Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
Issue link: http://kitchenbathdesign.epubxp.com/i/391330
Product Trend Report 44 | Kitchen & Bath Design News October 2014 es that stand out from the cabinetry with elegance and make the statement: "In this home lives someone with culture and a passion for design and cooking." Bertazzoni achieves this with the Colors of Italy that the frm uses to paint its ranges in bold, statement-making colors. While stainless steel remains a popular choice for appli- ances, manufacturers are also seeing a rise in demand for a variety of colors, along with a more contemporary look. "Consumers want the option to put any custom panel on their appliance and they want to do it easily," says Franklin. Rather than requiring kits and accessories, they want the prod- uct delivered ready for simple panel installation. "This gives the consumer the option to add whatever fnish they choose," she notes. Elkin says, "Designers and clients remain concentrated on the timeless look of stainless steel, especially with bold stand-out appliances that take center stage." He adds that custom-panel options are also highly desired. Bosch is add- ing additional options in custom panels for refrigerators and dishwashers to meet this increase in demand, like the frm's recently introduced pocket handles, available in black, white and stainless steel. "This new design feature will further meet the demand for personalized design that fts the style of the end consumer," he says. Haber says that, while white kitchens were trending last year, color is more in demand now, with a focus on gray – a color trend that has already had a huge impact on the kitchen cabinet market. Today's consumers want unique looking appliances, she says, and color brings a diferent spin to the standard stainless steel options. "Rather than a stainless steel range that blends in, consumers are choosing colors such as Midnight Blue, Bur- gundy and Matte Graphite and making the range the focus of the kitchen," she says. When consumers do choose stainless, she says they are doing so to coordinate with other appliances and the chrome hardware used in many kitchens, rather than to simply "blend in." SOCIAL CONSIDERATIONS Important social issues also have an impact on the trends in appliances, such as a focus on healthy living, energy efciency and sustainability. A growing desire for healthier lifestyles has brought in- creased interest in steam ovens. "Steam ovens are relatively new to the American market, and ofer something that other traditional thermal and convection ovens cannot – a way to retain moisture, favor and nutrients typically lost through other means of cooking, and therefore less need to use un- healthy additives such as oil or butter," says Elkin. Thermador ofers three diferent steam oven designs, and earlier this year, Bosch introduced the Benchmark Steam Convection Oven for the premium market. "This trend will have a huge impact on The 24" REX243B Electric Range from Summit Appliance features a smooth ceramic glass cooktop, as well as a waist-high broiler, deluxe backguard, oven window, interior light and lower storage drawer. Made in North America, the range is available in black, white and stainless steel. Circle No. 186 on Product Card Jenn-Air has introduced its frst six-burner, 36" gas cooktop, which features an 18,000 BTU PowerBurner, three 15,000 BTU burners, a 9,000 BTU burner and 6,000 BTU simmer burner, all sealed and constructed of brass. At a height of only 3mm, the cooktop's low profle, near-fush design creates a sleek, built-in look. The cooktop is available in a Euro-Style stainless design with barrel knobs as well as a Pro-Style stainless model with heavier grates and diamond-etched knobs. Circle No. 183 on Product Card The BlueStar Electric Wall Oven features a built-in, temperature- controlled artisan baking stone, professional-grade heating elements, 12 individual cooking modes, a convection cooking system and an integrated temperature probe. The oven's eco-friendly Continu Clean technology permits oven cleaning without chemicals or extreme temperatures. The oven is available in a choice of 750+ colors and fnishes. Circle No. 181 on Product Card Dacor's Discovery 36" Gas TouchTop features a timer on each burner that extinguishes the fame upon completion. PreciseCook timers enable homeowners to pre-program stop times on each burner, which saves energy and prevents overcooked meals. The cooktop also features digital, glass-touch controls for cooking precision, as well as safety locks to prevent accidental use. Circle No. 180 on Product Card The Fantech Makeup Air System provides positive pressure, balanced makeup air direct from outside, which helps meet current building codes that now require makeup air for kitchen range hood fans that exhaust over 400 cfm. To achieve balanced ventilation, the system can be interlocked with the range hood to supply the same volume of air as that exhausted. Circle No. 184 on Product Card The outdoor-rated dishwasher from Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet is designed to withstand the elements and the heavy-duty cleaning needs that come with dining outdoors. The unit uses as little as 3.8 gallons of water per load and winterizes with the push of a button. Circle No. 185 on Product Card To complement the minimalist styling of contemporary European kitchen cabinets, Abbaka ofers the Monolith Hood. This minimalist range hood has no visible lighting or motor controls on its face, giving it a sleek, ultra contemporary look. Ofered in widths ranging from 36" to 60" in both wall mount and island designs, the Monolith hood can be built of stainless, copper or brass, in brushed, mirror polished or distressed/antique fnishes. Circle No. 182 on Product Card Fulgor Milano ofers a range of radiant and induction cooktops, as well as single and double wall ovens. The 600 Series double oven, shown, features several preset functions, fve broil levels, a dual convection system and oversized oven cavity. Child locks and cool touch doors provide added safety when cooking. Circle No. 187 on Product Card The Brilliance Nugget Ice Machine by Scotsman Ice Systems delivers Original Chewable Ice to the outdoors. The 15" residential model fts into any kitchen, bar or outdoor setting. Circle No. 188 on Product Card Falmec's Just CookerHoods incorporate NRS (noise reduction system) technology for quiet operation in all models. The Fasteel 'no fngerprint' steel material discourages streaks and prints on the surface of the hood. Circle No. 189 on Product Card