Smarties

When you don't have all day to devote to cooking and cleaning (or even when you do), these intelligent appliances take the "work" out of the kitchen by speeding up and perfecting the process. 

Photo courtesy of Thermador

Speed up. Thermador's Cooksmart series “allows you to easily convert your favorite recipes to speed-cooking mode, so you can achieve optimum results in a fraction of the time,” says Lisa Yamaguchi, of Servco Home & Appliance Distribution.

Photo courtesy of GE

Waste not. GE Profile’s Smart Dispense II system, available at Servco, “holds up to two months of liquid dishwasher detergent and automatically dispenses the right amount based on water hardness and soil levels,” says Yamaguchi.

Photo courtesy of Thermador

Be precise. Thermador's electric cooktops, available at Servco, now feature Sensor Dome, an infrared sensor technology. The retractable sensor measures heat from the cookware and cycles the burner on and off to maintain perfect cooking temperature.

Style Makers

Layout and function meet style—now more than ever. With multigenerational living on the rise, "now you're dealing with more people in the kitchen than typically used to be in the past," says Randall Omoto, of Homeowners Design Center. The result? Open spaces and more storage.
 
Great rooms are no-brainers, and so are islands and breakfast nooks. "Kitchens are becoming multifunctional for entertaining and dining, especially more so with our casual lifestyles and comfortable environments," says Kevin Nip, of Selective Stone.

Photo courtesy of Snaidero Hawaii

Have it all. Exemplifying the perfect marriage of aesthetics and functionality, the Orange cabinet line, available exclusively from Snaidero, is the brainchild of an international team of designers, suppliers, collaborators, retailers and clients. The line blends contemporary, clean lines with a customizable mix of storage and organization solutions to save time and effort in the kitchen.

Photo courtesy of GE

Shine on. Stainless steel is sticking around. “[It] is hot,” says Mark Asakura, of Sears, which carries many of the GE products shown above.

Photo courtesy of Seven Valleys

Be timeless. Opt for classics, such as the wooden cabinets in this kitchen by Seven Valleys Design/Build.

TIP:

Consider combining classic materials to create a new look. "The use of different countertop surfaces, such as granite and wood, granite and quartz, or wood and glass, is adding some interest and change to designs," says Alex Butchart, of Highline Kitchen Systems.

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