While new technology often requires thinking outside the box, many appliance manufacturers are going beyond the box entirely with new technologies, flexible designs and other-room applications that are redefining how appliances are used throughout the kitchen and beyond.

As in many elements of kitchen and bath design, customization of appliances is key, according to manufacturers recently surveyed by Kitchen & Bath Design News.

“Designers are looking for anything they can do that will make it custom,” says Karen Collins, marketing communications manager at Broan-NuTone, in Hartford, WI. “They are looking for products that will make it easy for them to install, but even more so, please their customer in the long run.”

“We talk about keeping up with the Joneses, but people don’t want to just keep up anymore, they want to become the Joneses and set their own style and design for their own home,” says Chaya Chang, marketing manager for Perlick Residential Products, in Milwaukee, WI. “Anything that allows you to customize your appliance is definitely what people are looking to – and they’ll pay more money for it,” she adds.

Tony Dowling, business development manager for Elmira Stove Works, in Elmira, Ontario agrees: “The trend of consumers looking for something unique seems to be accelerating, particularly for high-end homes and second homes.”

Flexibility Counts

Appliance customization often involves new technologies that allow consumers to get exactly what they want and need out of the appliance. And flexibility is an important factor in that goal.

To that end, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and luxury appliance manufacturer Thermador recently conducted an online survey of more than 200 NKBA-certified designers to find out what features and technologies were most in demand. This survey identified modular refrigeration as one of the most exciting kitchen technologies, says Marni Hale, corporate communications manager for BSH Home Appliances Corp., in Huntington Beach, CA. “Modular refrigeration is popular because it provides designers and their clients with flexibility.” For example, she cites Thermador’s Freedom Collection, noting that it allows designers to be “liberated from having to design the entire kitchen around traditional and bulky refrigerator/freezer combinations while being able to achieve truly flush integration.”

Chang adds, “You don’t necessarily need this huge stainless steel box anymore for a refrigerator. You can actually hide it discreetly under the counter, gain more counter space, and you are able to customize the zones to the user‘s individual needs.”

“Customers don’t want gimmicks – however they will pay extra for technologies and features where there is a real benefit,” says Scott Davies, Marketing Manager at Fisher & Paykel, in Huntington Beach, CA. He offers as examples the

CoolDrawer refrigerator, where customers can alter the temperature from as low as -13 degrees to 59 degrees, and the gas CookSurface cooktop which incorporates burner supports which raise and lower, creating a flat workbench when not in use. “These technologies represent ways to make the customer’s life easier as well as enhancing the product,” he says.

“Consumers are looking for features that increase performance, make appliances easier to use and maintain, as well as offer some type of energy savings – and there are a number of appliances with technologies that offer consumers these exact benefits,” says Steve Joseph, v.p./marketing for Dacor, in Diamond Bar, CA. He cites the Discovery Controller on Dacor Wall Ovens, which offer 100 pre-programmed cooking modes, as one example.

The NKBA/Thermador design survey also identified induction cooking and speed cooking ovens as important technologies, according to Hale, and many believe the energy and time-saving benefits will drive demand for these in the coming years.
But not everyone sees induction cooking taking hold in North America.

Paolo Bertazzoni, president of Bertazzoni, in Guastalla, Italy says, “The newest technology being introduced is induction cooking, although its success is being somewhat limited because of its high cost, and because it requires the use of special pans.” He adds that Bertazzoni has made a 36" induction range available to European markets, but the high cost of its components makes it a luxury purchase not necessarily affordable for everyone.

In the Zone

Where once there was often one “work triangle,” now there are more specific work zones in the kitchen, and that zone model affects appliance trends, manufacturers say.

“The old triangle theory happened when typically one person was using the kitchen,” says Chang. “Now there are so many people doing different tasks all at once that there are specific work zones for specific tasks.” The work triangle isn’t necessarily gone, she adds, but there is more thought put into design for multiple tasks.

Davies says that work zones were key in the creation of the single drawer concept. “It makes complete sense to have your appliances located where you need them most – for example, a CoolDrawer situated next to your food preparation area to store vegetables and another one near your bar area to store red wine. We shouldn’t be restricted by large appliances to achieve the perfect kitchen layout,” he says.

