5 Fab Alternatives to Stainless Steel Appliances in the Kitchen

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Last month, Curbed launched a debate about whether stainless steel mania has peaked, as the look has long been invading kitchens old and new, and of various styles. A corresponding poll that asked readers how they felt about stainless steel drew nearly 2,000 votes and though a whole lot of people vouched for the shiny, "industrial-chic" material as the modern standard, the greatest number of votes (849) went to "Open to other options." So, here now, are five groovy stainless steel alternatives worthy of considering, many drawn from readers' wisdom left in the comments section. Is brown the new black? Is "colored" stainless steel a strong new contender? Take a look.

1. "Colored" stainless

Samsung's new black stainless steel suite—Photo via Samsung

Samsung, LG, and KitchenAid all very recently launched "black stainless" collections, which essentially offer the same ol' stainless steel appliances with a smooth, black-hued coating. In a similar vein, Whirlpool has been working on a new kitchen suite featuring a "sunset bronze" look, though purchasing information has yet to be made available. Blue Star, which specializes in commercial-style appliances for residential use, has a "Precious Metals" collection that includes finishes like "Infused Copper", "Statuary Bronze," and "Enchanted Sand."

The "Sunset Bronze" series from Whirlpool has yet to go on sale—Image via Whirlpool

2. Glossy Black, Brown, Slate

"Truffle brown" ovens from Miele—Photo via Miele

Major appliance-makers like Samsung, GE, and Miele all sell fridges and ranges in glossy black and white finishes. Miele even has it in a groovy "truffle brown."

3. Matte Black or Slate

The Slate series from GE—Image via GE

Not a fan of gloss or shine? GE also offers a selection of its kitchen products in a matte slate finish. The aforementioned "Precious Metals" line from Blue Star also includes a matte black option.

4. Modern Color

A bright red range from Bertazzoni—Photo via Bertazzoni

Brands like Viking, Bertazzoni, and Blue Star offer commercial-style modern appliances in colors like red, blue, orange, and yellow (Blue Star actually offers ranges in 750+ different colors.)The Big Chill's "Pro" line delivers modern without the professional-grade look; the clean-lined fridges and ranges come in 12 colors, including green, cream, and cabernet.

5. Retro Color

Colorful appliances with a groovy throwback look can be had with products from brands like Smeg, which offer fridges in dreamy pastel blue, green, pink, orange, and more (They also offer ranges in black and red), as well as The Big Chill, which sells retro fridges, stoves, and ovens in eight (also mostly pastel) shades.

10 Chic Desk Accessories to Beautify Your Workspace

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In the adult world, the only time you might splurge on a new set of desk accessories is if you start a new job or renovate a home office. But if you, like us, miss the summer ritual of your school years, when you would buy a fresh set of new supplies at the stationary store, carefully checking off each and every item (one red pen, two black pens, one three-ring binder...) then this buying guide is just for you. Here’s a roundup of good-looking, functional tools that will energize your workspace, making it a happy place to come to each morning. We warn you though—these beauties may incite some serious office envy. 

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  1. BEYOND OBJECT

  This sleek tape dispenser and pencil sharpener from the minimalist brand Beyond Object resemble works of art more than functional office tools. Bonus: these beautiful pieces will encourage you to keep your workspace clutter-free so they can really shine. 

  Tape dispenser, $110; aplusrstore.com. Pencil sharpener, $80; aplusrstore.com. 
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  2. POKETO

  If you consider yourself somewhat of a writing utensil connoisseur, you’ll flip for the unique and colorful options at Poketo. Plus, they’re so recognizable, your colleagues wouldn't dare try to steal them from your desk. 

  Colorblock pens, $5 each; poketo.com.
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  3. GOOD THING

  We all peek at the mirror throughout the day to make sure our hair is in place, makeup is in tact, and we're not about to walk into a meeting with food in our teeth. This svelte metal sheet, available in silver and copper, is as much a functioning reflective surface as it is a piece of decor. 

  Easy mirror, from $24; supergoodthing.com.
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  4. NATE BERKUS

  Season after season, Nate Berkus’s seasonal collections for Target never disappoints, and this one is no different. With more office accessories than even before, there’s enough to organize your work space, and give it a cohesive look. With the brand’s affordable prices, there’s no reason not to add everything to your shopping cart. 

  Clockwise from top left: Letter opener, $8; target.com. Hanging folders, $13;target.com. Desktop organizer, $15; target.com. Stapler, $16; target.com. 
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  5. TOM DIXON

  Feeling the copper trend these days? Tom Dixon’s super modern pieces are a cut above the rest. This small glimpse of the angular stapler and tape dispenser is just a peek into the treasure trove of metal supplies—from bookmarks to pens—that any design junkie will fawn over. 

