The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 12 No. 50 - September 26, 2012

REAL ESTATE

The end of stainless steel?

 

Diana Vreeland, one of fashion’s important icons, once said pink is the navy blue of India. But is white the new stainless of your kitchen? Some of the appliance icons would like you to believe that.

Appliance sales have taken a hit right along with home sales during the financial downturn, but appliance manufacturers are looking to the future, as both markets start to slug their way back. Their gamble not only is on the resurgence of the market, but also on some trendy new finishes for their lines of kitchen appliances.

Major manufacturers have placed on the market their vision of the future, and it does not include the predominant stainless steel. While stainless steel is still the prevailing look, there are indicators pointing to the demise of the popularity of the 25-year-old stainless steel design. In its place, appliance manufacturers are introducing into the marketplace finishes and colors that will blend with existing kitchens, while still providing an updated and slightly less industrial look.

Whirlpool, the world’s largest home appliance manufacturer, has introduced a collection they call Ice. Although the Ice Collection is a bit of a throwback to the 30s and 40s, when the only color kitchen appliances came in was white, they certainly don’t look the same as your grandmother’s kitchen. The Ice Collection features a gloss white or black finish for appliances with metallic handles adding a little pizzazz.

GE is playing it considerably safer, assuming that most people don’t want to replace all of their appliances at the same time just because one of them has stopped functioning. They’re going with what they call a slate finish, which is essentially a muted gray or silver matte finish. Per their website, slate appliances are designed to blend with other stainless steel, black or white appliances, as well as flat screen TVs and iPads or make a statement by themselves.

In addition, GE points out some of the benefits of slate over stainless is its ability to resist fingerprints, making it easier to keep clean, and its stylish brushed metal touch points. Other major manufacturers like Wolf, Sub-Zero and Miele are also rolling out high gloss or glass finishes on their new models.

Even though the purpose of the new designs is to blend in rather than to dominate their surrounding, shiny stainless steel still remains most manufacturers’ bread and butter and will not be discontinued. Nevertheless, appliance manufacturers are still assuming that stainless fatigue has either already set in or is not far from it.

The new colors are certainly keeping a low profile, which could hit the exact right note after what we’ve been through in recent years. Remember the vibrant colors of the 60s when your mother was so proud of her harvest gold, avocado green and copper colored appliances. Then the 70s took over with the ubiquitous almond setting us up for the flash of stainless.

Home buyers love new trendy appliances, so if there’s a new appliance in your future, before checking out the Sunday sales, do a little homework. Consider a more refined look to replace the big shiny object dominating the kitchen, a style that can be expanded on as the need requires and one that could gradually position you for a small, but significant, upgrade appealing to buyers.

I know the old days are gone, but it still seems like yesterday when I was waxing the copper tone refrigerator in my mother’s kitchen. White may be the new stainless, but it still seems so, well white.

Real Estate Transactions
Real Estate Transfers from June 1 to June 30, 2012
Sponsored by Alan Galletto Island Real Estate

Sold Date | List Price | Sold Price | Address | Provision | Property Style

Anna Maria

08/31/2012 379,900 348,500 211 Elm Ave # B 749 2 Br/1 Ba Condo
08/03/2012 599,000 548,000 807 Jacaranda Road 2832 62.0x100.0 2 Be/2 Ba SFR
08/10/2012 400,000 380,000 317 Magnolia Ave. 1064 52.0x120.0 3 Br/2 Ba SFR
08/15/2012 800,000 800,000 108 Beach Ave. 2722 150.0x106.04 Br/3.5 Ba SFR
08/15/2012 589,000 565,000 311 Tarpon St. 1022 75.0x110.0 2 Br/2 Ba SFR
08/27/2012 600,000 649,000 212 Palmetto Ave. 1819 52.0x110.0 3 Br/2.5 Ba SFR
08/17/2012 415,000 375,000 300 N Shore Drive 1680 78x100 2Br/2.5Ba Inc, bank owned
08/06/2012 317,000 300,000 812 Jacaranda Road 61.0x108.0 Vac.
08/29/2012 975,000 875,000 749 North Shore Drive 60x125 + Vac.

Bradenton Beach

08/10/2012 115,000 115,000 1603 Gulf N Drive # 25 380 1 Br/1 Ba Condo, bank owned 08/22/2012 125,000 125,000 1603 Gulf N Drive # 28 380 1 Br/1 Ba Condo
08/10/2012 215,000 240,000 2306 Avenue C 1674 50.0x100.0 2 Br/2 Ba Inc., bank owned
08/01/2012 169,900 150,000 2508 Avenue C 50.0x100.0 Vac.
08/01/2012 169,900 150,000 2510 Avenue C 50.0x100.0 Vac.Cortez
08/31/2012 285,000 260,000 9604 Cortez Road # 234 1800 3 Br/ Ba Condo
08/07/2012 295,000 282,000 12416 Baypointe Terr. 139x98 Vac.

Holmes Beach

08/06/2012 349,000 310,000 6400 Flotilla Drive # 46 985 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
08/13/2012 435,000 392,500 7000 Gulf Drive # 206 1259 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
08/13/2012 1,625,000 1,460,000 3302 Gulf Drive # 201 2108 3 Br/2.5 Ba Condo
08/17/2012 425,000 410,000 5200 Gulf Drive # 501 1169 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
08/17/2012 349,900 329,000 3803 E Bay Drive # 9a 1949 3 Br/3 Ba Condo
08/20/2012 279,000 265,000 741 Manatee Ave. # 31 1179 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
08/31/2012 399,900 355,000 100 73rd St. # 101a 660 1 Br/1 Ba Condo
08/01/2012 299,000 280,000 7002 Marina Drive 905 11456 Units 2 Br/1 Ba SFR
08/03/2012 700,000 695,000 513 83rd St. 2519 90.0x103.0 4 Br/3.5Ba SFR
08/13/2012 899,000 885,000 238 S Harbor Drive 1959 2 Br/2 Ba SFR
08/17/2012 269,900 269,900 2711 Gulf Drive 1350 50.0x100.0 2 Br/2 Ba SFR, bank owned
08/21/2012 1,499,000 1,365,000 8401 Marina Drive 3311 94.0x100.0 4 Br/3.5 Ba SFR
08/22/2012 489,000 460,000 504 58th St. 1540 78.0x108.0 3 Br/2 Ba SFR
08/22/2012 427,900 427,900 7001 Holmes Blvd. 1324 88x112 2Br/2Ba SFR
08/23/2012 399,000 386,000 306 72nd St. # A 2616 4 Br/4 Ba SFR, Short Sale
08/24/2012 317,000 290,000 7201 Palm Drive 1134 103x85 2 Br/2 Ba SFR
08/24/2012 498,750 400,000 517 75th St. 1806 90.0x121.0 3 Br/2 Ba SFR
08/24/2012 389,000 382,000 231 S Harbor Drive 1441 2Br/2 Ba SFR
08/29/2012 499,000 475,000 605 Baronet Lane 2000 100x117 4Br/3 Ba SFR, Short Sale
08/31/2012 399,900 315,000 402 73rd St. 1744 3 Br/2 Ba SFR
08/31/2012 389,000 369,000 3009 Avenue E # 2 751 100.0x105.0 2 Br/1 Ba Villa
08/10/2012 559,000 515,000 200 S Harbor Dr # All 2722 94.0x106.0 5 Br/4.5 Ba Inc.

Source: Manatee County Property Appraiser’s Office


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