the next big thing
Story By Susan O'Connor

Kitchen design has come a long way since grandmother’s day. What was once a room strictly used for food preparation has evolved into the center of entertaining in many homes.

Integrations of appliances and electronics into countertops and cabinets are the latest trend in design and perhaps the most functional. A steamer with nearby pot filler flush mounted in exquisite granite; a grill with its own exhaust system that rises from within the countertop; a flat screen television or state-of-the-art entertainment center set in custom cabinets; or a faux fireplace with the look of a stone oven. The options are numerous.

Keith Flynt of Barton’s Design Center said the demand for such custom appliances is growing rapidly.

“In the past, microwaves sat on the countertop or on a shelf attached to an upper cabinet,” said Flynt. “A stove was a one-piece unit that had an oven below with four burners above. In today’s market, the microwave and vent hood are one and the same, or the microwave might be built over an oven that is built into a tall cabinet with the cook top in a separate location.

“Now, you can install products all around the kitchen — a steamer closer to the sink, a fryer somewhere else with its own exhaust, a griddle, a char broiler, all together or all separate. As you can see, it’s all in the imagination.”

Flynt noted several benefits of the integrated appliances. “The look is great and they are easy to keep clean. There are no edges to caulk and then to look dirty. And it keeps everything on the countertop level so the look is more like furniture. This brings a comfortable feeling in the kitchen, since everyone hangs out there anyway.”

The hottest trends in countertops that accommodate integration, Flynt said, are granite, quartz and shirestone. As for the appliances, he suggested customers look for brands such as Wolf, Sub Zero, Miele, DCS and Fisher Paykel.