How Joseph Joseph's 'smart design' ethos revolutionised kitchenware

“Form follows function” is the mantra of kitchenware design. Consider first the purpose, then figure out the best design to get you there. As an idea, it’s sound and makes perfect sense. In the kitchen, we’re faced with countless repetitive tasks and “smart” design promises to ease the workload, making prep and cooking more pleasurable. When you also consider that a lot of what we do in the kitchen involves an element of danger (think boiling water, sharp knives, hot flames), the tools we use take on even greater importance.

But the fact is that much on the market falls far short of the mark. We buy it, get it home and find that the handle doesn’t feel right in our hand or it’s too flimsy or simply doesn’t do what it promised. Many fall into the unfortunate category of style over substance. We stick the misfits in drawers and jam them in utensil pots and either use them grudgingly or fall back on a few tried and tested wooden spoons and silicone spatulas that can actually get the job done.

But every so often, you’ll find a piece of kitchen kit that actually does what it says it will. And when a brand gets it right, they build a fan base that would put the most star-struck band groupies to shame. That’s what Joseph Joseph have done. Since they launched the brand in 2003, they’ve become a household favourite based on smart design that works and – oh, by the way – looks pretty neat too.

First things first – the name. Joseph Joseph is the brainchild of twin brothers Antony and Richard Joseph. They were born and raised in Birmingham in a family that was involved in the industrial glass manufacturing and engineering business. The company expanded into the consumer sector, launching a range of glass cutting boards. They were popular for a time but when sales dropped the twins’ father offered them the chance to reinvent them and come up with something that would capture the public’s attention.

This was a dream come true for two twenty-somethings who both trained in product design. They came up with an idea that wasn’t simply a new look for an old product but a different way to think about chopping boards altogether. Today, their line of cutting boards is still a mainstay of the business. Take their colour-coded chopping board system that launched in 2008. Each colour indicates a food – fish, meat, vegetables – so there is no risk of cross-contamination. When you’re done with the job, simply pop it in the dishwasher or hand wash. Or their chopping board with a handle that can be squeezed to form a chute so you can chop food then put it directly into the pan without – hopefully – dropping any.

It doesn’t hurt that Jospeh Joseph products look nice either. While they’re adamant that looks shouldn’t drive design, they do know a thing or two about creating something that works and is attractive. The colours are strong and the shape of the boards or tools are pleasing to the eye. Yes, they work hard but they’re also the kind of tools that you don’t mind keeping out on the counter top rather than stored away in a cabinet.

One of their most popular products is the Totem 60 waste and recycling bin that retails from £219. It’s a perfect example of their ethos of problem-focused, smart design at work. It’s a clever all in one unit that combines a waste bin, a caddy for food waste, and a drawer for recyclables. It’s a compact, tidy and – dare I say it – great looking. For most of us, the kitchen bin is relegated to the corner or under the sink but this is something that you’d actually like to display in your kitchen. It’s simple, it’s elegant and it works.

Having conquered the kitchen with everything from kitchen utensil sets to colanders, nested bowl sets and microwave cookware, they’re now on a march through the rest of the house. They’ve even set their eyes on our bathrooms with new range so we can Joseph Joseph our loos with everything from a bathroom bin that has two compartments – one for rubbish and one for recycling – to a D-shaped shaped, anti-drip toilet brush.

Today, Anthony is creative director, heading up the design part of the business while brother Richard is managing director. While their products are sold worldwide, there is no sign that the two are slowing down or taking a back seat in the business. But at only 42 years old, they’ve clearly got a lot more time to give not only our kitchens but our whole homes the Joseph Joseph treatment.