La Cornue

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

The Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center ExperienceYou deserve more. And that's what you'll get at Universal Appliance and Kitchen CenterWatch this brief video and you'll see why UAKC is a different appliance place. For all your major appliance and plumbing fixture needs call or visit the professionals at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center 

Monet's Kitchen in Giverny, France Check out Monet's RangeIf you ever visit Paris in the summer time, be sure to take a side trip to Monet's home in the village of Giverny outside of Paris. Here you will see the spectacular gardens that were featured in some of his most famous paintings, as well as the country house where Monet lived with his large family from 1883 until he died in 1926. Although the house was there from the start, Monet was responsible for everything in the interior.The blue kitchen has many copper pots and pans that were once used daily, but they also provided a contrast with the blue tile from Roen. The kitchen leads to an adjacent yellow dining room, demonstrating that Monet employed the generous use of vivid colors to identify his various rooms. Then again, our White House has a blue room, green room, and a red room. Being an appliance geek, I had to check out the huge cooker above in the blue Monet kitchen. I made the assumption that the stove was La Cornue. If so, it must have been added by Monet after he'd been in the house at least 25 years, since La Cornue was founded in 1908, and Monet moved into the house in 1883. Also worth noting, this stove is a wood and coal cooker with a chimney, and I believe that even the early

Choose Your Appliance Style UAKC has appliances for all styles Everybody has a style. In home exteriors some folks like Colonial, while others like Ranch Style, and yet others prefer Craftsmen style homes. That's just the beginning. Think of Georgian, Queen Anne, Greek Revival, Modern, Cottage style, etc. Similarly their are interior design styles. So, it should come as no surprise that appliances are also available in different styles. Whatever your preference, Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center (UAKC), has the appliances to fit your style and your budget. Here are some of your options. If we categorize appliances by color alone, we'd miss the largest of all appliance categories which is not a color at all, but a finish - Stainless Steel. However, more than just a color or a finish, is the overall "look" or style of appliances. For example, while stainless steel is a finish, there are stainless steel appliances that have big bulky knobs and large dowel type handles, that have an industrial or restaurant feel. These appliances are usually referred to as Professional Style appliances.On the other hand, there are appliances that have a very sleek, minimalist look. They are often flush with the surrounding cabinets. This look is very popular in luxury European kitchens, so lets call these appliances Euro-Style. There is also a recent trend towards appliances that are built with a Retro-Style. These appliances may be designed to replicate the appliances of old, or

A Visit to Calabasas Newest location for Universal Appliance and Kitchen CenterUniversal Appliance and Kitchen Center (UAKC), one of the leading providers of appliances and plumbing fixtures in Southern California, opened their second location in Calabasas in October of 2012.With locations in both Studio City and Calabasas, Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center is ideally positioned to serve the San Fernando Valley and beyond. UAKC specializes in premium and luxury appliance brands such as La Cornue, Viking, Thermador, Miele, Electrolux, and Jenn-Air as well as the major big names Whirlpool, GE, KitchenAid, and Frigidaire.In plumbing fixtures as well, you'l find the top names such as Toto, HansGrohe, and Dornbracht.The Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center Calabasas location is especially proud to be home to a Wolf Sub Zero - Living Kitchen, a unique display for these two luxury brands. However, The Living Kitchen is much more than just a beautiful showcase for Wolf and Sub Zero products. It's an education and idea center. The Living Kitchen presents Sub-Zero and Wolf products in full-scale kitchen settings with all the resources you need to create a dream kitchen of your own. You can touch and feel and open and close in a simulated kitchen environment, and visualize how beautiful they will look in your home. Directions to the UAKC Calabasas Showroom: Take Highway 101

Alternatives to Stainless Steel Choosing Appliance Colors at UAKC Pantone has chosen Radiant Orchid as the color of the year for 2014. If nothing else, this color is sure to be a conversation starter. In major appliances, Stainless Steel continues to reign supreme, though stainless steel has not been without its challengers. A few years ago, Jenn-Air introduced Oiled Bronze appliances as a designer finish, but while it attracted a lot of attention, few sales followed. Viking has had an extensive array of colors available in it's appliance line, now pared down to about a dozen favorites. Taking a more conservative approach, Wolf has elected to add a black glass look to its oven lineup, and the German brand Miele has added Brilliant White Plus to its sleek European kitchen aesthetic.GE recently introduced a line of appliances in Slate, as a less expensive alternative to Stainless Steel, and Whirlpool is touting its Ice Collection - shiny white or black with stainless accents. BlueStar ranges offer over 750 color and finish combinations (see Radiant Orchid below), while Italian brand, Bertazzoni also has jumped on the color bandwagon. Several other European brands are also available in various colors. They include SMEG, La Cornue, and AGA.Designers have been adding touches of color to monochromatic kitchens for interest and contrast. Maybe, a few colorful appliances will help brighten your kitchen. For expert help selecting colorful or not

While Stainless Steel is clearly the most popular finish for major appliances in 2012, designers have been welcoming a variety of finishes from appliance manufacturers. Worthy of note is the unique Oiled Bronze finish offered by Jenn-Air below. Viking has the widest variety of colors. Here is a range with their popular burgandy color: Several Luxury brands such as Bertazonni, AGA, and La Cornue have ranges available in various colors. A custom La Cornue range is pictured at the top and an AGA cooker is shown below For a complete selection of appliances in all the latest colors consult the experts at Universal Appliance and Kitchen Center 12025 Ventura Blvd. Ste B-105 Studio City, CA 91604 PH 877 696-2987