Perfectly formed functionality: LEONHARD KURZ presents pioneering design concepts for household appliances

Fürth/Germany, September 10, 2025: Design is increasingly becoming a distinguishing feature in the home appliances industry - and this is precisely where LEONHARD KURZ is focusing its efforts at K 2025. Under the motto ‘Elevating Everyday Living,’ the thin-film specialist will be presenting four pioneering concepts in Düsseldorf that show how sophisticated aesthetics, intuitive operation, and sustainable solutions can be combined to create a future-proof overall picture in the spirit of modern, responsible product design. Whether washing machines, refrigerators, or heat pumps: The demonstrators on display stand for technical innovation, strong brand presentation, and a clearly thought-out interplay of form and function. KURZ focuses on sustainable materials and high-quality design.

NEXT Washing Machine: Minimalist design, smart technology

With the ‘NEXT Washing Machine’ concept, KURZ and Turkish manufacturer VESTEL are bringing a home appliance highlight to the trade fair. The washing machine combines minimalist design with maximum functionality. The understated hot-stamped surface design was developed using highly efficient processes suitable for series production. Possible processes that can be used include Hot Stamping, In-Mold Decoration (IMD), In-Mold Labeling (IML), and Print-Mold Design (PMD). On request, a wide range of customized variations and personalized motifs can be realized, enabling rapid implementation of relevant market trends.

A particular eye-catcher is the integrated touch display with hidden-til-lit technology: While the appliance impresses with a homogeneous, continuous surface when switched off, an LCD display with integrated touchscreen sensors appears when switched on. This combines high visual quality and versatile design with reliable operation. The entire front design therefore remains clear, minimalist, and yet highly functional. In addition to its elegant appearance, the appliance impresses with its monomaterial construction, which allows for simplified and environmentally friendly recycling.

Fridge Interior Designs: Customization at the highest level

Inside refrigerators, design, lighting, and material aesthetics are increasingly becoming the focus of attention. KURZ is responding to this trend and will be presenting an interior concept at K 2025 that sets new standards both technically and visually. Large-area hot stamping - for example, on the interior rear wall - provides elegant highlights, while fine detail embossing adds targeted accents. An integrated light mask provides backlit elements and atmospheric ambient lighting that impressively showcases the interior of the refrigerator.

A major advantage of the KURZ solution is the high degree of design freedom: Rear walls, side doors, compartments, and strips can be customized and therefore staged in a brand-specific manner. Customer-specific requirements, such as food safety standards in the food sector, can also be developed on request.

Luxury Coffee Machine Concept: Elegance meets sensor technology

The third concept study is aimed at design-conscious coffee lovers. The Luxury Coffee Machine Concept combines elegant materials with intelligent sensor technology, enabling a new form of user interaction. The surfaces are refined using high-quality decoration technologies and appear both modern and luxurious. Capacitive touch surfaces and finely backlit controls remain discreetly in the background and only appear when they are needed. The surface design combines glass and plastic surfaces and gives them a timeless, premium look with matte decorations and detailed textures. Individual design variants can be easily implemented – whether brand-specific color schemes, logo placements, or tactile structures. Thanks to the materials and processes used, the decors are durable, hygienic if desired, and fully recyclable thanks to thin-film technology.

The result is a design concept that can make a decisive contribution to brand awareness and differentiation, while at the same time enabling a quick response to consumer and market requirements thanks to flexible decoration processes, ensuring long-term competitiveness.

Smart Heat Pump Tower: More intelligence for sustainable building services

With the Smart Heat Pump Tower, KURZ shows how heat pumps not only work efficiently, but can also be seamlessly integrated into modern living environments. The demonstrated design concept combines capacitive touch surfaces with holographic design accents.

Control can optionally be carried out via two separate sensor areas, with PolyTC^® VarioSym technology being used on the right-hand side. The controls are made visible by laser-engraved symbols and are backlit. The entire sensor system is designed as a single-touch solution and is laminated onto a light guide element. The left side uses a PolyTC^® Colorful Pictures structure with an integrated touch sensor, color motif, diffuser film, and rear lighting. Backlit images or photo motifs are used here, which can be operated intuitively by touch and can be adapted to different regions or languages. The matte surface of the display bezel ensures an elegant appearance and harmonious integration into modern interior concepts. The holographic design not only adds visual accents but also visualizes functions such as ‘heating’ or ‘cooling.’

At a glance

K 2025 from October 8 to 15, 2025, in Düsseldorf
LEONHARD KURZ Stiftung & Co. KG: Hall 5, Booth A19
Focus of the trade fair presentation: Automotive exterior and interior design, sustainability, home appliances, cosmetics, decoration technologies, surface design