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 May 1, 2008 RENOVATIONS: look at warm colours and natural materials The stainless steel revolution of the early 90s led to a move away from white or black kitchen appliances to stainless steel, particularly for high-end kitchens. That trend may now be weakening as consumers are increasingly drawn to warmer colours, natural materials and practical solutions in the kitchen. "There's a cycle for any trend," says Alexandra Marshall, marketing director for Blanco Canada, a manufacturer of premium kitchen products. "Usually after about 10 years for appliances we see a change and for more than 10 years now stainless steel has been a strong trend in kitchens at the mid- to higher-end of the market. It makes sense that we're starting to see this trend weaken and consumer interest in moving on to the next better option." Designers, fashion experts and colour forecasters are predicting more colour in fashions and for home décor in 2008. This is already manifesting itself among home product manufacturers who are offering a growing number of options in finishes and colours for appliances, countertops, sinks and faucets. "We're at the cusp of a trend and manufacturers are testing the market with new colours and finishes," notes Ms. Marshall. "They have already introduced bright blues, reds and oranges for laundry appliances, for example and an oil bronze finish is now available for major kitchen appliances. New granite sinks are available in colours like Cognac, Café brown and other warm colours." A possible move away from stainless steel would also be in line with a general home fashion trend away from the commercial look toward a warmer kitchen environment reflecting nature and environmental considerations. The green movement is giving us a broad choice of new natural materials in the colours of nature; browns, terracotta, beiges and siennas and in natural materials including wood, granite, and bamboo to name a few. However the trend may also be prompted by the fact that stainless steel is difficult to maintain, requiring daily care to remove fingerprints from shiny surfaces or prevent water spots in the sink or on faucets. That's where the new coloured finishes offer a solution that is stylish and practical. Fingerprints are not an issue when you have a bronze-finish appliance or coloured sink and faucet. The fastest growing alternative today to the stainless steel kitchen sink is Silgranit, a composite sink product made of 80 percent natural granite acrylic for strength and durability. Easier to maintain than any other sink material on the market, Silgranit is non-porous, and highly resistant to stains, scratches and heat. It's also the only granite sink line made in Canada, an added environmental benefit though the manufacturer, Blanco, is a German company and imports a few German models to North America. The company also offers a new line of easy-care coloured faucets to match their sinks in Anthracite (black), Café brown, Stone Biscuit and White. While colour is definitely making a comeback, some coloured products, including appliances, command an extra cost and before making the investment it's a good idea to determine which colours will not go out of style too quickly. "The way to see which colours will prevail is to look at which colours manufacturers across different product lines are supporting," says Marshall. "For example, Blanco has just introduced a dark Café brown Silgranit sink and matching Café faucets. At the same time, Jenn-Air has launched a line of bronze-coloured appliances. Brown is a colour that could some staying power." While there are no guarantees when it comes to the longevity of a trend, the practically of the new coloured products made them particularly attractive. And if this is only the cusp of a change, it may be the best time to make the investment for the longest return. Visit www.blancocanada.com. (Source: Vancouver Sun) Go Back To The Market Updates Page Questions? No problem! For more information, please feel free to contact June Conway toll free at +1.888.657.7123. Of course, you could always just email June Here . |
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