  Cube stapler, $75; tomdixon.net. Cube dispenser, $95; tomdixon.net. 
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  6. HAY

  With pieces as visual and practical as these, there’s no reason to banish paper clips and push pins from your desk top. And if you’re using them regularly, you’ll be relieved to not have to open a drawer every time you need one. 

  Magnetic tower, $28; momastore.org. Cork cone, $18; momastore.org. 
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  7. ANTHROPOLOGIE

  This super-sleek brass organizer not only allows you to separate your writing utensils from your rulers and scissors, but there’s also enough room for you to separate your Sharpies from your pens, or your pencils from your highlighters. 

  Pencil holder, $48; anthropologie.com. 

  
  
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  8. POPPIN

  Many people nowadays don't have the luxury of a large work station. This desk stand keeps your monitor elevated so that you can tuck supplies, your laptop, or your keyboard when you’re not using it, underneath. 

  Desktop shelf, $99; poppin.com.
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  9. SOUDA

  For the super-minimalist, a business card and pen holder that keeps only three writing tools are all they need—and want—to have at their sparse workstation. 

  Business card holder, $18; soudasouda.com. Pen brick, $24; soudasouda.com. 
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  10. THREE BY THREE

  This dry erase writing pad keeps notes nice and tidy on one reusable surface. The best part is that you can start with a clean slate every day—literally.

5 Ways Wearables Are Improving the Way We Shop

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If you think we don't have room for another connected device in our pockets or purses, you might be right.

Placing one on our wrist is another story.

Need proof? Last year, 39.5 million Americans over 18 years old used wearable devices, an increase of 57.7 percent over 2014, according to eMarketer. This rise is estimated to continue, with 81.7 million adults expected to be using wearables by 2018.1

The reasons for wearables’ growing popularity vary, including giving consumers the ability to better monitor their health and fitness and keeping them organized when on the go. Wearable devices, such as with Apple Watch and others, are also improving the way we shop by receiving communication and alerts and making payments hands-free. On the retailer side, wearables allow brands to send targeted messaging to customers in-store and offer discounts to improve conversion.

“Tech-savvy retailers willing to invest in marketing through wearable technology can place themselves a step ahead of competitors as these devices grow in popularity,” said Soumya Chakrabarty, Director of Research & Development at Discover. “For example, brands can push out notifications that send shoppers personalized offerings, increasing conversion and driving interest and loyalty.”

Streamlining Product Search by Pairing Smartwatches with Beacons

One way to engage with wearables in stores is by coupling them with strategically placed beacons. In this scenario, a customer heads to his or her local retailer, and is seeking help from a sales associate to help with a question or locate a product. If this retailer is leveraging beacons placed throughout the store, shoppers armed with wearables don’t have to worry about finding staff, since they can use their device both to navigate a store’s aisles and access valuable information. A quick scan of an item followed by a few taps of their watch, and they can retrieve such information as sizing, materials or location.

Streamlining Payments

With the advent of Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay, mobile payments are gaining popularity among consumers and the technology to accept these forms of payment are becoming available at major chains and smaller retailers alike. Wearables could change the game by making these transactions even easier, favoring a flip of the wrist over pulling out a phone.

According to an eMarketer study, 48 percent of consumers said they would use a wearable device if it could make an in-store payment, and 67 percent said they would prefer to use a wearable device over a smartphone to make an in-store payment.2

Better Dissemination of Discounts

Thanks to post-purchase opt-ins, the average shopper now receives regular emails about online and in-store deals and sales. But for those steering their shopping cart to the cash register, pulling out their smartphone to scan through hundreds of emails to find an offer can be difficult, if they remember to search for these mobile coupons at all. Wearables could fix that by allowing consumers to take advantage of discounts by swiping their wrist over a scanner at the time of purchase, applying the coupons to their bill during checkout.

Targeted Messaging

While push notifications and beacon-enabled messaging aren’t new, the growing success of reaching shoppers via these technologies is partially thanks to wearables. That’s because they don’t require shoppers to pull out their phones to get these messages. What’s more, these technologies allow a retailer to access shoppers across channels, lessening cart abandonment. A retailer can alert a customer to items left in their cart as they pass the physical store. This retailer can also send a customer a message letting them know that an item they were browsing online is in stock at the store nearby.

Better Overall Customer Experience

In its 2014 study, The Wearable Future, PWC found that 72 percent of consumers said it was very important for wearable technology to improve customer service. The most vocal group was busy parents – 76 percent of whom said they wanted wearable tech to make shopping a more pleasant, efficient experience.3

Smart retailers targeting these shoppers may turn to wearables to tackle customer service gaps and increase the efficiency of their workforces. By arming sales associates with devices that can check inventory, pull up product specifications and even take payments, retailers can get rid of the need to go to the back of the store or visit a separate computer terminal to perform these tasks, creating a more seamless retail experience.

