Sinks for Granite Countertops
Buyers looking at warm color and natural materials,Stainless steel trend weakens
 The stainless steel revolution of the early 90s led to a move away from white or black kitchen appliances to stainless steel, particularly for high-end kitchens. That trend may now be weakening as consumers are increasingly drawn to warmer colors, natural materials and practical solutions in the kitchen.
"There's a cycle for any trend," says Alexandra Marshall, marketing director for Blanco Canada, a manufacturer of premium kitchen products. "Usually after about 10 years for appliances we see a change and for more than 10 years now stainless steel has been a strong trend in kitchens at the mid- to higher-end of the market. It makes sense that we're starting to see this trend weaken and consumer interest in moving on to the next better option."
Designers, fashion experts and color forecasters are predicting more color in fashions and for home décor in 2008. This is already manifesting itself among home product manufacturers who are offering a growing number of options in finishes and colors for appliances, countertops, sinks and faucets.
"We're at the cusp of a trend and manufacturers are testing the market with new colors and finishes," notes Ms. Marshall. "They have already introduced bright blues, reds and oranges for laundry appliances, for example and an oil bronze finish is now available for major kitchen appliances. New granite sinks are available in colors like Cognac, Café brown and other warm colors."
A possible move away from stainless steel would also be in line with a general home fashion trend away from the commercial look toward a warmer kitchen environment reflecting nature and environmental considerations. The green movement is giving us a broad choice of new natural materials in the colors of nature; browns, terracotta, beiges and siennas and in natural materials including wood, granite, and bamboo to name a few.
However the trend may also be prompted by the fact that stainless steel is difficult to maintain, requiring daily care to remove fingerprints from shiny surfaces or prevent water spots in the sink or on faucets. That's where the new colored finishes offer a solution that is stylish and practical.
Fingerprints are not an issue when you have a bronze-finish appliance or colored sink and faucet. The fastest growing alternative today to the stainless steel kitchen sink is Silgranit, a composite sink product made of 80 percent natural granite acrylic for strength and durability. Easier to maintain than any other sink material on the market, Silgranit is non-porous, and highly resistant to stains, scratches and heat. It's also the only granite sink line made in Canada, an added environmental benefit though the manufacturer, Blanco, is a German company and imports a few German models to North America.
The company also offers a new line of easy-care colored faucets to match their sinks in Anthracite (black), Café brown, Stone Biscuit and White.
While color is definitely making a comeback, some colored products, including appliances, command an extra cost and before making the investment it's a good idea to determine which coolers will not go out of style too quickly.
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