For at least the past 15 years stainless steel appliances have dominated the kitchen landscape. Before that the white kitchen dominated the 1980s, and prior to that our nation had a love affair with bisque and mushroom tones as it recovered from its avocado fetish and wood laminates. But 15 years is a long time for any one trend to stay around, so I find myself asking the question, "What's next?". Maybe I ask this question because I am tired of buying special stainless steel wipes to constantly clean my appliances.
It turns out that a lots of manufacturers have been asking the same question. Perhaps taking a cue from the stainless steel craze, General Electric has introduced a line of appliances in slate, which is a muted grey. Then there are the custom kitchen with the appliances blending into the rest of the custom woodwork. Jenn-Air launched its oiled bronze appliances in 2007 but they seem to have gotten a tepid response. Personally I can't understand why, they look fabulous in a kitchen with warm hues. Glass is also making an appearance, like the black glass on the Sub-Zero E Series line and the glossy white appliances from Whirpool Corp.'s Ice Collection.
At the high end of the market you see brands like Viking, which has 23 color choices but, according to their design director, 80 percent of their sales are for stainless appliances. Then there is La Cornue, maker of the Faberge egg of ovens. Like a crown jewel in the kitchen, they come in all kinds of colors.
In Florida people tend to move every 3-5 years on average (the national average is 5-7 years). With that in mind, if you are redoing your kitchen now, it would be smart to consider whether stainless steel is still going to be de rigueur in five years. Nothing lasts forever my friends, just ask all of the avocado-colored appliances.
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