Joseph, too, believes the work triangle has evolved. “Kitchen designers can help homeowners address their workflow needs
and [use the flexibility today’s appliances provide to] create a space to maximize their workflow,” he says.

The evolution of the kitchen also requires flexible appliances that can work in smaller spaces. For that reason, there’s a growing interest in undercounter, smaller scale or drawer appliances.

Many appliance needs can be met through a drawer – microwave, dishwasher, warming or refrigeration. “After pioneering DishDrawer and the huge success associated with that product, it was logical to extend the drawer concept into other appliances in the kitchen,” says Davies.

“People just love drawers,” agrees Chang. She adds that demand for the 15" drawer was overwhelming when first introduced. The 15" size is perfect for retrofitting, she says, and still has a large enough capacity to offer many uses.

“Space saving in design, drawers provides homeowners with the clutter-free or integrated appearance,” adds Joseph. “The same is true with undercounter appliances, they provide users with the flexibility of installing the unit almost anywhere in the home.”

Bertazzoni adds, “Undercounter appliances certainly have applications for urban development, where many high-rise buildings have smaller, more limited kitchen spaces.

Double Duty

Another continuing trend is multiples of the same appliance – sometimes within the kitchen, and, more often, in other areas of the home as well. This desire for duplicates is in part explained by the number of cooks in the kitchen.

Hale says, “Kitchens are more commonly becoming a household’s hub. With multiple cooks in the kitchen and more entertaining conducted there, designers are accommodating homeowners’ desire for increased functionality and efficient work areas by incorporating multiple appliances – such as a range and a wall oven or a range and a cooktop.”

Joseph sees modular and undercounter refrigerators being installed in multiples, one in the kitchen and another in an entertainment room or wet bar. Homeowners are also installing wall ovens side-by-side instead of stacked for easier access, or opting to go with a wall oven/range combination instead of a wall oven/cooktop.

Dowling, however, notes, “When you look at the number of consumers who purchase more than one refrigerator for the same room, a range plus cooktop, range plus wall oven… even two-drawer dishwashers… it is a tiny percentage of the market.” Where he sees demand for multiples is for different areas in the same home – for instance a second refrigerator or microwave for an entertainment area, with the occasional major cooking appliance added to that area as well.

Chang adds that people are putting their refrigeration and appliances where they’re going to be used, including outside. She notes, “The outdoor market is huge, huge, huge. Every appliance you can find indoors, you can find outdoors now.”

Joseph agrees: “The outdoor kitchen often includes warming drawers, refrigeration, sinks and even ventilation so homeowners have unlimited options with what they can cook outdoors. “

Finishing Style

Most manufacturers still say stainless is still the leader when it comes to finish choices. However, integrated appliances that blend seamlessly with the cabinetry are also gaining ground.

“Stainless steel is still very popular – and customers in the premium end of the market want the real thing, not painted steel,” says Davies. “Integration is also very popular,” he adds, noting that Fisher & Paykel’s new refrigeration platform was focused on, among other things, true integrated appliances.

While Hale agrees that stainless steel is the most popular finish choices, she adds that, “Custom paneling is more commonly incorporated into today’s kitchen design. In fact, 77.3% of surveyed designers report the frequent use of custom panels on appliances for cabinet integration, with dishwashers and refrigeration most often receiving paneling.” She cites the Linea line from Bosch, which will be launched in 2009, which includes counter-depth, side-by-side refrigeration with a built-in look, as an example of this growing trend.

Bertazzoni says, “While stainless steel is still the leader, the introduction of colors has surprised the industry and the trade, accounting for a 25 percent boost in sales.”

Chang also sees some higher-end homeowners looking into color, and not just the standard black and red. “They might want a specific blue that they saw in a postcard from their last vacation,” she says, again emphasizing the need for customization.
Joseph agrees that, “Designers and homeowners want more design options, and are looking to the next great thing beyond stainless. Additionally, in the luxury category, stainless no longer has the high-end appeal because the finish is available at almost every price point.”

