Black

More thoughts on Black Stainless SteelChoices about at Universal Appliance and Kitchen CenterIt looks like almost everyone has jumped on the Black Stainless bandwagon when it comes to appliance finishes. KitchenAid introduced a Black Stainless Steel refrigerator only a couple of years ago. Since then, Samsung has launched an entire line of Black Stainless Steel, along with LG. However, Dacor, a Samsung owned company, appears to be the only luxury brand to enter the Black Stainless fray with their new Modernist collection.Frigidaire appears to be jumping into the Black Stainless appliance pool with a full-line offering. Parent company, Electrolux, has yet to announce its intentions with their premium Electrolux offering. Similarly, Bosch has introduced a dishwasher in Black Stainless, presumably to be followed with a full line. However, Bosch's high end brands, such as Thermador, and Gaggenau have not made a move in this direction.It seems clear that this finish has a definite appeal for Millennials, and will find a home not in the entry level, but in the upgrade offerings of the popular brands GE, Frigidaire, and Whirlpool; as well as the Korean brands Samsung, and LG who have carved out a strong offering for Millennials.Notably, Whirlpool's super premium brand, Jenn-Air does not have Black Stainless, nor does GE's luxury brand, Monogram.Here's the good news. Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center is your headquarters for major appliances regardless of brand or finish. They carry all the major brands as well as most of the specialty brands, and an interesting selection

Latest Appliances at Universal Appliance and Kitchen CenterBlack Stainless SteelA quick look around the major appliance displays at the January 2017 *IBS/KBIS confirmed that the new color/finish Black Stainless is THE big trend in appliance colors. Of course, stainless steel is not going anywhere. In a recent survey, 72% of respondents opted for stainless steel. Truth is, there are tons of appliance colors out there. The custom high end range company BlueStar offers several hundred colors, many of them quite stunning. Luxury appliance brands such as Viking, Bertazzoni, La Cornue, and others also offer their appliances in a variety of colors. But for many of us these brands might not be realistic options, and the bright colors aren't for everyone.Voilà! Black Stainless is here to save they day. It's new and it's different. It really looks classy, but I wouldn't call it bold or risky. After all, it's a combination of the two most popular appliance colors. As near as I can determine KitchenAid was the first major appliance brand to offer Black Stainless steel. Recently, Samsung jumped on the Black Stainless bandwagon, followed now by Whirlpool, Frigidaire, GE, Electrolux, and LG. I do know that some supplementary brands are on board with this new finish such as Sharp (microwaves) and at least one of the vent hood manufacturers, Zephyr.I think Black Stainless looks good in the photos, but even better when you see it and touch it. Believe it

Are Stainless Steel Appliances on the way out?Don't bet against Stainless SteelEvery so often we hear some predictions that stainless steel is on the way out as an appliance finish. Is that like to happen soon? No. Stainless steel is going to be the top choice for appliance buyers for years to come. Here's how it stands today:New constructionProduction home builders usually offer a base appliance package in white or black with an upgrade to stainless steel. Upgrading to stainless steel appliances continues to be a very popular choice for new home buyers.Custom homesProfessional/Restaurant style appliances are a top choice for custom homes buyers. Several of the top brands in this category only offer stainless steel, though some color selection is an option for Viking and Bertazzoni brands. (BlueStar, a pro-style line of cooking products has a very wide selection of colors.) In addition some elite luxury brands such as Le Cornue offer a selection of designer colors.Remodels and replacement salesCustomers who choose to replace their kitchen appliances from the popular entry level appliance brands, eg. GE, Whirlpool, and Frigidaire, available in white, black or stainless steel will almost always upgrade to stainless steel (except for basic apartment replacement sales). Though premium brands such as KitchenAid, GE Profile, or Bosch may be available in white and/or black, their sales skew heavily toward stainless steel. Kitchenaid has recently introduced a finish called black stainless steel that is getting a lot of attention.Whatever

Choosing Appliance FinishesStainless steel appliances are de rigueur these days. It seems that whether you live in a tract home or a mansion, you're going to end up with stainless steel. Everyone will tell you that you need stainless steel for you home's resale value, and there may be some truth in that. In addition, in some more exclusive brands, it appears that stainless steel is all that they offer.It wasn't always this way, but stainless steel gradually took over when people started expressing an interest in restaurant or commercial style appliances in their kitchen. Here are some of the other reasons homeowners give for choosing stainless:Sanitary "hospital" cleanliness.Doesn't rust or stain (Duh - it's stainless).Appealing, shiny appearanceEasily wipes offDurable finish - can't chipenhances resale value of houseSome products are available only in stainless (eg. built-in coffee maker)While stainless steel is not going away soon, there are many alternatives. White and black are still standard finishes for entry level brands. Frigidaire has a version of stainless steel that doesn't show fingerprints -really, it works. GE has a slate finish which clearly isn't stainless, it's a dull grey finish, but works for a faux stainless look without the disadvantages of stainless. It accepts magnets and doesn't require the polishing.Most premium brands will also offer white and black appliances with stainless upgrades, though I've heard of at least one brand offering customers a choice of only black or stainless appliances. Moving up to luxury brands, color

3 Kitchen Trends in 2014 Here's what has been trending in kitchen design: Contrast A little more than a decade ago appliance manufacturers called it white-on-white. White appliances with chrome trim had been de rigueur for years, so the early movement to solid white was a big deal in the beginning of the last decade. Kitchen cabinets, countertops, sinks and even faucets contributed to the solid white kitchen. Even today, an all-white kitchen is not unusual or out of place. However, for several years, we've seen the ever popular white kitchen complemented with contrasting yet subdued colors, in particular grey. Now, contrast is becoming more bold with black showing up in islands and base cabinets, stainless steel sinks, and chrome, or even gold faucets. Color Along with non-white cabinets, sinks, and faucets, 2014 saw more solid contrasting colors on kitchen walls not just gray or black, but also bright colors and pastel shades. Thanks to specialty appliance manufacturers such as Smeg, BlueStar, Bertazzoni, and even Viking, many appliance color options are now available even though stainless steel continues to dominate. Changes in upper cabinets and islands. Upper cabinets are sometimes being replaced by shelves, and occasionally disappearing entirely. See the limited use of upper wall cabinets in the photo above. Islands have been around for a long time, but we're seeing more use of islands for seating, and even tables and chairs as substitutes for islands. What can we expect in 2015? There will be more of the same as

Best Selection and Prices on GE Artistry Series AppliancesAt Universal Appliance and Kitchen CenterThe GE Artistry Series appliance line looks retro, but is designed to appeal to the younger crowd - the millenials. Available in both white and black, the new line definitely has touches that go back to yesteryear, such as a range with an analog clock, a bottom freezer refrigerator with rounded corners, and even an old style GE logo. With all the excitement of a new line with a hot design targeted at such a huge market as the millenials it would be no surprise to see GE launch this product with premium price points.However, the new GE Artistry Series appliances are solidly within reach of the millennial target market. A full kitchen package can be purchased for less than $2500.GE Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator $1099GE Dishwasher $499GE over-the-range Microwave $219GE gas or electric range $599TOTAL $2416It's interesting that the GE industrial designer that led the development of the Artistry Series, 27 year old Tomas DeLuna, is himself a millenial. DeLuna states:"Making the critical consumer touchpoints metallic, and set against either a pure, white gloss or black gloss finish creates a look that is both familiar to our consumers, yet remains fresh and modern. That's what makes the GE Artistry Series special; the design is authentic and contemporary with a nod to the past not currently offered in the marketplace."For a limited time, you can save $200 on a GE Artistry Series