CONTROL MICROWAVE WITH VOICE COMMAND
GE expert weighs in on what’s next in kitchen and appliance design
Marc Hottenroth, executive director of industrial design at GE Appliances, is an expert on finishes, features and new designs. If you’re updating your kitchen but are constrained by a tiny budget, Hottenroth says you can achieve big results by choosing, for example, to resurface rather than replace your countertop and never underestimate the value of paint when it comes to refreshing tired cabinets. He also talks about the latest in appliances — including a voice-controlled microwave — dark slate finish versus stainless steel and induction cooking.
Q Can you briefly describe the pros and cons of counter-depth versus “regular” refrigerators? I’ve only had the latter but always hated the way they stick out in most kitchens. What, if anything, do you gain or give up in terms of functionality by going with the counter-depth variety?
A Counter-depth improves the look of the kitchen by making your kitchen look larger because it doesn’t take up valuable space. It also looks more high-end. The cons are you give up a little of capacity within the refrigerator. The shelves are a little less deep, but most people find it is big enough.
Q When do you recommend a darker finish, like slate, in place of stainless steel appliances?
A Slate in value doesn’t really look any darker than stainless steel. Black slate, a GE black matte finish, is much darker. Black slate looks good blending in with darker cabinets or if you want to create high contrast (dark appliances and light cabinets). You’ll see that contrast in other industries too like Range Rover with a white bottom and a dark top. Both slate and black slate look more seamless within your home because they don’t have the reflection that stainless brings.
Q How are people using Amazon Alexa or Google Home to control their appliances?
A One of our most popular is the wall oven preheat feature. People can preheat their oven on the way home. We’re also seeing voice-controlled laundry growing in popularity. People are checking the status of their laundry by voice so they don’t have to walk up and down the stairs.
Q What’s the coolest new feature with microwaves?
A One of the cool new features that’s coming is voice-controlled microwaves with Amazon Alexa. Imagine placing your popcorn in and saying, “Cook popcorn.” We’ll have a list of foods you’ll be able to cook by name. From a design perspective, we have some new sleek looks that put the controls toward the bottom of the over-the-range microwave door, giving it a clean look.
Q Do you believe the induction cooking market will take a bigger hold? When and if this happens, will it bring more colour to the range top with LEDs or a colour other than black?
A We’ve seen the popularity of induction growing in the past few years. A lot of times these trends start in professional kitchens and then move to consumers’ homes. Some other reasons people like induction is that it is very precise, energy-efficient and has a much broader opportunity for colour and finish selection. I also think that the use of LEDs is a smart way to give visual feedback to the user.
Q I want to do something to update my kitchen; I have recently painted it. What can I do with old Formica countertops and old oak veneer cabinets to at least improve them for $1,000 or less? A For under $1,000, you can resurface your countertops (right on top of the old ones). You can also paint your oak cabinets in a hip colour. Check out Pinterest and Houzz for colour inspiration.
Q I love the look of the big, restaurant-style appliances, but I think they would overwhelm my kitchen. Do you have any recommendations for getting the professional look while maintaining a balanced scale?
A Look for front-control ranges as well as appliances with stainless steel to get a professional look.
Q What are the pros and cons to a “drawer” microwave versus the usual mounted one?
A A drawer microwave can be installed underneath a cabinet, so they may look better based on the format of your kitchen because they can be more hidden or blend better. If they are mounted lower they are also more accessible. The con is they are typically shorter in height.
Q My GE 2200 dishwasher isn’t getting dishes as clean as it used to. I’m planning on a full kitchen remodel, but not until next year. What can I do until then to improve the performance of the dishwasher?
A Be sure to check all the troubleshooting tips, like cleaning the filter and using a rinse agent as well as a high-quality detergent. Also, check to see if your water temperature is high enough.
Q What is the most popular paint colour used on kitchen cabinets? Also, are people mixing Dove White on trim, baseboards, etc., with Oyster White?
A Light grey continues to be a very popular cabinet colour. Also mixing lighter upper cabinets and darker lower cabinets is very on trend. White continues to be popular and I also see white cabinetry and a dark colour island cabinet. You see a lot of mixing and matching. You can mix textures like eggshell and gloss as well so yes, go ahead and mix Dove White and Oyster White.