User Well-Being in Kitchen Environment Design from a Positive Psychology Perspective: A Quantitative and Qualitative Literature Analysis

Abstract

This paper systematically discusses the impact of kitchen environment design on users’ well-being. Based on the user-centered design concept, this paper focuses on the theoretical framework of positive psychology and combines quantitative and qualitative research methods. Firstly, using bibliometric analysis tools (CiteSpace 6.1.R1 and VOSviewer 1.6.20), 1256 related articles in the Web of Science Core database were analyzed to reveal the multidimensional association between kitchen design and user well-being. It was found that improving kitchen air quality, optimizing space layout design, intelligent design, and family interaction significantly improve users’ mental health and happiness. Then, based on the PERMA model of positive psychology, this paper discusses the support path of kitchen design to users’ psychological needs from five dimensions: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. Optimizing the kitchen environment can enhance user experience by creating an immersive experience and positive feedback and promoting family communication, social interaction, cultural heritage, and sustainable development. Based on research results and cutting-edge design cases in the discussion section, a home kitchen design strategy for improving user welfare through the PERMA model is proposed. Finally, follow-up research can further explore the differentiated needs of different cultural backgrounds and user groups to promote the combined application of innovative kitchen technology and positive psychology and further focus on kitchen environment and health equity, especially for developing and vulnerable countries—group-specific needs.

1. Introduction

As an important part of family life, the kitchen is not only related to the health and safety of the daily diet but also directly affects the mental health and overall well-being of family members. Literature research shows that the environmental quality of the kitchen has an important impact on the physical and psychological health of the occupants. For example, poor kitchen ventilation will lead to the accumulation of pollutants and heat, affecting the occupants’ comfort and psychological health. On the contrary, optimizing the ventilation system can significantly improve the kitchen’s comfort and enhance the occupants’ well-being [1,2]. In addition, the kitchen, as a cooking space, also carries the interaction between family members and emotional exchange. Studies have shown that kitchen cooking can bring positive emotions such as pleasure, relaxation, and self-realization, enhance happiness, and promote communication and connection between members through family meals [3,4]. Therefore, the kitchen is a functional workspace and an important place to promote family well-being [5].

In recent years, with the acceleration of the pace of life and the increase in social pressure, people’s demand for happiness in the family environment has increased. The user-centered design method is increasingly valued, and its core lies in the scientific analysis of user behavior and needs and optimizing the kitchen space’s functional layout and user experience. Although existing research has achieved many achievements in improving kitchen functionality, safety, and operational efficiency [6], the discussion on kitchen environment design in promoting users’ mental health and emotional well-being is still insufficient.

In this context, positive psychology, as a discipline focusing on human well-being and mental health, provides a new perspective to explore the impact of kitchen environment design on user well-being. In 1997, American psychologists Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi first proposed this concept [7], emphasizing that by meeting the psychological needs of users, enhancing their sense of well-being, and promoting physical and mental health, the user’s psychological needs can be improved, thus helping individuals achieve a more fulfilling and meaningful life. The current scholarship on the interaction between positive psychology and kitchen environment design is focused on four core research areas, the most prominent of which is the application of positive psychology in family and community interventions. Taking Ho and his team’s study as an example, they proposed a “happy family kitchen” based on the theoretical framework of positive psychology, which aims to improve family communication and subjective well-being through family cooking and dining activities [4,8,9,10]. In addition, this field also involves the low-cost intervention mode of healthy diet intervention and verifies its feasibility and effect through community service practice. Further research directions include exploring the association between eating behavior and well-being [11]; research on the intersection of technology and well-being, such as the positive and negative effects of automated kitchen equipment on users’ psychology [12]; and kitchens for special populations, such as the elderly, using well-being research to explore how different environments can support individuals’ psychological needs and well-being [13]. These studies show a significant interdisciplinary feature, integrating multidisciplinary perspectives such as positive psychology, environmental psychology, social psychology, and consumer psychology. For example, research on dietary well-being has combined insights from the fields of culture, psychology, and marketing to further the understanding of the mechanisms that drive well-being. Therefore, based on the significant characteristics of this interdisciplinary field, a systematic review of the relevant research on user-centered kitchen environment design from the perspective of positive psychology will not only help to reveal the interdisciplinary relationship between different fields but can also provide a clear path and theoretical guidance for future research. This also provides a solid basis for the necessity of this review.

The PERMA model (positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment) proposed by Seligman is the main content of positive psychology and is widely used in its study. It provides a theoretical framework for this study to further explore the connection between positive psychology and user-centered design.

Therefore, this paper aims to systematically review the relevant literature on user-centered kitchen environment design based on the perspective of positive psychology. Through the quantitative research method of bibliometrics, this paper explores the current situation, hotspots, and future trends of positive psychology research (especially publications based on the PERMA model) around the issue of kitchen user experience. In addition, this paper adopts a qualitative research method based on the PERMA framework of positive psychology; from positive emotions, engagement, relationship, meaning, and accomplishment, this paper explores how user-centered kitchen environment design can effectively promote users’ mental health and well-being.

2. Materials and Methods

Figure 1 shows the two stages of the research method used in this study. The first stage involved data integration and collation, with the main task being constructing a database. The second stage focused on data evaluation and analysis, and the results and discussion of the analysis will be presented in the Results and Discussion section of the paper.

2.1. Defining Research Questions

This paper aims to discuss the design of a user-centered home kitchen environment from the perspective of positive psychology. As shown in

Table 1. Defining research questions.

General Question	Sub-Questions	Research Methods
This paper explores the user-centered home kitchen environment design from the positive psychology perspective.	Q1: Research status	Quantitative research
	Q2: Research hotspots
	Q3: Research trends
	Q4: Positive emotion and user-centered design of home kitchen environment	Qualitative analysis
	Q5: Engagement and user-centered design of home kitchen environment
	Q6: Relationships and user-centered design    of home kitchen environment
	Q7: Meaning and user-centered design of home kitchen environment
	Q8: Accomplishment and user-centered designof home kitchen environment

. The research framework is divided into two modules: quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis. The quantitative analysis part mainly explores the existing literature, and home kitchen environment design-related research status, hot areas, and future trends. As mentioned above, home kitchen environment design need integrate positive psychology elements. However, current research pays less attention to how to incorporate core elements of positive psychology into home kitchen design to enhance users’ well-being and psychological satisfaction. Therefore, to make up for this deficiency, this paper introduces the PERMA model of positive psychology (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment) in the qualitative and analytical parts and discusses the design of the home kitchen environment. This paper not only fully reveals the current situation and trend of home kitchen environment design, but also proposes specific strategies from the perspective of positive psychology. Moreover, it provides a new theoretical basis and practical guidance for user-centered kitchen environment design. Significant differences exist in kitchens’ spatial layout and functional patterns in different cultural contexts. Therefore, kitchen design has its rationality and unique advantages based on different cultural traditions, providing a broader perspective for subsequent research.

