Let's Talk About Stainless Steel Appliances

You can run, you can hide, (you can make your cabinetry stark white or bright red), but you can hardly get away from stainless steel appliances these days. Be it updated midcentury homes or new-builds, kitchens today love a little (or a lot) of metallic shine. The so-called merits of the finish—easy maintenance, durability, stylishness—can be debated, but stainless steel mania is real.

This editor has no personal vendetta against them, but in previous posts on home—and specifically kitchen—decor trends, quite a few readers seem ready to bid the style adieu.

Mocha latte?What would replace stainless appliances for those that hate them, just curious? People provide the warmth, kitchen doesnt have to.Let's open up this discussion, eh?

For starters, we've dropped a couple of other options below (including the charming retro Smeg fridge that comes in all sorts of colors.) A regular ol' white fridge, as seen in renovated firehouse in Alexandria, VA—Photo via McEnearney Associates

A black Smeg fridge, as seen in converted chapel in Durham, England—Photo by Chris Humphreys via Designboom