Are stainless steel appliances still the ideal choice for a kitchen renovation?
“While stainless appliances have become the new classic choice in a kitchen, I’ve always thought there was something sad and cold about them,” says interior design consultant Kim Gieske, who adds, “Maybe because they’re gray? Stainless steel is like denim, I guess. It’s never wrong, it’s just kind of predictable.” So Gieske suggests a equally high-end alternative: “What’s hot right now are British appliances. I love them because they have a warm, homey, Cotswold cottage feel and come in really amazing colors.” Classic English stoves by Aga (aga-ranges.com) are now widely available in the U.S., says Giekse. “The ‘Legacy’ model is the most compatible with American kitchens,” she says. “It comes in electric or gas and doesn’t stay on all the time (like the British model, designed for damp English weather). At her home in London, Jade Jagger paired a jet black Aga with super-dark green kitchen walls and it looks so, so chic. And Gieske’s pick for the fridge of the moment? The Smeg, another Anglo import, (smegusa.com). “It’s got a hip, retro feel and just became available in the U.S. this year.”
by Amy Spencer
3/3/08
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