2.2. Searching Databases

This study explores the research status of user-centered kitchen environment design from the perspective of positive psychology through the bibliometric visualization analysis of the relevant literature in the Web of Science (WOS) database. WOS is a leading global research and information platform and an independent global citation database that enjoys the trust of top publishers worldwide [14]. Selecting literature from the core and collection of WOS helps improve the research results’ representativeness, universality, and reliability.

The selection of keywords and a retrieval strategy are the key components of bibliometric analysis, as shown in

Table 2. Keyword terms and number of searches for data collection.

Keywords	Number of Documents Searched
(Topic (Kitchen) AND Topic (“Positive Psychology”))	12
(Topic (Kitchen) AND Topic (“User-Centered Design”)	7
(Topic (Kitchen) AND Topic (Positive Emotion))	13
(Topic (Kitchen) AND Topic (Engagement))	123
(Topic (Kitchen) AND Topic (Relationships))	79
(Topic (Kitchen) AND Topic (Meaning))	1354
(Topic (Kitchen) AND Topic (Accomplishment))	9

. This study takes the perspective of positive psychology as the core. It combines the five elements of the PERMA framework, i.e., the keyword terms “Positive Psychology”, “Positive Emotion”, “Engagement”, “Relationships”, “Meaning”, and “Accomplishment” were used. In addition, considering that the application scenario of the study is the home kitchen, keywords such as “Home Kitchen”, “Domestic Kitchen”, “Residential Kitchen”, and “Household Kitchen” were initially adopted in the retrieval process. However, the search results revealed that only 73 articles addressed these terms. After extending the keyword scope to the more generalized “Kitchen“ the search results increased to 3282 articles. However, these articles, which simultaneously cover different scenarios such as commercial kitchens, public kitchens, and home kitchens, were significantly different and did not strictly distinguish the “home kitchen” from “kitchen” concepts. Therefore, to ensure the breadth of the literature search, this study adopted “Kitchen” as the search keyword, and in the follow-up process, the literature unrelated to home kitchen was eliminated by manual screening. The literature related to home kitchens was selected by manual screening to improve the accuracy and relevance of the data.

In the specific retrieval process, this study used the subject keyword pair-wise combination in the WOS core collection, covering keywords such as “Positive psychology”, “Positive emotions”, “Engagement”, “Relationships”, “Meaning”, “Accomplishment”, “User-centered design”, and “Kitchen” and tested a variety of combinations. The results show that the difference between the retrieval results was slight, and a total of 1597 related articles were retrieved. Through this comprehensive retrieval strategy, we created a complete, comprehensive, and reliable data foundation for the subsequent bibliometric visualization analysis.

2.3. Data Screening

A large number of studies were retrieved in the above stage that were duplicates or contained results with low or no relevance to the research question. These needed to be filtered according to the following criteria:

(1)

Filtering of duplicate documents;

(2)

Removing publications not related to research topics in home kitchen environmental design;

(3)

Removing articles containing non-English texts;

(4)

Adopting journals or conference papers;

(5)

Positive psychology was proposed in 1997, so this study included the literature from 1997 to 2024.

In the end, 1256 pieces of literature were retained for quantitative analysis, and more than 60 articles highly relevant to the topic were selected for in-depth qualitative research.

3. Results

3.1. Quantitative Study

This study used the CiteSpace (version 6.1.R1) and VOSviewer (version 1.6.20) software to review current user-centered kitchen environment design research from the perspective of positive psychology. These two tools are important for bibliometric analysis, scientific research performance evaluation, and scientific mapping analysis. Developed by Van Eck and Waltman, VOSviewer directly analyzes data imported from the WOS database and extracts information about journals, authors, countries, organizations, and co-citation patterns. Its advantage lies in its powerful network visualization ability, which can construct bibliometrics and networks based on co-citation, literature coupling, and co-authorship and clearly show the relationship between journals, researchers, and articles. CiteSpace was developed by Dr. Chaomei Chen of Drexel University to visualize and analyze mapping knowledge domains in science. It combines information visualization, bibliometrics, and data mining principles and can intuitively present specific research fields’ structure and development trends. CiteSpace, through the co-occurrence analysis of countries and authors, helps construct the research field’s knowledge map, highlighting the influence and structural relationships within the field. Keyword clustering and class analysis can identify research directions, and emergent keyword analysis reveals key areas and emerging trends. Overall, this study, combining the visualization capabilities of the VOSviewer with the in-depth analysis capabilities of CiteSpace, first used the VOSviewer for the initial exploration and presentation, and then conducted an in-depth analysis of specific trends through CiteSpace, which provides insights into the development of the CiteSpace, thus fully revealing the dynamic changes, and development trends of the research field.

3.1.1. Number of Publications

The number of published articles is an important indicator of bibliometrics. As shown in Figure 2. By observing the time change in the number of articles, researchers can have a clearer understanding of the development context and research scale of a research field and, thus, answer Q1 about the current status of the research. From 1997 to 2024, a total of 1256 related articles were published. The standard deviation of the articles published was 35.73, indicating an inevitable fluctuation in the number of articles published between different years. Through the analysis of the volume of annual publication data between 1997 and 2022, it can be seen that the research in this field presents noticeable periodic changes: In the early days (1997–2005), the number of publications and fluctuations were small. At this stage, although relevant concepts such as user experience and ergonomics have been discussed, there are few systematic studies focusing on user psychological needs, happiness, and emotional experiences from the perspective of positive psychology. As a result, the number of corresponding literature is relatively limited and the research field is still in its infancy. In the middle (2006 to 2018), the number of publications gradually increased, reflecting the deepening of positive psychology from theory to practice. Especially after Martin Seligman formally proposed the PERMA model in 2011, its theoretical framework as a happy science was quickly applied to multiple fields such as family [15], education [16], medical care [17], and management [18], with continuous attention. After 2019, publications increased significantly, especially in 2020. Based on the background speculation, the COVID-19 epidemic [19] may have been an important driving factor for this trend. The importance of kitchens as a core place in the home during home isolation was highlighted, which gave rise to more about kitchen environment design, health, psychological needs, and intelligent technology applications research. Overall, the changes in the annual number of publications reflect the comprehensive drive of social, technological, and research needs, with pronounced characteristics of the times.

3.1.2. Keyword Network Visualization

The keyword clustering function in the VOSviewer software can clearly reflect the hot issues and development paths in a certain research field. As shown in Figure 3. Using the VOSviewer software to perform clustering analysis on keywords provided a response to the hot topics in Q2. After that, by manually excluding non-relevant terms such as “outcme”, “hm”, and three duplicated keywords (“Carbon-monoxide” and “Carbon monoxide”, “Biomass fuels” and “Biomass-fuel”, “Particles” and “Particulate matter”) found in the cluster diagram, the keywords were further refined into a set of 95. The graphical representation in Figure 2, assisted by the VOS Viewer 1.6.20 software, visually shows the frequencies and relationships of these keywords, with larger nodes representing the more frequently cited keywords and thicker lines indicating stronger connections between them. The clustering and co-occurrence of keywords is shown in Figure 3 below.

