July 29, 2013

White Kitchen Appliances: fad or future?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitchendesigner/

White appliances create a smoother transition mixed in with the cabinet fronts; image from Susan Serra.

There has been a lot of focus lately on an emerging trend: white kitchen appliances. Even major vendors and suppliers are getting behind the trend. The white appliance buzz has recently been heard all over the blogosphere and design world. Recent features include nods and gorgeous feature photography from House Beautiful, Elle Decor, Southern Living, and Houzz  to name a few.

Kitchen design directions seem to change all the time, especially with interesting color punches rotating yearly and aging fast. There isn’t really one timeless look that stands behind all kitchen appliances. The truth is, they change often and on a whim. The one tried and true trend that most seem to stick to lately has been stainless steel appliances, but there appears to be another contender for the spotlight! Consumer News  recently reported from the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Chicago that white could potentially “dethrone stainless steel’s supremacy” (check out appliance reviews here).

Stainless steel has a reputation for being easy to clean, lasting a long time, and being aesthetically pleasing as it has become a neutral accent. While it may be easy to clean, it has to be cleaned often! We love the fact that these white surfaces don’t show our kids’ fingerprints or oily dog tail imprints quite as easily as the stainless steel revealed. Sure, the stainless steel lasts a long time, but just because the exterior finish of the appliance lasts, it does not mean that the internal workings do! With modern technology, the shelf life of the white appliances draws right about even as their stainless steel kin. Last time I checked, white was a neutral too.

So what do you think? Is white here to stay, or are we looking at another fad?

Check out Jenn-Air’s Floating Glass Collection in White, Miele’s Brilliant White Plus, and Whirlpool’s White Ice Collection, which are some great introductions in to the all-white cast of characters.

 

 

Published July 29, 2013 | By