increasingly popular. The absence of dividing walls makes spaces feel larger and more airy. It also paves the way for new, universally consistent approaches to design. And the same applies in smaller spaces.

How important is design when it comes to conveying ‘inner value’?

Making the inside as attractive as the outside is about both aesthetics and functionality. So it’s not just about the way things look externally. It is just as important that they maintain order in the user’s everyday life. Storage space that is well planned, aesthetically pleasing, low-maintenance and – most importantly – tailored to the user’s needs is more than just attractive. It is also convenient, uncluttered and saves the user time. These precise requirements are fulfilled by our drawer organising systems such as Cuisio, Modify and Regolare and by our multifunctional Cox Box and Cox Work solutions.

Which direction will the development of kitchens take and what importance will they have in domestic life in 10 to 15 years’ time?

Growing urbanisation, increasing mobility and rising property prices will continue to have an impact on the furnishings and fittings in our homes. Meeting demand will require products that are simple, quickly accessible, easy to understand and easy to use – less is more. This applies to living solutions for small spaces and to new design concepts for rooms and living spaces that need to fulfil a range of requirements at the same time. This will result in the development of a variety of multifunctional, flexible and modular interior solutions, such as our Concept Kitchen. With this concept, the kitchen takes on the role of a multifunctional space for cooking, eating, working and relaxing.

Urbanisation and digitalisation are megatrends in the field of interior design and they are also present in the kitchens sector. How is Naber approaching these megatrends?

One of the most persistent megatrends is that of individualisation. We are therefore convinced that the process of digitalisation, which is specific to manufacturers, will continue to increase the diversity of the materials, colours and dimensions that are available. Previously, the materials used in interior design have been reminiscent of natural products (wood, metal and stone) – and this will remain the case. Colours, however, play a different role in different countries. For example, German consumers tend to be more reserved and choose ‘non-colours’ such as white, grey or black, whereas French and Italian customers like to be surrounded by vibrant colours. The basic principle is that wherever consumers live, they can choose their preferred shapes, colours and materials – either as a custom-made or a modular solution – so that they can create their own colourful living environment and make their world just the way they want it to be.

How do you see the future of the technological kitchen? And in terms of fittings, which additional technologies will find their way into the kitchen?

We think that kitchens are going to get even smarter. But we take the word ‘smart’ to mean intelligent, user-friendly and user-focused. This applies both to the extractor fan technology we have developed (COMPAIR ventilation technology) and to the lighting technology that we sell. Our motto is: ‘As much as necessary, not as much as possible.’ This is also true of the fittings that will make it possible for compact units to dispense boiling and/or filtered water and still or sparkling drinking water. The convenience of these products is enhanced by the use of sensors or mechanical controls. Our comprehensive range of products enables us to keep in step with these trends.