The keywords of cluster 1 focused on air pollution, particulate matter exposure, and their health effects in the kitchen environment, showing that the field pays high attention to the relationship between kitchen air quality and users’ health. Keywords such as “Exposure”, “Particles”, “Cooking”, “Emissions”, “PM2.5”, “Pollution”, and “Air pollution” constitute a research topic that focuses on air quality and exposure to particulate matter. Specifically, keywords such as “Particles”, “Ultrafine particles”, “PM2.5” and “Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons” suggest that delicate particulate matter (e.g., “PM2.5”) and chemical pollutants (e.g., “Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons”) are important sources of kitchen air pollution, especially ultrafine particulate matter to the air, which can cause severe air pollution, significant effects on air quality, and potential threats to users’ health. Keywords such as “Exposure”, “Personal exposure”, “Indoor air”, “Lung-cancer”, and “Respiratory symptoms” revealed that during cooking, the decomposition of oil and fuel released large amounts of PM2.5 and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exacerbate the exposure risk of indoor air pollution [20]. In addition, the hazards of kitchen air pollution to respiratory and lung health are particularly pronounced [21], especially for groups of women and children in developing countries who are frequently exposed to polluted environments [22]. The keywords “Indoor” and “Urban” further indicate that, with the advancement of urbanization, enclosed and high-population-density kitchen environments face more severe air quality challenges. With the acceleration of urbanization, enclosed kitchens and high population densities have further deteriorated air quality. The keywords “Emissions”, “Pollution”, and “Outdoor” reveal indoor and outdoor dispersion of kitchen pollutants [23] and also pose challenges to overall environmental quality. To effectively manage kitchen air pollution, the study recommends optimizing indoor particulate matter monitoring [24], improving air purification systems, and adopting appropriate ventilation and emission design.

From a positive psychology perspective, improving kitchen air quality can not only reduce health risks but also improve the psychological safety and cooking experience of users. For example, by optimizing architectural design parameters (such as wall opening ratio [25]) and ventilation, a cleaner and more comfortable cooking environment can be created, enhancing the positive emotions and life happiness of users.

The keywords of cluster 2 mainly focused on health effects, susceptible populations, and epidemiological studies, with special attention to the hazards of kitchen pollution for specific groups such as children and women. Keywords such as “Children”, “Women”, “Asthma”, and “Prevalence” reveal the multidimensional effects of kitchen air pollution on health. Research on keywords such as “Children”, “Women”, “Adults”, and “Childhood” shows that children are more sensitive to kitchen pollutants such as “Nitrogen dioxide” and “Dust” because their respiratory systems are not fully developed, and long-term exposure can cause health problems such as “Asthma” and “Respiratory symptoms”. Dust in the kitchen [26], nitrogen dioxide, mice [27], and cockroach allergen exposure may trigger asthma sensitization risk and morbidity [28,29]. Relevant experimental studies have shown that controlling cockroaches and cockroach allergens in home spaces such as kitchens through combined interventions of household education [30,31] and environmental interventions [32] can effectively improve the incidence of asthma [33]. Women also face significant health inequalities due to frequent exposure to cooking tasks [34]. In addition, keywords such as “Epidemiology”, “Prevalence”, “Risk-factors”, “Association”, and “Patterns” reflect the study’s focus on kitchen epidemiology studies and the importance of the study as a tool for the management of food insecurity. Statistical associations between kitchen pollution and chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and lung function impairment were explored, providing a scientific basis for the development of intervention and prevention strategies.

From the perspective of positive psychology, these studies emphasize that optimizing kitchen design and using health-friendly cooking equipment can effectively reduce health risks and improve the user experience. For example, providing specialized health interventions for susceptible people, such as educating female users about safe cooking methods or designing healthy and friendly kitchen spaces for children, can not only reduce the incidence of disease but also promote mental health and family harmony, further enhancing the users’ sense of happiness.

Cluster 3 focused on food safety, waste management, and user behavior within the kitchen space. Keywords such as “Food safety”, “Contamination”, and “Hygiene” reflect the importance of food contamination and hygiene management. Bacterial contamination (e.g., salmonella) and the prevention and control of Foodborne Diseases [35] have become research priorities and are closely related to food storage, preparation, and cooking [36,37]. Waste, material management, and environmental sustainability are also key research directions. Keywords such as “Food waste”, “Biogas”, and “Water” reveal the importance of microcomponents such as kitchen faucets for sustainable water use optimization [38] through technological innovation and management optimization to reduce food waste and pollution and to improve the quality of water supply, promoting resource recycling. At the same time, keywords such as “Behavior”, “Attitudes”, “ Knowledge”, “Perceptions”, and “Education” indicate that the role of user behavior and cognition [39] in kitchen environment improvement is also emphasized, and that Community Education and technical guidance have a significant role in promoting health behaviors (such as burn prevention [40]) and environmental awareness.

From the perspective of positive psychology, improving food safety and hygiene management helps to enhance users’ sense of trust and control in the kitchen. Through the combination of waste management and sustainable design, we can not only give the kitchen a deeper environmental significance but also create a healthy, efficient, and sustainable space environment to inspire positive emotions and long-term engagement.

The cluster 4 study focused on household air pollution from biomass fuel combustion and its health risks. Keywords such as “Household air pollution”, “Indoor air pollution”, and “Biomass combustion” show that inefficiently burned biomass fuels [41], such as wood and straw, are the primary sources of pollution. Long-term exposure to pollutants such as carbon monoxide and smog significantly increases the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases [42]. Keywords such as “Country”, “Households”, and “Stoves” suggest that developing countries and low-income households are mainly dependent on traditional fuels, with poor ventilation and emissions problems. Introducing clean energy [43,44], promoting efficient energy-saving stoves [45,46,47], and optimizing ventilation systems [48,49] are effective strategies to reduce health risks.

From the perspective of positive psychology, reducing kitchen pollution can not only improve users’ physical health but also improve their sense of security and quality of life. For example, providing affordable and clean cooking stoves and fuels to low-income households not only reduces the pollution burden but also enhances the sense of belonging and well-being of users, making the kitchen a healthy, safe, and positive living space.

3.1.3. Keyword Burst Analysis

The frontier research direction of a field can be reflected by the occurrence of burst words, which is a direct response to Q3: research trends. That is, the frequency of specific terms increases significantly or suddenly becomes a hot topic. As shown in Figure 4, in the keyword burst diagram generated by CiteSpace, the blue color block indicates the persistent existence period of the keyword on the time axis, and the red color block refers explicitly to the time interval in which the keyword has a sudden increase. To reveal the research hotspots in the field of kitchen environment design and users’ physical and mental well-being more clearly, using the word group analysis function in CiteSpace, an analysis map of the first 23 keyword groups was generated using the parameters (r [0,1] = 0.5) and Minimum duration = 1. According to the content differences and aggregation of research hotspots, the time can be divided into three stages.