“As brands are considering their end-to-end customer journey, they should think about how to integrate these devices into their overall marketing strategy,” added Chakrabarty. “Wearables offer merchants a fast and simple way of interacting with customers on-the-go and can push out relevant, personalized messaging in order to enhance customer loyalty.”

6 Tips for Choosing your Kitchen Appliances

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If you’re thinking about looking for some new kitchen appliances, the post-Christmas sales are set to wrap up soon and there are some wonderful bargains to be had on appliances, large and small.

It’s not just the discounted prices, but also the amazing advancements to ‘basic’ appliances, as well as innovative new products. Before shopping, take into account both the large and small appliances you will need to purchase for a functional kitchen:

• Refrigerator
• Oven
• Cooktop
• Rangehood
• Dishwasher
• Steam oven
• Microwave

Refrigerator

The most popular refrigerators on the market feature French doors opening to a double-width fridge. The freezer is at the bottom with drawers for easy access. These fridges allow for maximum storage, which is great if you have a large family or do a lot of entertaining.

Be aware that the size of your fridge will depend on the cavity you have available. Most newly built homes will provide a large fridge cavity/space, while older homes may only be equipped for older model fridges that are usually narrower and shorter. If there are skirting boards in your fridge cavity, they can be removed to gain a few extra centimetres of width but it’s not fun if you have to remove the top cupboards above the fridge to gain a few extra centimetres of height!

TIP: IF your fridge has water and ice facilities, you may need to have them professionally plumbed in.

Oven/Cooktop/Rangehood

Wall ovens are ideal from an ergonomic perspective as you don’t have to bend or overreach while using. If you don’t have the space, then fitting your oven under the cooktop, or purchasing a combined oven & cooktop (stove) is ideal. Many large contemporary kitchens are including double ovens, which are fantastic if you entertain a lot or have a large family.

Gas cooktops are often favoured by chefs, but induction technology has been refined to provide much more even heat that’s easy to control, and cools quickly when not in use. Induction cooktops are great if you’re short on bench space as the surface is completely flat. It’s much easier to clean than a gas cooktop as well.

TIP: Confirm with your electrician that your kitchen has sufficient power for an induction cooktop.

Rangehoods can either be a feature or a discreet, functional tool above your cooktop that whisks away steam and fumes while you cook. At the moment the trend is towards a concealed rangehood that integrates into the top cabinets. Check with your electrician if your rangehood can be ducted or recycling.

Steam Oven

In recent years, steam ovens have become a favourite inclusion for the cooking enthusiast. They provide a fast, efficient and healthy way to cook however like a standard microwave they won’t brown or crisp. A combination steam oven can be an excellent alternative as it combines steam cooking with conventional fan-forced heat. Generally, steam ovens are being wall integrated alongside the conventional oven and microwave.

Dishwasher

Dishwashers have come a long way from the standard white hinged door. You can now opt for a metal finish hinged door, a single or dual dishdrawer or one that’s freestanding, or partially or fully integrated.

A single dishdrawer is great for a compact kitchen with only one or two users, while a double dishdrawer system is great to have one running while the other is being loaded. (Fisher & Paykel) 

A partially integrated dishwasher is disguised by the kitchen cabinets, with only the operation panel visible, while a fully integrated dishwasher has the controls on the inner lip.

TIP: Most dishwashers are 600mm wide, however, Bosch have an option for compact kitchens that measures in at just 450mm wide.

Microwave Oven

Microwave ovens are an essential part of any kitchen as they heat, reheat as well as cook quickly and efficiently. Nowadays microwaves are usually integrated into our ‘wall of cooking’. They can however still be freestanding, although this uses up valuable preparation space on your benchtop.

TIP: They also come as a Convection Microwave which combines the browning and crisping benefits of a conventional oven with the speed of a microwave.

Espresso Machine

Espresso machines can also be built in or freestanding. While freestanding machines are much more portable, they do take up bench space. Many coffee lovers however, are choosing to build in an espresso machine.

TIP: Remember that a built in espresso machine requires plumbing

Small Appliances

Small appliances have reached a point where they are not only functional, but are a part of the décor. There are appliances to suit most design styles and colour schemes… you can even get matching sets! When shopping for small appliances, consider items such as a kettle, toaster, mixer, blender and freestanding coffee machine.

TIP: Most appliances, particularly large ones, will carry a rating that refers to energy/water usage and efficiency. The higher the rating, the more economical the appliance.