Stainless is definitely started to look "jumped the shark" (argh hate that term but can't find a better terminology here) but the problem is that nothing else has definitively filled the gap yet. Everyone knows that you can buy a stainless GE appliance set for $2000 and it's all junk and literally the same price as the all white junk set. The cheap stainless is basically just plastic, and looks it. Every cheap basement apartment and crappy low-end flip will have stainless these days. Doesn't look special at all. The exception of course is some of the brands that are truly high end, and stand out - Subzero fridges, Viking ranges, etc have a distinctive look that the average person will recognize looks better than a GE fridge. I also think most gas ranges these days are channeling a pretty high end look - even if they are in fact cheap.

The problem is that there aren't really any good alternatives yet. We are redoing out kitchen right now and opted for a sleek looking bosch white dishwasher. And funny enough, were just at friends' last week and they had just done the same thing. Dishwashers are one of the worst offenders of SS because the cheap and expensive ones all look the same - just a big ugly wall of stainless. No fancy buttons or fun gas burners that make it look cool. So I think DWs are the obvious one to try and find something else.

I'm very much liking this new slate appliance trend - like SS but looks a bit cooler and more interesting. I'm seeing that show up in a bunch of ads right now. But was too pricey for us to justify.

We still did mostly stainless - though black glass induction cooktop and white DW take it down a notch. So just SS fridge and single built in oven and sink. We are also not doing stainless cabinet hardware - we're looking for something like looks a little distinctive. Maybe jump on this brass trend, with the expectation it can be swapped out easily if the trend tires.

Oh, oh, I win! We are remodeling our 80s Bray and Scarf kitchen because among other, honey oak related issues, we had a white fridge, ivory dishwasher, black microwave and almond range. I'd never before seen a kitchen where each appliance is a different colour! We went all stainless- easy to clean, minimalist look.

Just in the Home Depot store. They have a product that keeps smudges away for a month. Great Stuff!

Anonymous wrote:wipe your stainless appliances down with olive oil after cleaning if they are not smudge proof. it's not perfect, but it lasts several days and is miles better than smudgies, as my DD calls them

We wipe ours with baby oil, just very little is needed, no smudges that would be of concern. I still love stainless steel look and convenience, even though the colorful appliances may be very nice looking, so I would not personally embark on remodeling the kitchen done with stainless steel and granite if I were to to have to move and buy another house.

If you're a trendsetter type with money to burn, you are probably past stainless by now and will choose something new and fabulous for your custom kitchen. For those of us in the mainstream, however, stainless is still the most popular look and probably will be for some time to come (since we are not the types who replace our appliances every other year). I think the stainless trend is connected to the increased interest in serious/gourmet home cooking--even though most people aren't actually doing it, we like the idea of professional-looking appliances, rather than the old thinking that the appliances had to blend in and disappear. My mom has one of those huge wood-fronted ones that matches the cabinets and to me it feels really dated, but 20 years ago when she got it it felt like the height of kitchen style. 20 years from now my kids will roll their eyes at my stainless appliances. But 5 years from now they will probably still be OK. Bottom line-- if you are thinking of selling your house anytime soon, and you're not in a price range to justify the latest/greatest high-end custom thing, you should most definitely do stainless.

Stainless steel looks great if it's smudge-free, otherwise, it looks dirty to me. That said, most stainless steel appliances I see at friends' houses have finger prints and other food smears that make them look disgusting. I'd take a black colored appliance or, better yet, a wood panel covered fridge/dishwasher anyday.

wipe your stainless appliances down with olive oil after cleaning if they are not smudge proof. it's not perfect, but it lasts several days and is miles better than smudgies, as my DD calls them

Anonymous wrote:I don't know... I guess stainless is still what buyers are looking for (particularly if they don't know the super high quality brands from the regular stuff). But I hate our stainless fridge. I cannot keep it unsmudged no matter what I do. And it really bugs me that it's not magnetic (which is silly, but there it is). I think a lot of people have it in their heads that SS=better quality more "industrial" grade. But many others are realizing that no, unless you're truly getting a higher quality appliance, it's better just toget black.

I'm with you on both of those too. I had heard the newer ones don't smudge quite as much, or maybe there was/is something we're just doing wrong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And it really bugs me that it's not magnetic (which is silly, but there it is).

Why don't you just go and get a steel magnetic bulletin board and mount it on the fridge with 3M Command strips, so that it can be removed later? Then you don't have to be bugged by a non-magnetic surface. A good thing is that the command strips are removeable so if you wanted, you could just take the whole thing off when company is coming and put it back up after they're gone. Then you have a place for memos, kids artwork, etc but you can have it nice and clean looking for company.

Yeah I know. I guess it doesn't bug me that much. The main thing is the smudging. I feel like I have to wipe the whole thing down (and focus on the handle area in particular) almost every day or it looks awful.

Anonymous wrote:I like that red stove. Can't afford it, though. That's all.

I bought it in stainless, which is cheaper, 2 years ago. But I didn't pay nearly as much as that website is asking! It's actually one of the less expensive "professional"-looking stove lines.

I like that red stove. Can't afford it, though. That's all.

Anonymous wrote:And it really bugs me that it's not magnetic (which is silly, but there it is).

Why don't you just go and get a steel magnetic bulletin board and mount it on the fridge with 3M Command strips, so that it can be removed later? Then you don't have to be bugged by a non-magnetic surface. A good thing is that the command strips are removeable so if you wanted, you could just take the whole thing off when company is coming and put it back up after they're gone. Then you have a place for memos, kids artwork, etc but you can have it nice and clean looking for company.

I don't know... I guess stainless is still what buyers are looking for (particularly if they don't know the super high quality brands from the regular stuff). But I hate our stainless fridge. I cannot keep it unsmudged no matter what I do. And it really bugs me that it's not magnetic (which is silly, but there it is). I think a lot of people have it in their heads that SS=better quality more "industrial" grade. But many others are realizing that no, unless you're truly getting a higher quality appliance, it's better just toget black.

We have stainless and had it in our last house... our last place had higher-end stainless, which I really liked. This house came with pretty crappy stainless appliances (pretty cheap Maytag stuff) that I would gladly trade for nicer non-ss appliances anyday. Maybe it's just me but I don't mind black appliances - hate white, but like black.

yes, they are in. a vast majority of people still prefer them. i think they look much better than black and white. colored ones can look good, but are pricier and might not age well.