Keywords in the early stages (1997–2010) included “asthma”, “risk factors”, “nitrogen dioxide”, and “cockroach allergen” suggesting that research during this period mainly focused on the effects of the kitchen environment on respiratory health, with a particular focus on health risks such as air pollution and allergens. The keywords in the mid-term stage (2010–2015), such as “carbon monoxide”, “food safety”, “indoor air pollution”, and “time” represent the gradual expansion of research to the dimensions of kitchen air quality, safety, and pollution time, showing the depth and diversification of research perspectives. In the recent phase (2015–2024), keywords such as “ultrafine particles”, “kitchen waste”, “black carbon”, and “PM2.5” began to emerge, highlighting the gradual focus of research on air pollution delicate particulate matter and waste management in recent years, which reflects the increasing importance of health and sustainable development in current kitchen environmental research.

From the perspective of emergent intensity, “asthma” (8.95), “indoor air pollution” (6.82), and “PM2.5” (5.11) are the keywords with the highest emergent intensity, indicating that they have a significant influence in kitchen environment-related research. Moreover, from the perspective of the duration of keywords, “indoor air pollution” has a longer duration, from 2000 to 2015, reflecting the important status of kitchen air pollution as a long-term hot issue. In addition,“particles” and “management” are emerging keywords that appeared from 2022 to 2024, representing the current research hotspots and future research trends.

Overall, from the perspective of the emergent diagram, the development trend of kitchen environment research focuses on three aspects: Firstly, air quality and health, with keywords such as “PM2.5”, “black carbon”, and “ultrafine particles” indicating that the impact of the kitchen environment on air pollution has become an important issue in global health research; secondly, environmental management and sustainable development, with keywords such as “kitchen waste” and “management” showing that research is beginning to focus on the effective management of kitchen waste and the implementation of sustainable design; thirdly, developing countries and the global health burden, with keywords such as “developing country” and “global burden” reflecting that kitchen environment issues are closely related to the health burden of developing countries, emphasizing the importance of global health equity to provide clear guidance for future research directions, and promoting healthier and more sustainable kitchen environment design.

3.2. Qualitative Analysis: Impact of User Well-Being Based on PERMA Model

Quantitative research revealed the current research status, hotspots, and design trends in the home kitchen environment. The research found that the current work mainly focuses on the kitchen environment’s functionality, safety, and health benefits, such as the improved stove design of cluster 4 and the asthma intervention design of cluster 2. Although some studies involve positive psychology-related content, a systematic theoretical and practical framework has not yet been formed. In order to make up for the gaps and shortcomings of the current research, this study introduced the design perspective of the PERMA model (positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievement) to summarize the existing research and found that, in terms of “positive emotions”, reducing the threat of air pollution to health will help improve users’ mental health and emotional experience. Regarding “meaning”, we focus on improving the kitchen environment in developing countries, promoting health and fairness, and giving kitchen environment design more profound social value. In order to propose a more systematic discussion framework, we aim to provide new ideas and inspiration for kitchen design and promote healthier and sustainable kitchen environment design. Next, a specific analysis will be conducted for Q4–Q8.

3.2.1. Q4: Positive Emotion and User-Centered Design of Home Kitchen Environment

Positive emotions, as the core constituent element of user welfare, are typical characteristics. They include psychological experiences such as pleasure, security, and satisfaction, which are key in promoting individual happiness [50]. From the perspective of behavioral motivation theory, although positive emotions do not directly lead to specific behavioral patterns, they can significantly enhance the individual’s action activation level and induce prone behavior tendencies, thereby effectively maintaining the sustainability of behavioral activities [51]. Empirical research shows that in quantitative research on kitchen environments, air quality and its health effects (such as childhood asthma incidence) constitute the central research hotspot, and by reducing health threats, users’ positive emotional experience can be significantly improved [52]. Based on this empirical discovery, a qualitative analysis was carried out from the perspective of user psychological needs, and the positive impact of air quality optimization and safety design on user psychology was explored. It is worth noting that from the perspective of long-term effects, the continuous accumulation of positive emotions helps individuals build important psychological resources, including psychological resilience, self-efficacy, and optimism. These psychological resources act in the face of life challenges and stressful situations and have important buffering and regulating effects.

• Optimize air quality

In quantitative analysis, the keywords of cluster 1 focus on air pollution, particulate matter exposure, and their health effects in the kitchen environment. In addition, the emergent words “indoor air pollution”, “ultrafine particles”, and “household air pollution” are presented. The above-average sudden intensity characteristics are characterized by an overall duration from 2013 to 2022, reflecting that kitchen air pollution, as a long-term hot issue, significantly influenced kitchen environment-related research. Taking rural areas of Peru as an example, the average daily kitchen area concentrations and individual exposure to indoor air pollution are 48 times that of the World Health Organization’s indoor PM2.5 guidelines [53]. In addition, kitchen air pollution is proven to be significantly related to respiratory diseases. In addition to causing physical damage, it is also easy to form a psychological burden and bring negative emotional experiences. To this end, some studies have found a significant negative correlation between air pollution and positive emotions [54]. Qualitative research shows that optimizing air quality can reduce pollutant concentrations, effectively reduce health threats, create a clean and comfortable cooking environment, and, thus, enhance users’ positive emotions.

• Ensure operational safety

A quantitative analysis revealed that in cluster 2, the emergence intensity of “risk-factors” as a keyword was as high as 5.36, ranking fourth and indicating that safety issues are important in kitchen environment research. According to the positive emotion theory, safety is the core prerequisite for generating and functioning positive emotions [55]. In kitchen scenarios, open-flame cooking is commonly used, increasing the fire risk. In order to ensure the personal and property safety of users, many families choose to install smoke alarm systems [56,57]. In addition, burns are a common potential safety risk, and children become the most vulnerable group due to their activity characteristics [58]. Safety protection design for children is one of the most effective strategies to reduce the risk of burns [59]. For example, anti-scald kitchen racks physically isolate heat sources, reducing the rate of scald accidents in children’s active areas [60]. Further qualitative research points out that such safety design reduces dangerous events during operation and enhances the user’s sense of control over the environment, promoting a positive emotional experience.

3.2.2. Q5: Engagement and User-Centered Design of Home Kitchen Environment

Engagement refers to a user’s psychological experience when focused on an activity, which is usually manifested as concentration, immersion, and efficiency. In cluster 2, “time” and “management” show how a sense of engagement describes the individual’s concentration in a particular activity so that they lose their perception of the passage of time, their self-consciousness dissolves, and they are completely immersed in the current situation. This state is often called “flow” [61]. Fluent operating experience can promote the generation of positive emotions [62], and this positive emotion can further strengthen the individual’s degree of investment and form a virtuous cycle. Therefore, fluency and interactive experience in the kitchen environment are the key to users’ sense of engagement. The smoothness of users’ operation in the kitchen space mainly depends on reasonable dynamic arrangements and creating an immersive atmosphere.

