Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal published an article asking if stainless steel appliances are going out of style. The writer focused on the fiscal health of the appliance companies, new product development and marketing. According to the article, stainless steel has dominated the market for 25 years – a remarkable stretch for a design trend. While the argument is made that appliance makers have introduced many colors over the years to no avail, some companies are still betting on changing homeowner tastes. We of course want our suppliers to succeed, but in our world, kitchen design comes down to the personal style and remodeling goals of our clients.
We have written about the difference between Fads and Trends before, noting that we design with longevity (trends) in mind rather than passing fancies. When one considers their expected lifecycle compared to quality cabinetry, tile and countertops, appliances turn out to be a more short-term consideration in kitchen design. As the homeowner may be replacing their appliances within 10 years, but keeping their granite countertops, we advise choosing a finish that works with the more permanent items in the overall design.
In our remodeling projects, we bring in many appliance colors – black, white, cream and stainless steel. We also design custom finishes, where the appliances are covered to blend with the cabinets, though we see this style less frequently these days. For those clients who want their appliances to stand out, we tend bring in stainless steel. However, we have clients who like their appliances to blend in, allowing another element to stand out. Coordinating the finish with the cabinetry works well for these homeowners. Designing a kitchen that meets the functionality and feel our clients are looking for is the primary focus, not the current design trends.
Now, this does not mean that we ignore what is happening in our industry! We are constantly keeping up on the newest kitchen technology and design trends. However, in the end, it does not matter if bright orange is the hottest new color or if concrete countertops are what everyone in San Francisco is installing. We create a unique design for each and every one of our homeowners around their tastes, space requirements and desires. Adding our deep knowledge of how to best apply the latest trends is just another value we provide to our clients.
So, we take the appliance manufacturer’s excitement over their new finishes with a grain of salt. In the end, we will continue to give our customers what works for them.
