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Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Since We Asked Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend August 3, 2006 Outfitted with high-tech appliances and virtually indestructible countertop materials, modern kitchens have become �hearth rooms,� melding food preparation, dining and living areas into one. (Copley News Service) KITCHEN CHIC Homeowners today are demanding more in their kitchens — more style and more convenience VICky Katz Whitaker Copley News Service Ovens that heat and cool; appliances wrapped in fingerprint-resistant stainless steel; under-the-counter drawers that mask dishwashers, warmers and mini-refrigerators; built-in coffee bars. Today's kitchen isn't what it once was. Neither is the family that gathers there. "It's not June Cleaver's kitchen anymore," says Darlene Weaver as she rummages through a stack of appliance and cabinet brochures on her desk at Distinctive Designs, a custom kitchen-and-bath firm she owns in Springfield, Ill. Cleaver, the mother on the popular late-'50s television show "Leave It To Beaver," spent much of her time in the kitchen, baking and preparing hot meals to serve her husband and sons. In a world of two-income households and busy, often conflicting family schedules, Cleaver's image no longer resonates with the public, Weaver says. Outfitted with high-tech appliances and virtually indestructible countertop materials, kitchens have become "hearth rooms," melding food preparation, dining and living areas into one. They come replete with big-screen televisions, computers, casual seating, even fireplaces. Advertisement "No one wants to be boxed in by themselves anymore," says Weaver, a nationally certified kitchen designer who closely tracks the public's changing tastes and needs. In both new and remodeled homes, "the kitchen is still for food preparation, but it's not uncommon to have several family members cooking in it all at once," popping pizza in the microwave, reaching for salad fixings from an under-the-counter refrigerator, or placing dinner in a warming drawer for a spouse working overtime. The "work triangle," a traditional formula used to determine efficient cabinet and appliance placement, has been revisited, Weaver says. "There may be two or three of these work triangles in today's kitchen." "The trend ... is the commercial stainless-steel look," says veteran kitchen designer Gary Bryan of Springfield, Ill. Neutral in color, hard-surfaced stainless steel long has been lauded for its longevity compared to other countertop and appliance finishes. At Dick Van Dyke Appliance World, stainless-steel appliances are the top choice of consumers, reports Bryan Horath, sales division manager. The same holds true at Sam's Best Brands Plus, another Springfield appliance retailer. "Eight out of 10 customers want the stainless-steel look," says Vice President Sam Moriconi Jr. Thanks to new high-tech materials such as General Electric's CleanSteel or Whirlpool's Satina, they can have it without paying a premium. These new stainless-steel laminate look-alikes defy fingerprints and smudges and, unlike stainless, are magnet-friendly. With the price of stainless steel rising, appliance retailers are betting these cheaper alternatives will find their way into more kitchens. Bryan believes television has shaped consumer tastes, particularly HGTV. Its programs which, he says, make "liberal use of upscale kitchen materials and appliances" have made customers design-savvy. The trend extends to stock as well as custom cabinetry, says Brian Kodrich, a kitchen designer with Lowe's in Springfield. Roll-out trays, pegged dish drawers, base-cabinet trash containers, tip trays on sink basins, even a unique toe-kick drawer rank high on the customer want-list. Dennis Rieken, president of Dick Van Dyke, says there's also a lot of interest in the new high-end "floating glass" finishes on kitchen appliances manufactured exclusively by Jenn-Air. The shiny, mirror-like appearance blends well in a contemporary kitchen. "And it's easy to keep clean," he says. At least one manufacturer, General Electric, has put its own high-tech spin on glass. Some of its pricier wine storage and beverage centers have clear liquid-crystal display glass doors that turn opaque with a flick of the switch. At present, the company has no plans to extend LCDs to larger appliances, a GE spokesman said. Several appliance manufacturers also have reworked the side-by-side refrigerator, eliminating the center bar by putting the freezer in a drawer below, an improvement that is proving popular with customers, notes Moriconi of the style known as the "French door." Sales of ceramic-top stoves and dual gas/electric ovens also are strong, according to salesman Wendell Jones. While convenience is sought, "energy conservation is important to the younger generation," he says. "People have done their homework," Jones adds. "They buy on appearance, price and customer service. Seventy percent know what they want. They're very sharp, and that makes it good." Fingering knobs to demonstrate the floor model, Rieken waxed enthusiastic about the GE Trivection oven's computerized cooking system, which combines thermal, convection and microwave energies. The oven can automatically calculate recipes and, he says, cuts cooking time in half. "People want speed in cooking, freezing and storing, and appliance manufacturers are giving them what they want," he says. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems California Casinos Men's Clothing Southern Oregon Loans --> GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Entertainment Guide --> Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews Advertisement s Advertisement