• Reasonable circulation arrangement

Circulation design has attracted much attention in the long-term research on kitchen environment design. As early as 1940, Lillian Moller Gilbreth developed a model for analyzing problems based on Taylor’s theory, using the stove, sink, and refrigerator in the kitchen as the functional focus. She believed that when these three devices are close to each other and at a certain distance, the kitchen is better used. Higher work efficiency characterizes the famous “Kitchen Work Triangle” theory [63]. In addition, relevant research also studied the impact of kitchen operating posture and cabinet size on user experience to guide ergonomic cabinet design [64].

• Create an immersive atmosphere

The immersive experience of the kitchen can be achieved through multi-sensory design [65]. In detail, it further extends to the selection of tableware, the display of ingredients, the matching of background music, and aromatherapy. These elements work together on the human sensory system, stimulating appetite and enhancing the enjoyment experience of food [11]. In addition, in quantitative analysis, the keywords “education” and “children” (cluster 3) show that user education is an important direction in kitchen environment research. By integrating gamified elements into a kitchen equipment’s manual or operating interface, users’ interest in learning and a sense of participation can be effectively stimulated [66]. Qualitative research found that creating an immersive atmosphere further enhances the user’s sense of accomplishment and engagement.

3.2.3. Q6: Relationships and User-Centered Design of Home Kitchen Environment

Relationships refer to the degree of creativity and altruism in social relations [67]. In cluster 2, “association”, “time”, and “quality” are the keywords reflecting the depth and quality of emotional connections and social interactions between family members, which require time and effort to cultivate and maintain. Combined with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, the need for belonging and love is at the third level, which refers to the individual’s desire for friendship, love, and a sense of belonging. This need can bring happiness and satisfaction after being satisfied [68]; establishing and maintaining positive connections with others is one of the basic needs of human beings. In a kitchen environment, it is mainly reflected in the emotional connection between family members and the social activities of maintaining relatives and friends.

• Emotional connections between family members

In the kitchen environment, the impact on relationships is mainly reflected in the dynamic relationships of members within the family. The evolution of kitchen space has ranged from the “work kitchen” model that emphasizes functionality and efficiency in the early stages to the “multifunctional kitchen” model that focuses on family interaction and social functions in the later stages [69]. Research shows that during the cooking process, interactions between family members can enhance each other’s emotional connections and improve family quality of life and social functions [70]. According to the “interpersonal affordances” theory, interactive behaviors rely on emotional connections and are influenced by a structured environment, which is part of the interaction [71]. The choice of a kitchen’s functional and spatial layout can affect interactions and relationships among family members [69]. By designing a more open and interactive kitchen space with more open traffic, family members can be promoted to participate in activities such as cooking and dining [72], increase the frequency of positive interactions [73], and further enhance family cohesion and happiness.

• Maintain social activities for friends and family

In addition, in a home environment, the kitchen is often not only a cooking space but is also an important place for interaction between relatives, friends, and neighbors. Inviting relatives, friends, and neighbors to have dinner at home is often regarded as an act of expressing concern and attention. This behavior strengthens emotional connection and enhances the quality of social interaction through everyday cooking and dining activities. In this social activity, the kitchen often becomes the core place for collective cooking, becoming a bond for people to connect feelings, share culture, and create common memories. The IKEA kitchen advertisement shows that the elitist atmosphere created through regulated systemic and functionalist design promotes social status performance and social relation construction [74]. In recent years, with the changes in economic benefits and space utilization demands, residential design has gradually derived the concept of shared kitchens. The shared kitchen provides economical and affordable cooking facilities. It promotes social support and emotional connection between neighbors through collective cooking and shared dining [75], breaking the limitations of traditional family dining and becoming a new social field of emotional communication. In addition, with the popularity of the Internet and social media, online cooking communities and social media sharing [76] can provide cooking enthusiasts with opportunities to socialize and interact [77]. It further promotes social interaction and emotional connection across regions. From a qualitative analysis perspective, the kitchen is a place for cooking and a key space for promoting emotional communication between relatives, friends, or neighbors. A kitchen environment design that meets the social needs of modern families can create a harmonious family atmosphere, promote emotional communication, and, thus, form good social relations.

3.2.4. Q7: Meaning and User-Centered Design of Home Kitchen Environment

In the quantitative analysis process, “perceptions” is the core keyword in cluster 3, indicating that individuals’ perceptions of the meaning of life and their interaction with environmental design became the core topic of research. In the PERMA framework, “meaning” refers to the individual’s perception of the value and goals of life, as well as the satisfaction brought by participating in careers or activities beyond personal interests [78]. Specifically, meaning comes from the individual’s clear understanding of his goals and participation in more significant things [79]. Therefore, in the context of kitchen environment design, the sense of meaning involves users’ deep perception of the cultural value and sustainable development carried by the kitchen space.

• Cultural value

As part of family life, the kitchen also carries culture and ideology. For example, the “Kitchen Sinking” metaphor often describes trivial matters, conflicts, and stress [80]. Moreover, quantitative analysis showed that the keyword “country” in cluster 4 indicates that the differences in kitchen environment morphology in different countries may be due to the similarities and differences in the cultures behind them. A study on the similarities and differences between Korean and Danish kitchens found that Koreans pay more attention to the emotional experience of the kitchen. In comparison, Danes pay more attention to function and practicality [81]. In the oriental cultural context, the kitchen is given a profound meaning of “prosperity of family fortune”. As a god that is widely worshiped by Chinese people, people often put up kitchen god paper amulets in the kitchen [82]. This arouses the identity of users through spatial narratives.

• Sustainability

In addition, “food waste” and “biogas” in cluster 3 are high-frequency keywords for kitchen environment research, indicating that waste management and resource recycling are important directions for research. This significance is reflected in the relentless pursuit of sustainability in kitchen environment design. A study on the kitchen cycle points out that kitchen design significantly impacts daily resource consumption, and typical kitchen designs are often not conducive to the sustainable use of resources. The availability and planning of storage and operational space are key factors in reducing kitchen resource consumption [83], reducing the negative impact of kitchen activities on the environment, and enhancing the user’s sense of responsibility and meaning. In addition, developing solar cooking systems suitable for indoor cooking reduces energy consumption [84]. Moreover, the conversion and utilization of kitchen waste [85] further promotes resource recycling and gives the kitchen environment a more profound environmental significance.

3.2.5. Q8: Accomplishment and User-Centered Design of Home Kitchen Environment

Generally speaking, the concept of accomplishment is often adopted when evaluating long-term efforts or a range of achievements over a longer span [86]. A sense of accomplishment is seen as a way to realize self-worth and is a pleasant experience that an individual gains from pursuing success or victory [67].

• Digital technology intervention

Self-efficacy is an important part of achievement motivation. It affects individuals’ beliefs and behaviors and, thus, their level of achievement [87]. Individual self-efficacy will be significantly improved by completing tasks or skills. The keywords “education” and “knowledge” in cluster 3 show users’ needs for kitchen skills. Mastering cooking skills is an important way to gain a sense of accomplishment [88]. With the development and progress of science and technology and the intervention of technologies such as intelligence and digitalization, the acquisition of cooking skills has brought convenience. Through application design combining implicit interaction technology, kitchen operations can complete some auxiliary tasks unconsciously, thereby reducing the cognitive burden on users. For example, the intelligent temperature control system and dynamic food prompt function enable users to focus more on creative and practical operation processes. In contrast, the voice control device further simplifies the operation process [89], lowers the user’s learning threshold, and promotes the mastery of skills.

