The kitchen is where the whole
family congregates to cook, eat, drink, and enjoy good
conversation. The best kitchens are equipped with the most
important kitchen appliances - fridge, stove, toaster,
microwave, and dishwasher. But there are new appliances on
the horizon. What are the most popular kitchen trends this
year?
Stainless Steel
You've probably already noticed that professional ranges are
trendy in the modern kitchen, but if you really want to
follow the trends a stainless-steel professional range must
adhere to certain qualifications. Real professional ranges
can be up to 60 inches wide (twice the width of a standard
model). Unless you have a gargantuan kitchen, accommodating
a professional stovetop may mean sacrificing cabinet space,
but for many people these days, it's worth it. Of course,
most people still opt for a "professional-style" range,
which has the same look as the real thing without the giant
size. This type of stove also offers the same features you
get in a professional model, such as dual fuel (gas and
electric), convection cooking, self-cleaning ovens, and
childproof controls.
Cool as a Cucumber
A normal refrigerator can be an eyesore in a well-laid out
kitchen (or in any kitchen for that matter). A stand-alone
unit tends to be 30 inches deep, and sticks out past the
24-inch cabinets most homeowners have installed. That's why
a new trend that's developing is the installation of
built-in refrigerators, which fit in effortlessly with
24-inch cabinets. Due to the shallow depth, however, to
provide the same amount of space these models tend to be
wider in size. You can either choose stainless steel or
painted finishes, depending on the look you're going for.
Door trim panels are particularly attractive if you want all
your appliances to appear hidden within the kitchen.
Another option: refrigerator drawers. These slide out of a
base cabinet like regular drawers, except on the inside is a
small, self-contained refrigerator with its own temperature
control. Each drawer can store a different type of food,
making food preservation convenient and organized. Panels
hide the drawers and allow them to blend perfectly with the
rest of the kitchen. Another bonus about this type of
refrigeration system is the fact that you can place the
drawers in different locations across the kitchen. Keep
vegetables beside a prep sink, for example. You can even
install one in a family room to keep drinks handy and cool,
ready for any get-together you may have.
Ovens
Wall ovens work well for serious food aficionados. You can
purchase wall ovens in conventional, convection, microwave,
and broiler models, while some even employ more than one
cooking method for your convenience.
Of course, if you purchase a wall oven a separate cooktop
becomes essential, but the flexibility offered by a wall
oven is well worth it, especially when you install two ovens
in one space.
A warming drawer is another option, which makes it possible
to prepare food ahead of time and keep it warm while you
prepare the rest of the meal. Reduce stress and cook at your
own convenience without serving your family cold meals.
Warming drawers keep food at a temperature of 140 to 200
degrees. You can build one in the dining area or near the
oven, depending on what is more convenient for you.
Cleaning up
Dishwashers make everyone's life that much easier, and keeps
your kitchen looking clean and neat. Nowadays the new models
are even more efficient and easy to use.
Dishwasher drawers hide the dishwasher in your kitchen, so
you can enjoy convenience without sacrificing beauty. Stack
them under the counter, or border them around the sink. You
can save a lot of money on your water bill by doing smaller
loads, or install one in the dining room to quickly clear
the table after meals.
For people who have trouble bending over due to back
problems or other issues, elevated dishwashers make the task
of loading and unloading dishes easier to bear. Raise the
dishwasher off the floor 6-18 inches, but leave at least 18
inches of counter space on one side and 24 inches on the
other.
Quiet dishwashers allow you to do dishes at any time of day
- even during the night while everyone is asleep or
immediately after a party without disturbing the
conversation.
Double dishwashers make it possible to separate dishes that
shouldn't be together, or can't all fit in one load. One can
be used to clean pots and pans, while the other cleans finer
dishes. |
