Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
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March 2015 | ForResidentialPros.com | 41 Product Trend Report LIFESTYLE DESIGNS The way consumers choose to live their lives has a large impact on trends in cooking appliances. Healthy living, personal style and the time available to devote to meal preparation all have an impact on which appliances come out on top. "While health and eating well have been a trend for a while, it's become an even bigger issue and focus in the modern kitchen," says Chris Cullen, senior product development manager for the Benton Harbor, MI-based Jenn-Air. "Cooking ap- pliances with features that can accommodate a healthy lifestyle are making an impact," he notes. For example, he says, Jenn- Air's recently introduced built-in steam and convection oven ofers fexibility in food preparation and a variety of specialty cooking modes to meet the individual's needs. "Today's consumers are looking for cooking innovation that is suited to their own personal pace and priorities," says Valentina Bertazzoni, brand manager for Bertazzoni, based in Guastalla, Italy. "One size fts all is out. Lifestyle cooking is in." The question in the home kitchen is no longer simply wheth- er or not one cooks, or what their style is, but instead how and what they cook, and what elements of design and performance best meet their needs, says Elkin. "Today's culinary enthusiasts want the heart of their home to be more than a beautiful space where they cook – they want and need the kitchen to refect how they cook: in the number of appliances, the layout of the space and the overall design aesthetic," he says. Diferences in the way people live infuences what prod- ucts they select. "The biggest trend in cooking products is the demand for design that fts the individual lifestyles of our consumers," says Dan Kenny, director of brand management for Bosch home appliances at BSH Appliances. One emerging design trend is the demand for products that ft in small spaces, says Kenny. Lifestyle changes taking place across America are at the center of this trend, he explains, in- cluding young professionals moving into big cities with smaller M eal planning has been elevated to an art form by many home chefs, thanks in part to the variety of cooking techniques and innovative cooking products on the market today. From steam cooking to indoor grilling, induction cooktops to convection ovens that make meal prepa- ration simpler than ever before, the options available allow for creativity and personal expression in the kitchen. Healthy living and individual lifestyle choices have a large infuence on appliances choices, and homeowners are looking for equipment that fts their design style while adding ease and function to their kitchen. That's according to manufacturers recently surveyed by Kitchen & Bath Design News. Kevin Henry, director of business development at Dacor, based in City of Industry, CA, says, "We see two types of con- sumers – those driven by cooking and those driven by design. We strive to create products that will best refect the needs and style of [both types of] homeowner." The goal as product designers, he says, is to create a timeless product that will blend seamlessly into the overall kitchen environment. While appliances must be able to handle a large workload and function efortlessly, home chefs also desire the ability to express their own creativity when creating meals, and when designing their space. "Today's kitchen designs are well thought out to give homeowners efciencies and conveniences as they cook," says Tim Tyler, director of marketing for Viking Range LLC in Greenwood, MS. "Consumers like individuality and want to be able to choose between color, stainless front appliances or custom panels that give a hidden or integrated look," he adds. Additionally, more activity is taking place in the kitchen, with family and friends becoming active participants in the meal preparation or gathering to watch the meal being created, says Zach Elkin, director, brand marketing for Thermador at BSH Appliances in Irvine, CA. "These culinary enthusiasts want to have a kitchen designed in a way that enables them to put on their best cooking performance, whether they're entertaining guests or testing a new recipe," he states. By Elizabeth Richards Creative Cooking Cooking appliances are focusing on fexible designs, multifaceted cooking capabilities and technologies that enhance the cooking experience. Big Chill's new Pro Range, now available in both 30" and 36" sizes, is designed with clean lines in bold colors for a distinctive look. Full-motion grates means pots can be slid from one burner to another without lifting. The cooktop ofers up to 18,000 BTU burners, while the range features a large oven capacity that will accommodate a commercial-size baking sheet. Circle No. 230 on Product Card Bosch's Benchmark Steam Convection Oven allows the homeowner to select from steam, true convection, steam convection or specialty modes, such as reheating and automatic programs, for cooking. Featured is a high resolution TFT multicolor user interface with contemporary design. Horizontal or vertical installation is possible for alignment with speed microwaves and wall ovens. Circle No. 235 on Product Card GE has equipped its new Café and Monogram induction cooktops with Glide Touch Controls, which allow the user to raise and lower heat using touch- and-swipe technology, touching around an arc, or using plus and minus signs to navigate. The cooktops also feature the sous vide accessory that monitors water temperature and communicates adjustments to the connected range and a smartphone or tablet. Circle No. 231 on Product Card BlueStar has extended the sizes available for its premium Platinum Series to now include 36" and 30" units. The Platinum Series features searing PrimaNova 25,000 BTU burners for maximum, concentrated heat; an interchangeable cast-iron griddle charbroiler system, and PowR Oven technology for faster, efcient heating. The units are handcrafted in Reading, PA with heavy-duty, commercial grade construction. Circle No. 233 on Product Card The Teppanyaki Grill from Cook-N-Dine International features a German 304 stainless steel top that with the company's patented shallow-dip technology. When on, a hot cooking center forms a shallow depression to catch juices. When of, the center reverts back for double-duty use as an extra work space. The grill is indoor/outdoor rated. Circle No. 234 on Product Card Dual-port Culinary Burners are a staple in the new line of gas cooktops from Wind Crest by CNP Industries . The burners provide a range of heat performance from 140-degree simmer up to 20,000 BTUs, and provide optimal heat distribution across the entire surface of the pan. One-piece grates, egonomic oversized knobs and single-point electronic ignition and reignition are also featured. Circle No. 232 on Product Card