• Reasonable functional partitioning

The quantitative analysis shows that “obesity” and“diet” in cluster 2, “management” in cluster 3, and “nutrition” in kitchen environment research are keywords. These keywords show that scientific diet planning and self-management are important for preventing obesity and ensuring nutritional intake is crucial [90]. A successful diet plan promotes health and brings a sense of pleasure and accomplishment that motivates sustained healthy behaviors. However, food safety is the basis for the success of the plan. It is necessary to prevent cross-contamination through reasonable kitchen functional partitioning [37], ensure hygiene habits, and ensure the smooth implementation of the diet plan.

4. Kitchen Environment Design Strategy Based on Research Results

Through a systematic review and analysis of the user-centered home kitchen environment design literature from the perspective of positive psychology, we reveal the current research status, hotspots, and future trends in this field, and from the five dimensions of positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment, we explore the relationship between kitchen design and user psychological well-being. The research results show that optimizing the kitchen environment can enhance users’ positive emotions and happiness and promote family exchanges, social interaction, cultural heritage, and sustainable development. However, the current focus on users’ psychological and emotional needs in kitchen environment design is still insufficient, and it is urgent to integrate a more systematic positive psychology perspective into design practice. In order to make up for this shortcoming, this chapter proposes specific home kitchen environment design strategies based on the research results in Section 3, and combined with forward-looking expo cases, we aim to achieve an emotional, happy design from a positive psychological perspective in which sustainability creates a happier home environment for family members.

4.1. Design Strategies for Improving Positive Emotions in the Home Kitchen Environment

4.1.1. Design Strategy for Improving Positive Emotions by Optimizing Air Quality

Kitchen air pollution mainly comes from oil smoke, hot plumes, and combustion exhaust gases generated by cooking. The types and concentrations are subject to cooking methods (such as frying, stir-frying, steaming, and boiling) and fuel types (natural, liquefied, coal, and biomass). There is a significant impact. During frying operations, the concentration of PM2.5 and PM10 rise sharply, while the combustion of liquefied gas mainly produces NO and CO. In order to effectively control these pollutants, the design strategy for optimizing the air quality of home kitchens should focus on three core dimensions: pollution source control, air circulation strengthening, and intelligent monitoring intervention, and build a healthy respiratory system with the trinity of “prevention-purification-circulation”. First, pollution gradient control is achieved through spatial functional partitioning, adopting a high–low diffusion diversion design (such as a 5cm sink in the cooking area and top negative pressure suction), combining anti-fouling and easy-to-clean nano-coated walls and antibacterial stone countertops that, from the source, reduce the attachment of oil fume and bacterial growth. Secondly, establish a multimodal ventilation system, configure a fresh air system, and form a hot-pressed ventilation path with a middle-suspended folding window to ensure directional smoke exhaust during peak periods is balanced with daily micro-positive pressure ventilation. An embedded air monitoring module should be introduced to track PM2.5, VOCs, and temperature and humidity data in real time, and the purification equipment is intelligently started and stopped through Internet of Things technology. Moreover, the UV photocatalyst purification layer is hidden in the hanging cabinet, forming a continuous air self-cleaning mechanism. Finally, a passive purification interface is constructed through green plant curtain walls and ecological materials (such as diatomaceous earth ceilings) to transform functional space into ecological cells with respiratory characteristics, achieving the symbiotic dynamic optimization of air quality and spatial aesthetics.

4.1.2. Design Strategy for Home Kitchen Environment to Enhance Positive Emotions by Ensuring Operational Safety

Environmental design to ensure the safety of home kitchen operations requires establishing a three-level protection system, “prevention-intervention-emergency”, to achieve systematic risk control through the integration of spatial logic reconstruction and intelligent technology. In the basic protective layer, an ergonomic optimization layout is adopted: the cooking area and the passage area are physically separated, there is a micro-convex rock slab floor with an anti-slip coefficient of R11 or above, and rounded corners and an embedded induction cooker are used to eliminate acute angle bumps and open flame hazards. The intelligent security protection system monitors risks in real time through a multidimensional sensing network, including infrared thermal sensing modules that automatically identify the dry burning state of the pot and cut off the power supply. UWB millimeter wave radar captures abnormal fall actions of the human body to trigger an alarm, and the hanging cabinet is equipped with gravity-sensing hinges to prevent errors. Active intervention is implemented for high-risk operation nodes. Finally, a visual emergency protection interface is built, an automatic fire extinguishing spray device is embedded in the ceiling, and an LED warning light strip and voice guidance system are installed on the side of the operating table to form a three-dimensional security network from spatial form control to intelligent response.

4.2. Home Kitchen Environment Design Strategy to Enhance User Engagement

4.2.1. Design Strategy for Home Kitchens That Enhance User Engagement Through Reasonable Dynamic Design

• Optimize the triangle area

Working triangles and kitchen shapes should be designed with ergonomic principles to reduce the amount of exercise and repetitive movements during cooking, thereby reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disease. For example, the triangle is apexed by a sink, operating table, and stove, with a circumference of less than or equal to 4 m. The sides represent the distance between the sink and the operating table, which is less than or equal to 1 m, aiming to guide the kitchen design to consider food safety and efficiency principles [91]. The kitchen space should be fully utilized to avoid waste. For example, cabinets should be reasonably arranged above the refrigerator, sink, and stove to provide sufficient storage space. Equipment in the working triangle should be easy to operate and avoid frequent turning and movement. For example, the sink and stove should be on both sides of the refrigerator to form an efficient driving line.

• Ergonomics

Size parameters such as height and depth of the operator table significantly impact the posture and muscle stress of the human body, and it is recommended to provide an adjustable operator table to meet the needs of different heights and users [92]. In addition, attention should be paid to the ergonomic design of kitchen storage, reasonable storage height and depth design, and laminate spacing. Commonly used items should be stored near waist height, making them easy to pick up, reducing the movements of bending over and raising ones hands, and avoiding physical fatigue and damage. Heavier or less commonly used items can be placed in a higher or lower position; for example, heavier pots can be placed at the bottom of the cabinet, while less commonly used spices or tableware can be placed in a higher cabinet or storage in between. In addition, the spacing between the laminates should also be moderate. It is usually recommended to be between 30 and 45 cm to facilitate the classification and access of items. For example, laminates of different heights can be set to store tableware, seasonings, ingredients, etc., so that the storage space is more orderly, making it easier for users to find and use.

