RETRO REVIVAL Home Appliances
The Estel Deluxe 110cm range cooker from Aga Rangemaster embodies a classic and timeless aesthetic, blending retro and traditional elements with clean geometric lines and signature chamfered edges. Its design is inspired by utility and durability, offering a practical yet stylish option for those who value timeless functionality.
28 Retro Revival From Victorian-style range cookers to iconic
1950’s-inspired fridge freezers, retro-looking appliances are always popular, but why, and how can retailers best showcase these to maximise sales? ERT finds out more.
rather than purely functional”, as well as a growing popularity for “dopamine décor” are among the top reasons for the continued success of retro-styled appliances, according to Aga Rangemaster’s Senior Brand Manager Emma Cowley, and CDA’s Head of Sales and Marketing, Craig Taylor. A demand for shaker kitchens is also helping to drive a sales uplift, adds Bertazzoni UK and Eire’s Commercial Director Paul Whyte. Kitchens have increasingly become a place on which homeowners can really stamp their personality, and share their new spaces across social media, where the often candy-coloured retro-styled appliances really get the chance to shine. And, as homeowners are tending towards improving their homes, rather than
A
balance of familiarity and warmth, along with reliability and performance”, and “a clear shift
towards appliances that feel considered and characterful,
doing them up with a view to sell, they feel the freedom to make bolder choices. These appliances offer the best of both worlds – gorgeous aesthetics which can sit as happily in a farmhouse kitchen as in a sleek, handleless one, and all of the technology one would expect from a modern domestic appliance. As Smeg UK’s Head of Marketing John Davies says, “Retro appliances are no longer a niche choice. They have become a design staple for consumers who want their appliances to express individuality without compromising on performance. Retailers that recognise this and present these products as both functional and aspirational are well placed to benefit.” So, what are the hottest innovations in this
area of the market right now, and which are the bestsellers which retailers should be stocking? For Smeg, its 1950’s-inspired refrigeration continues
range to be an
resonate strongly with consumers because they combine emotional design appeal with everyday practicality. “In a market where kitchens are increasingly viewed as living spaces, statement appliances that deliver personality as well as performance are proving to be highly desirable.” Smeg is continuing to invest in expanding colourways and finishes across its 50s Style portfolio, ensuring the range remains relevant to evolving interior trends. Alongside core colours, it is seeing strong interest in more refined, neutral tones while retaining the distinctive Smeg identity. Smeg’s latest built-in oven range, MUSA, also nods, very subtly to the past, by incorporating gentle curves into the handle design and carrying the Smeg retro logo into the overall aesthetic, thereby bridging heritage and modernity, “offering retailers a refined built-in alternative that nods to Smeg’s design DNA while fitting seamlessly into contemporary kitchen environments - all at a range of price points, from good, to better and best with touch control, pyro and steam all options alongside entry level models. We have great expectations for MUSA.”
Farmhouse feel Bertazzoni’s Heritage series, inspired by vintage farmhouse woodburning stoves, continues to do well for the brand, and Bertazzoni is one of the few brands alongside Smeg to have brand new launches in this particular space. For example, the Heritage F609HEREKTAG offers a new aesthetic of ivory finish with gold trim “and we’ve just released this month our first ever 60cm Heritage Series range cookers. Available in stainless steel, ivory and black colourways, the appliances feature highly durable texture and enamel finishes,” Mr Whyte says. For AGA Rangemaster, its Estel Deluxe range is doing well.
It “builds on traditional “undeniable performer”, says Smeg’s Mr Davies, as they
range cooker design while refining usability and flexibility, introducing a more tailored approach, with multiple size options and configurations, alongside an expanded colour palette that
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