ANALYSIS: COLOUR TRENDS IN APPLIANCES Home Appliances
Unlike many appliances, particularly those hidden behind cabinetry, a freestanding fridge is difficult to miss. Its size means even a relatively subtle colour can have a major impact on the room around it.
offer opportunities
“Cooling tends to particularly for
strong colour
because a fridge is a highly visible, substantial appliance and can become
That word ‘considered’ is important. 30
Being more adventurous with colour doesn’t necessarily mean filling a kitchen with the brightest appliances available. Instead, there is growing interest in softer colours and finishes that can bring something different to a kitchen without completely taking over the room. Matt is one of the big trends here. Smeg is introducing a new collection of
matt MDA finishes this autumn, with colours including amber clay, emerald green, storm blue and moonlight. They are a world away from the traditional white appliance, but also offer a different proposition to the brighter colours we have often associated with statement appliances in the past. “Matte finishes, in particular, are becoming
increasingly relevant, offering a softer, more contemporary aesthetic that works well across the kitchen,” Mr Davies says. It opens
up a much broader
a key design feature,” Mr Davies explains. Smeg’s
50’s Style refrigerators have
demonstrated that approach for years. Rather than attempting to disguise what is ultimately a large appliance, their design makes a feature of it. “The kitchen has become a key part of the home for self-expression, and appliances are no longer necessarily expected to blend into the background,” Mr Davies adds. “Smeg’s experience with the 50’s Style range
shows that consumers are willing to make a more considered design choice, particularly when an appliance has a strong aesthetic identity.”
Cooking is another area where customers colour
conversation with customers. While neutrals remain popular, Smeg is finding that consumers with more striking interior schemes are often more willing to carry that personality through to their appliances. There is an interesting difference between MDAs and smaller appliances too. Mr Davies points out that some consumers are more comfortable experimenting with the colour of an SDA than they are with a major appliance - understandable when one is sitting on the worktop and the other could be a considerably larger investment. However, when customers do decide to be brave with an MDA, it can become one of the defining features of the room.
The fridge is perhaps the most obvious example.
appear willing to make a statement, particularly with range cookers. Smeg’s Victoria collection caters for those looking for more traditional, neutral finishes, while its Portofino range takes things in a bolder direction. Launching from this autumn, new Portofino
models will be available in the brand’s matt colours, giving consumers the opportunity to introduce shades such as emerald green or storm blue through one of the largest appliances in the kitchen. And importantly, those colours
don’t
necessarily have to stand alone. Better together
One of the wider changes Smeg is seeing is a desire to coordinate appliances across the kitchen.
The arrival of matching matt-coloured fridges alongside its cooking products means customers can carry a particular finish across different appliance categories, rather than treating each purchase individually.
“The ability to coordinate these finishes
across appliances is also becoming increasingly important as consumers look to create a more cohesive kitchen aesthetic,” says Mr Davies. That doesn’t mean every appliance needs to be emerald green. Instead, Smeg expects consumers to become more confident about combining complementary colours, materials and textures. “We expect the move towards more sophisticated colour palettes and matte finishes to continue,” Mr Davies explains. “Rather than one single colour dominating the market, we’re likely to see consumers becoming more confident in combining complementary tones, textures and finishes to create a more individual look.” There will naturally be differences between categories. Dishwashers, for example, are often integrated and hidden behind a furniture door, meaning appearance plays a very different role compared with a freestanding fridge or range cooker.
But as kitchens have become increasingly open-
plan and design-led, there are more opportunities to think about how the visible appliances work together. Even an extractor can become part of the scheme, with matching colourful models helping customers complete the look. Of course, nobody is suggesting colour suddenly matters more than whether an appliance actually does its job. Performance, functionality, energy efficiency and price remain fundamental considerations, but Mr Davies believes design has become an increasingly important part of the equation, particularly towards the premium end of the market.
“A well-designed appliance can become part of the identity of the kitchen, rather than simply another piece of equipment,” he says. And that perhaps sums up where the colour
trend is heading. There probably won’t be one colour that suddenly replaces black, white or stainless steel over the next 12 months. Instead, the appliance market is becoming much broader. That means understanding the customer’s kitchen and personal taste can be just as useful as knowing what colour is currently topping the sales charts.
After all, if consumers are increasingly looking at their kitchen as an extension of their personality, why should the appliances be left out?
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