4.2.2. Design Strategy for a Home Kitchen That Enhances User Engagement by Creating an Immersive Atmosphere

• Color and layered lighting

The color strategy of kitchen products directly affects happiness perception and behavior patterns through visual stimulation. At the European Kitchen Appliances Expo, natural and warm tones, such as wood color, stone gray, beige, green, and earthy colors, have gradually become the mainstream in kitchen design. They reflect harmonious integration with the natural environment. Using earth tones at home, such as terracotta, ochre, taupe, clay, and sage green colors, and adding natural materials such as solid wood, marble, and terrazzo, adds visual interest and warmth. Applying natural hues and earth colors in kitchen design creates a warm and comfortable atmosphere and enhances users’ positive emotions towards the kitchen through visual stimulation. In the design of home kitchens, the hierarchical lighting strategy not only meets the essential visual lighting needs through the synergy of multidimensional light sources but also creates a warm and artistically infectious spatial atmosphere. Specifically, the ambient lighting part uses soft ceiling lights or downlights to provide an overall uniform light effect, creating an essential warm environment for the kitchen; task lighting is equipped with lower cabinet lights or chandeliers in the operating table, cooking area, and storage area. Sufficient and focused light support in detailed work; simultaneously, the rational use of decorative lighting such as wall lamps, floor lamps, or light strips further enhances the spatial hierarchy and aesthetic experience. Through the organic combination of environment and local lighting, this design strategy meets practical functions and enhances the space’s emotional expression and immersion.

• Creating a three-dimensional ecological interface beyond the conventional green plant placement

The application of multidimensional natural penetration devices aims to build a three-dimensional ecological interface. Further, it stimulates the user’s multi-sensory experience by introducing natural elements and high-tech interactive systems. This strategy includes a vertical breathing wall—an integrated embedded planting trough and atomization system, which automatically triggers the spread of mist with humidity sensors, plants, and edible herbs that exude herbal fragrance; the bionic auditory system simulates the sound of mountain spring flowing water through hidden audio. It also automatically starts intelligent noise reduction when the ambient noise exceeds the set threshold to create the artistic conception of mountain cooking. In addition, the tactile interactive tabletop uses heat-treated wood and microporous volcanic rocks to splice different areas to present different natural textures and contact through fingertips, inspiring users to associate with natural multidimensional characteristics. This multi-level, trans-sensory design strategy not only strengthens the immersive atmosphere of the kitchen space but also promotes the innovative integration of functionality and aesthetics.

4.3. Home Kitchen Environment Design Strategies to Promote Relationships

4.3.1. Design Strategy for the Emotional Connection Between Family Members

• Open layout

The open kitchen integrates cooking operations, catering activities, and daily communication into a composite shared field by removing the physical boundaries of traditional functional spaces. Its essence is to reconstruct the interactive mode of family members through spatial media. Design practice needs to be developed around ergonomics and behavioral logic, such as using step-type islands to build multi-generational collaboration interfaces—the adult operation area is equipped with wooden countertops to meet the food processing needs, and the children’s auxiliary area is equipped with corrugated anti-slip countertops to facilitate kneading of dough. The combination of different heights (usually 75 cm and 55 cm to form a gradient) and material not only meets the human scales of each age group but also stimulates the willingness of cross-generational collaboration through tactile differences, forming an immersive teaching scenario where elders demonstrate pastry shaping and children synchronously imitate them. On this basis, the visual connection is strengthened through spatial penetration design: the island axis is extended to the living room junction and combined with a hidden glass sliding door to form a flexible boundary so that the dynamic process of stir-frying and cooking is transformed into a visual anchor point for family activities, effectively breaking the loneliness of traditional enclosed kitchens. In addition, an open layout is one of the effective methods to compensate for insufficient natural light [93]. Natural light not only improves the space’s comfort and beauty but also helps create a healthy living environment. The relevant literature points out that although residential daylight standards have been implemented, this is not always reflected in practice. Inadequate natural light in the kitchen is a problem in many residential buildings [94], and the maximum utilization of natural light is achieved through the design method of the redistribution of residential space and the optimization of window size [95]. At the 2024 European Kitchen Appliances Fair, the Eggersmann Skywalk Island Kitchen and Next125 NX904 Island Kitchen adopted an open layout that integrates the kitchen with other spaces, promotes interaction and communication among family members, and enhances the user’s sense of belonging and happiness.

4.3.2. Home Kitchen Environment Design Strategy for Maintaining Social Activities for Relatives and Friends

• Build a flexible and variable composite social interface

Through spatial form transformation, functional integration, and boundary penetration, the intelligent transformation of the kitchen from a single cooking space to a multidimensional social field is realized. As early as 2010, the Milan Eurocucina exhibition stood up to support the modular kitchen system that quickly transforms 12 social scenes so that the basic functional units can quickly switch forms according to the needs of social scenes, achieving seamlessness between “cooking mode” and “climbing mode” [96].

• User group-oriented functional partition customization to stimulate emotional resonance

Differentiated functional configuration strategies can improve spatial belonging and enthusiasm for participation, given the behavioral characteristics and social needs of different user groups. For young people who are keen on technological experiences and social sharing, interactive scenarios can be built around the concept of “gamification”, such as configuring touch-based intelligent recipe projection, voice-controlled lighting systems, and other technical equipment to lower the operating threshold, and at the same time, planning a transparent oven operating area. Visual display spaces such as open mixing bars satisfy young people’s interest in exploring cutting-edge technology and provide them with material carriers for social platform content production. Elderly users who value family emotional connection need to create intergenerational co-aggregation scenarios through aging-friendly design. They use a 75cm circular operating table and wheelchair swing space planning to form an accessible collaboration line so that the three generations of grandparents and grandchildren can interact around the meal preparation process. Using space and physical forms stimulates the willingness of family members to collaborate.

4.4. Design Strategies That Give Meaning to the Home Kitchen Environment

4.4.1. Design Strategy for Cultural Value to Impart Meaning to the Kitchen Environment of the Home

The layout of kitchen spaces under different cultural backgrounds reflects their unique social structures, family values, and lifestyles. Western kitchens emphasize openness and social interaction, and island-style design promotes family communication, reflecting the importance of shared meals. Asian kitchens focus on privacy and functional partitioning, and independent spaces emphasize the core position of food preparation, reflecting the clear division of family roles and respect for cooking. The Mediterranean kitchen is close to nature and has an outdoor dining area, reflecting the importance of outdoor living and community communication. Middle Eastern kitchens focus on privacy, may be isolated from other spaces, have dedicated dining areas, respect religious customs, and promote family gatherings [97]. These layouts show the diversity and creativity of human beings in spatial design, reflecting the uniqueness and social significance of different cultures.

• The natural application of localized materials and processes

Relying on local materials and intangible cultural heritage craftsmanship, we are committed to building a cultural narrative space containing the dimension of time. We should dig deep into its cultural metaphor value at the material selection level, select natural materials highly representative of regional areas, such as loess-fired bricks, birch bark, bamboo weaving, etc., and use texture comparison techniques to strengthen cultural recognition. Process translation focuses on functional innovation and the deconstruction and reintegration of traditional instrument production processes into modern kitchen components. Taking the modern translation of Japanese soil space mentioned in the October 2020 issue of New Architecture as an example, in the home kitchen renovation in Asu Volcano District, Kumamoto Prefecture, the designer replaced the rammed earth soil ground of the traditional farmhouse with volcanic ash concrete, not only retaining the rough feel when a barefoot steps on it but also achieving a moisture-proof function through the material ratio.

