Will “White Ice” Replace Stainless Steel as the New Appliance Trend?
Trends in appliance colors come and go. Remember those avocado green appliances of yesteryear? Since stainless steel has been the trend in modern kitchens for the past few years, we’re wondering what’s next. Maybe Whirlpool’s new white ice?
When I got the press release from Whirlpool about their new white ice collection of appliances, I have to admit it was refreshing to see someone trying to interrupt stainless steel’s long reign as the leading finish in the kitchen. But another white? Cruising through any appliance store, there are three basic color options for appliances: stainless steel, black and white. Without going with a specialty appliance – like one of these vintage or retro options – there are few other choices. So while I appreciate Whirlpool’s attempt to bring a new standard to the appliance market … white? Really?
Like many trends, stainless steel appliances started on the high end, with the likes of Viking and Wolf, and trickled down to the masses. A number of years ago outfitting your kitchen with stainless steel appliances was like saying I have arrived. At this point stainless steel has become so ubiquitous and bastardized that it can appear cheap. This hasn’t been helped by the cheapest appliances that claim to be stainless steel but actually are not.
I have mid-price stainless steel appliances in my kitchen. They came with the apartment, which is a newly rehabbed unit in an older building. I actually like the way they look in the space but I don’t love trying to keep them clean. I don’t want to replace them for purely aesthetic reasons so I probably won’t be seeing new appliances until I move.
I’m ready for a new appliance trend but when I really try to envision what that would be I come up blank. What are your thoughts? Are you ready to go back to black? Are you wild for white? Or are ready for a new, more colorful (or even more creative) trend altogether?
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(Image: Whirlpool)