Glamour's On The Menu

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday October 9, 2008

Words Andrea Jones

High-end appliances are turning kitchens into the coolest room in the house.

WITH so many kitchens being open plan in modern homes, it's no surprise that appliances have become showpieces - a new form of status symbol. Naturally, the big brands have caught on fast, releasing yet more innovative products that combine ease of use with sexy design.

"Consumers these days are 10-fold more educated than they were six or seven years ago," says Simon Hodgson, director of the Kitchen and Bathroom Designers Institute. And hungrier for top-end design. "They walk in and they already know about soft-closing drawers and Corian benchtops," he says.

Kitchen designers report that at the top of many renovators' lust-lists is an integrated coffee machine - one that sits in the wall to cap off that sleek bank of European appliances.

"A lot of stuff is moving into integration, so coffee machines that are integrated into the wall are big," says Athan Papoulias, director of Designer Homeware in Camperdown.

On the flipside, the microwave is falling out of favour, says kitchen designer Mariana Cseh of A La Carte Kitchens. "People think it destroys the flavour of the food. People are saying the only time they use it is perhaps to heat up a glass of milk."

According to the latest figures from the Housing Institute of Australia, the average cost of a kitchen renovation in 2006-07 was $27,000. This means many of the new status appliances take up a sizeable chunk of a renovating budget.

We asked the experts if there is a rule of thumb on how to sensibly divide up your renovating budget.

Hodgson says there are four basic parts to the kitchen. "You've got trades like plumbing and electricals that are a given cost - you have to get them done. And then you've got cabinetry, benchtops and appliances - and each of these three costs can vary enormously depending on what you choose. There is no magic formula. At the end of the day it's about what works for you. Certain people will get an advantage out of buying the best appliances; other people will get social standing. Whatever people get has got to work for them."

Here are some of the most sizzling releases of this year.

COOL FRIDGES

What can't a family fridge do these days? It can make ice, it has an LCD TV - pretty soon it'll be mixing cocktails for you when get home from work. Elite brand Liebherr has combined all of its whiz-bang technology into a new integrated model that has separate temperature control zones, promising to triple the shelf life of food. Of course, to know what goes where you have to be a committed foodie - as do your less attentive children and/or partner. For wow factor, the interior has LEDs so it looks as bright as your supermarket fridge compartment. And we love the automatic closing door - the perfect foil, Cseh says, for teenagers who like to stare into a fridge as if it's a television. The complete fridge-freezer costs $5499.

If you loved the flexibility of Fisher & Paykel's compact DishDrawer dishwashers, then how about its new CoolDrawers? You can have one as a freezer and others at different temperature settings for different foods. Most of all, they're for small spaces. Cseh reports a rise in small fridges for use as "breakfast fridges" in family kitchens so that milk and other items can be grabbed without disturbing the constant temperature of the fruit and veg. If you're really decadent, how about a CoolDrawer integrated into your patio barbecue? From $3499.

Interestingly, while fridges have evolved as designer items in the past few years, Cseh says fridges with water coolers in the door are losing favour: "People found it a disadvantage and sometimes the water didn't taste so good when the unit was new," she says.

SIZZLING COOKTOPS

According to Designer Homeware's Papoulias, the most popular innovations with consumers are the new ovens and cooktops. "The excitement's in the cooking," he says.

Gaining popularity are induction cooktops, which are faster and more energy-efficient than gas or electric options. An induction cooktop uses high-frequency magnetic fields to create heat in the pan so the cooktop around the pots remains cool. The downside is you'll need to invest in induction pots and pans - so add that to the price of your new cooktop.

The latest induction option looks like a ceramic dish perched on your benchtop - albeit a pricey one. Electrolux's Aurora Illuminated Cooktop ($9999), unlike black ceramic cooktops, has a clean white surface. Without a flame to indicate when it's on, a white light illuminates the perimeter when it's in action.

For traditionalists, Fisher & Paykel's Izona CookSurface is gas cooking souped up for the 21st century. When not in use it's a flat, black ceramic surface and promises easy cleaning compared with standard gas jets. At the push of a button the pan supports rise from the surface like something from a sci-fi movie. From a practical perspective, the new technology in the gas jets boasts a greater control over the gas flame. Yours for $3999.

ROARING RANGEHOODS

Of all kitchen gadgets to get a glamorous makeover, this is the rangehood's year, with an array of stunning designs hitting the market. But are they essential?

Designer Hodgson is not so sure. "My own feeling is that you cook to create a sense of pleasure," he says, with the smell of a slow-cooking dinner being part of the anticipation of a great meal.

Still, not all cooking smells are welcome, so check these three top-line releases.

The Star, resembling a disco mirror ball, won a new product design award at Designex earlier this year. Its innovative technology banishes the need for a fat exhaust pipe and brings ballroom glamour into the kitchen. Or perhaps you're the practical type who takes one look at the multiple glass beads and wonders how to clean off any cooking grease. Rest easy, they clip off and pop in the dishwasher. At $3999, it comes at a black-tie price. Star's manufacturer, Elica, is redrawing the look of exhaust fans now they can be freed up from venting through a pipe. It has hired B&O designer David Lewis to create looks that appear more like expensive furnishings than factory exhaust fans.

The pick of Elica's glamorous releases is the Twin rangehood, which looks like a designer downlight suspended over your kitchen benchtop. It's $3299.

On the other hand, there's a more conventional style that is just the ticket if you find meal-time inspiration in watching Jamie Oliver or Nigella Lawson.

You can now watch while you cook, with the Ilve Vela rangehood, which has an LCD screen mounted into the front of the outlet pipe. Priced at $5990, it's quite a gourmet indulgence.

Can it make the ironing disappear, too?

For the space-challenged who are trying to squeeze a laundry into a corner of the kitchen or simply looking for a more streamlined washday, there are new products to suit. The new Asko Laundry Care range has fully integrated doors, so it delivers on the promise of a totally invisible laundry. Best of all, the washer and dryer have many smart accessories. Like an extendable ironing board (pictured above) that telescopes out of a cavity above the washing machine when you need it. Very neat. Washing machine priced from $3099, depending on door, and dryer from $2249.

Stockists

Elica 1800 805 300, www.integratedappliancegroup.com.au

Asko 1300 002 756, www.asko.com.au

Fisher & Paykel 1300 650 590, www.fp.com.au

Leibherr 1800 685 899, www.andico.com.au

Electrolux 1300 363 640, www.electrolux.com.au

Ilve 8569 4600, www.ilve.com.au