| March 2007 – Fashion, style and elegance has | | | | manufacturers have produced highly desirable classy |
| begun to enter the kitchen. Rather than just the chefs | | | | American fridge freezers, all intended to appeal to the |
| looking great, their tools are beginning to take on a | | | | fashion conscious, with Bosch declaring that ‘black |
| more contemporary visage. What started out as a | | | | is back’. SMEG have taken styling and design in the |
| niche market with small appliances increasingly straying | | | | kitchen even further by making standing fridges |
| from the tried and tested blueprint of a white outer | | | | available with a Union Jack themed livery. |
| shell, refrigerators and cookers are now changing too; | | | | Design, sophistication, flair – all these terms are the |
| perhaps the term “white goods” is outdated in | | | | messages that black glossy appliances are designed |
| today’s cosmopolitan world as manufacturers are | | | | to convey. It’s easy to forget that this latest fashion |
| producing appliances with a glossy black appearance. | | | | accessory is just a fridge, but this statement itself |
| With reality TV and celebrity chefs combining to | | | | would be some way off the mark too. These USA |
| influence much of the general public’s everyday life, | | | | fridge freezers invariably come with the same |
| it’s no wonder that there’s a shift in the focal | | | | features as those seen on American TV sitcoms. |
| point of the modern day family. The kitchen has been | | | | They open up like wardrobes, revealing a huge amount |
| moved more into the eye line with open plan living | | | | of storage space, and plenty of flexibility with the |
| areas, thus coordination and design have also become | | | | arrangement of shelving. Humidity control, frost free |
| just as important for the cooking space. Just like | | | | freezing, special cooling technology and an external ice |
| furniture, as kitchen appliances aren’t being bought | | | | dispenser generally come as standard. Rest assured |
| just because of their functionality, but increasingly | | | | that different manufacturers will have differing |
| because of their design and desirability. | | | | technologies to sell, so potential buyers will have plenty |
| Maytag have responded to consumer wishes by | | | | to choose from. |
| producing a range of black American fridge freezers. | | | | The fashionable trend setters among us will be |
| The glossy, reflective black fascia is technology | | | | clamouring to get their hands on this new wave of |
| borrowed from the more traditionally luxurious car | | | | trendy kitchen appliances, and many people will also |
| market. The end product is a brilliant mirror-like finish | | | | discover how hard it is to resist these gorgeous items. |
| that appeals to emotions rather than just the practical | | | | It’s a trend that’s likely to continue, and there will |
| senses. Samsung have also entered the black | | | | probably be even better looking designs and objects |
| refrigerator market, with 3 different models in its RS21 | | | | available for the kitchen in the future. Like football |
| range. The trademark glass black finish usually | | | | boots, where the traditional all black leather design is |
| reserved for their TVs and mobile phones has been | | | | now a rarity, white coloured kitchen appliances could |
| translated flawlessly to add sophistication to the | | | | well become retro in a few years. It’s conceivable |
| market. | | | | that in the near future black won’t be cool, but |
| Whirlpool, Bosch and SMEG haven’t been left out | | | | rather just another colour available to an ever |
| of the black refrigerator market, either. All three | | | | discerning consumer. |