(SUMMER 2008) - The next hot color for the kitchen is...well...take your pick. Color is what's hot right now in appliances. Nearly any color you want. Appliances in all the colors of the rainbow were showcased recently at the 2008 International Builders' Show-stainless steel, so recently edgy, is on its way out. Green (energy-saving) ideas were plentiful with appliances touting their Energy Star badges and claiming water-saving steam as the new way to clean.

But beyond green appliances that do in fact use less energy, the expanded color offerings in appliances go well beyond tile backsplashes and a retro toaster or coffee maker. Today, manufacturers are transforming functional items like appliances, cabinets, window blinds and shutters - into fashionable décor. Is it competitive pressure to have the latest and greatest thing in your product line? Perhaps. But in many parts of the country, consumers are finding that color in the kitchen can be a fun and creative way to make a bold individual statement.

Some manufacturers, such as Blue Star Range, boast 190 colors (that is not a typo). Some boast dozens of colors, like Viking. Still others have brought out metals in a variety of colors, such as bronze and titanium. But, before you get all excited about one special color, consider the entirety of your kitchen design. High-end kitchen appliances and cabinets used to come in just a few neutrals - white, bisque, black, stainless steel - with an occasional novelty option, like fire-engine red.

Some colors offered are actually very soft and elegant, easy to incorporate into a design. One really lovely color is the khaki Viking range. Just remember, using brightly-colored appliances is a trend-remember the Avocado Green or Harvest Gold refrigerators from The Brady Bunch era? Considering the cost of high-end appliances, you may want to give careful consideration to too much color in the kitchen.

Rather than the colored kitchen appliances, you might want to consider the brightly colored laundry washers and dryers than colored kitchen appliances. Or perhaps go with a more muted color. One way to add color is to use colored panels for the dishwasher, refrigerator, and other small appliances. This way they are removable if you change your mind. Another consideration is your cabinetry. Where do you want the focus of the space to be? A single appliance or the whole space?

But still, many homeowners are looking to express themselves with colors that are fun, fresh and different. For those not afraid to color with Crayolas outside the borders, there are hundreds of options to choose from.

TurboChef recently introduced more than 200 color options, up from six, for their revolutionary speed-cooking ovens. Viking Range, earlier this year, more than doubled the color options for its ranges and refrigerators, bringing the total to 24, including Sage and Golden Mist; color costs 5% to 8% extra. Viking's St. Charles Cabinetry unit has followed suit with metal cabinets in matching colors. SieMatic,a German cabinet manufacturer, recently began offering nearly 2,000 color options for its lacquered flat-panel kitchen-cabinet systems.

Manufacturers hope color will pump up sagging sales. These colors are selected by the International Color Marketing Group, which selects the palettes manufacturers use to coordinate products throughout the home. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal that quoted Becky Spak, senior designer at Sherwin-Williams and a director of the International Color Marketing Group, people are tired of "dirtied down" colors and open to bringing the eye-popping hues now seen on cars and fashion runways into their homes.

Whirlpool's high-end Duet washers and dryers now come in Ocean Sapphire, Classic Red and Tuscan Chestnut (for about $100 additional, on top of prices ranging from $699 to $1,599) with nine more colors coming, according to a spokeswoman. Whirlpool's Amana kitchen and Maytag laundry lines are expanding their color options as well.

Even countertops and floors are going brighter and lighter. DuPont has introduced
five translucent colors - Mint, Strawberry, Lime, Blueberry and Glacier - in its Illumination series of Corian countertops, which can be backlit for a glowing effect. They cost the same as regular colors - $45 to $75 a square foot, installed.

The overall trend can be baffling to many homeowners - even those who love bright colors. Before homeowners invest in a color, designers advise them to check a sample several times a day, in varying light conditions. Remember that dark colors

 are less likely to scream for attention and to turn off future home shoppers. Some colors actually look "cold" in the kitchen - the last thing you want to happen.
Mistakes can be costly to correct. Some built-in appliances can be covered with panels, some have removable "skins," and cabinets can be repainted or refaced. But going back to the factory is expensive. If you plan on staying in your home for a while, this issue is less of a factor.

No matter what color you ultimately decide upon, remember that appliances can be a huge investment. Before purchasing new appliances, you should do your homework. Find out which models are most energy efficient, which kitchen appliances will best serve your needs, and above all, where you can shop to get the most for your money. But have fun too-you'll likely spend a good deal of time in the space, so why not be happy?

Resources:

• Alno (512) 383-9906
• Callahan's General Store (Big Chill) (512) 385-3452
• Factory Builder Supply Austin, (512) 834-1442; San Antonio, (210) 349-9333
• Ferguson Kitchen and Bath Austin, (512) 445-5140; San Antonio, (210) 344-3013
• Harway Supply (512) 491-7600
• Kiva Kitchen & Bath (512) 454-4526
• Wilson Appliance (512) 894-0907