Beyond stainless and black, he says consumers are leaning toward glass or neutral tones, and Dacor has introduced a Preference line of appliances in six neutral tones with color-infused glass front panels, to address this.

Dowling believes, “If stainless hasn’t run its course, it’s very close. We have more and more consumers telling us that they are ‘sick of stainless.’ It’s perceived as sterile, cold, unimaginative and, obviously, hard to maintain.”

Airing Out

While cooking is still the most important function in the kitchen, good ventilation is critical, particularly since kitchens are increasingly about entertaining.

Quiet ventilation is one of the most important features in a hood, manufacturers say. “Because kitchens and living rooms are becoming more like single spaces with shared ambiance, we think that silent functioning is becoming increasingly important to our families,” says Bertazzoni.

Collins agrees. “Everybody congregates in the kitchen and so you want it beautiful but you also want it quiet. That’s why appliances are getting quieter and quieter all the time.” She cites products from the Best and Broan brands where the blower is right in kitchen and “so quiet you can hardly tell that it’s on.” In addition, there is the capability to remove the blower and place it elsewhere – in an attic or crawl space – to eliminate the noise factor.

Another consideration in ventilation is finding solutions for difficult-to-vent areas. Hale says that Thermador’s exclusive downdraft recirculation module can simplify installation in these instances. The system is installed in the cabinetry below the cooking surface, and simultaneously cleans and vents the air with two charcoal filters to remove odor and moisture. Afterwards, the vented air that is left over is pushed out through a small opening in the cabinet’s toe-kick.

Energy Efficiency & Ergonomics

As energy costs continue to rise and consumers become increasingly aware of environmental issues, demand for greener products and energy savings plays a greater role in appliance selections.

“Energy efficiency and green design are extremely important,” says Bertazzoni. “We feel it is our responsibility as a manufacturer – and the responsibility of other manufacturers – to create appliances that consume less and pollute less. The answer comes with efficiency and smart design decisions.”

Joseph says that consumers are specifically looking for Energy Star rated appliances, but adds, “It’s more than appliance design and the energy output of product. Consumers are also looking at how environmentally friendly corporations are – how they operate, and dispose of waste and energy that is consumed.”

Even in already efficient appliances, manufacturers say the Energy Star rating is important to customers. Broan-NuTone introduced the first Energy Star qualified range hood in the U.S., though Collins says range hoods have always used very little electricity. The bigger green issue for range hoods is the indoor air quality – “making sure you have proper ventilation and are using it” – says Collins. To that end, Broan-NuTone introduced an automatic technology, where the hood will turn itself on or off, or higher or lower as needed.

While Davies says that being green is a very marketable feature for appliances, he adds, “We aim to be as energy efficient as possible, however we will not compromise [function] – i.e. the need to achieve an efficient water usage on a dishwasher can’t be at the detriment of actually washing the dishes.”

Manufacturers are also becoming more sensitive to ergonomics and Universal Design, particularly as the population ages. Chang says that even in remodels where a consumer might not need the larger spaces and easy-to-grasp handles on appliances, a savvy designer will incorporate Universal Design elements. Perlick is coming out with a complete line of ADA-compliant appliances, and Chang says many manufacturers are incorporating these standards in their lines.

Joseph notes, “If you design correctly for someone with diminished senses: touch, sight, hearing, memory – so they can still use the products and you give them options to make them easier to use – you’re not doing a disservice to the person who does not have diminished senses.”

Additionally, ease of use and maintenance are key, manufacturers confirm. “Ease of use and ‘cleanability’ are the drivers for our designers, while top quality materials and super-reliable, functional components are utilized with an uncompromising attitude by our engineers,” says Bertazzoni.

Dowling adds “Maintenance and reliability are key issues. Many retailers continue to focus on price and payment terms, but research shows that consumers are most concerned with reliability.”

Davies concludes, “Maintenance of the appliance and any related issues have a very high profile in the customer’s mind, so all of our appliances are designed with easy maintenance in mind.”

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