• Constructing micro-ritual nodes

Through ergonomics and behavioral research, a micro-ritual node that can trigger cultural memory is constructed in the kitchen. Taking the pizza ritual corner design of an Italian family kitchen reported in the March 2022 issue of Domus magazine as an example, this case abstracts the arched structure of the pizza kiln into an embedded oven door shape, and the countertop reserves a beech fermentation area with a diameter of 60cm. There is also a laser-engraved stainless steel baffle on the wall showing a family recipe manuscript.

4.4.2. Design Strategies for the Concept of Sustainability to Impart Meaning to the Kitchen Environment in the Home

• Renewable materials

A “growth kitchen” is built to reduce resource consumption and construction waste through modular design and the recycling of renewable materials. In terms of material selection, the environmentally friendly regeneration of bio-based materials or industrial by-products builds a space substrate with a low environmental load. For example, the Italian brand SapienStone’s Terrazzo series uses recycled glass slag and ceramic waste to make countertops. The “RotterZwam” community kitchen in Rotterdam, Netherlands, uses mycelium partitions made of local mushroom farm waste and a modular storage system built with recycled ship steel plates to reduce carbon emissions by 1.2 tons per year. In the “Zero Waste Kitchen” project in Osaka, Japan, the cabinet uses bagasse bioplastics developed by Mitsubishi Chemical paired with magnetic removable panels, with a material recovery rate of 92.

• Behavior-guided resource cycle design

Sustainable behavior can be seamlessly embedded into the home cooking process through the collaborative design of the spatial interface and appliances. Intelligent water network systems filter washing water, irrigate vertical vegetable gardens, and combine a heat recovery device to convert the waste heat from the range hood into electrical energy that drives the induction cooker, realizing the cascade utilization of water and heat energy. The kitchen waste treatment process uses a countertop integrated crushing chamber and an anaerobic digester to convert fruit peels into biogas fuel. Moreover, 3D-printed loofah sponges achieve harmless degradation of cleaning tools through an edible fungi coating.

4.5. Home Kitchen Environment Design Strategy That Supports User’s Sense of Accomplishment

4.5.1. Digital Technology to Support the Design Strategy of the Home Kitchen Environment to Support the User’s Sense of Accomplishment

• Intelligent learning path and skill ladder construction

Machine learning algorithms can be used to analyze user cooking data, recommend increasing difficulty recipes, and mark skill levels. For example, after the user successfully makes fried rice with eggs, the system recommends three cups of chicken and marks the level. AR technology provides virtual operation guidance through HoloLens to reduce learning difficulty. Similarly, at the 2024 European Kitchen Appliances Expo, the LG InstaView refrigerator and Neff N70 oven adopted an intelligent design concept. The operation process was optimized by integrating a transparent display and touch control interface, achieving a user-friendly, convenient interactive experience for users, helping them to quickly master the usage method.

• Real-time achievement feedback and scenario-based enhancement

A multimodal sensing network quantifies the cooking process and generates a perfect score. Dynamic data panels showcase cooking milestones in accordance with the principles of progressive visualization. In a space with a sound and light achievement theater, when users complete complex dishes, the celebration mode is triggered, the smart light turns golden, the range hood is silent, and the smart speaker plays a customized symphony.

4.5.2. Kitchen Environment Design Strategy That Supports User’s Sense of Accomplishment

• Multifunctional area and flexible space utilization

The layout of the kitchen space has a direct impact on user experience and their sense of accomplishment. Through multifunctional areas and flexible space utilization, the designer creates a comprehensive activity area that integrates cooking, meal preparation, dining, and entertainment. As an operation and display center, the multifunction island is adjustable in height and size to meet personalized needs. Folding furniture and hidden storage designs optimize space utilization, such as folding dining tables for storage and hidden storage cabinets that keep the kitchen clean. This design meets users’ multifunctional needs and enhances their sense of accomplishment.

5. Conclusions

This study is based on the concept of user-centered design and focuses on the theoretical framework of positive psychology. It systematically explores how home kitchen environment design can promote users’ mental health and happiness. Through the quantitative analysis of bibliometrics and the qualitative analysis of the PERMA framework of positive psychology, this study reveals the current status, hot topics, and future trends of kitchen environment design in improving user psychological well-being.

This study starts from the two levels of theory and practice and tries to provide a new perspective and method for home kitchen environment design. In terms of theory, this paper initially explores the possibility of introducing the positive psychology PERMA model into kitchen design. It constructs a theoretical framework of “environmental design-psychological demand-user welfare”, thereby broadening the traditional focus on functionality and the research vision of safety. Through quantitative analysis, this paper preliminary discusses research dynamics on core issues such as air quality optimization, spatial layout efficiency, and waste management. Moreover, based on qualitative analysis, five dimensions were selected: positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. The kitchen environment’s path to satisfying users’ psychological needs is preliminarily explained, and an attempt is made to reveal the possible mechanism of action between design elements and happiness.

In practice, this study proposes some scientific and operational design strategies. For example, health risks can be reduced by building a trinity of “prevention-purification-circulation” air quality management systems, promoting family interaction with an open layout and modular design, and combining intelligent technology with cultural narratives to enhance a user’s sense of accomplishment. Although these strategies are still in the preliminary discussion stage, they respond to the users’ demand for health, efficiency, and emotional connection in the post-epidemic era to a certain extent and provide a specific reference for designers to transform from “functional orientation” to “happiness orientation”.

The preliminary research found the following:

(1)

The impact of kitchen environment design on user welfare shows specific multidimensional characteristics: air quality optimization, improving safety, improving spatial layout, introducing intelligent design, promoting family exchanges, inheriting cultural values, and achieving sustainable development all may have a positive impact on the user’s mental health and happiness;

(2)

The PERMA model of positive psychology provides a theoretical basis for kitchen environment design. By analyzing five dimensions: positive emotions, a sense of engagement, social relations, a sense of meaning, and a sense of accomplishment, the impact of design on user well-being can be more comprehensively evaluated.

It should be pointed out that this study has some limitations in data coverage and empirical verification: for example, the bibliometric analysis mainly relied on English databases, which may have ignored design practices in non-English cultural contexts. Moreover, some design strategies mainly rely on literature inclusion and theoretical deduction, and there is a lack of quantitative verification of actual user behavior and psychological indicators. Future research can further explore the differentiated needs of different cultural backgrounds and user groups, promote the integrated application of innovative kitchen technology and positive psychology, and further focus on kitchen environment and health equity, especially the unique needs in developing countries and vulnerable groups.

To sum up, this study provides a new theoretical basis and practical path for home kitchen environment design, aiming to explore emotional, happy, and sustainable design through a positive psychological perspective and create more for family members. A happy and healthy living environment provides specific references and inspiration for future user-centered kitchen design research.