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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22 |
(ARA) - Stylish extras give your guests the impression they have stepped into a gourmet kitchen, even if you’re not a gourmet chef. Create a culinary masterpiece with the latest upscale kitchen products that not only cater to your sense of style, but to your sense of taste as well.
Bottom to Top Luxe
For years, granite countertops were a luxurious addition to many high-end kitchens. But as the look has become more mainstream, why not use it in an unexpected way -- on your floors? Not only is it durable and virtually stain-proof, it comes in thousands of colors and textures for a beautiful addition to your room -- where you least expect it, under foot.
Kitchen Aids
Dramatic kitchen statements can be made with remarkable commercial-grade cooking tools now available for your home. “Consumers are continually looking for unique luxury items to create a distinctive look in their kitchens and they are willing to spend money to achieve that,” says Judy Riley, Moen’s vice president of design. “This has led to a demand for high-end cooking items and culinary instruments that are crossing over into residential applications.”
Perhaps your family enjoys wood-fired pizza and artisan breads. Add a hearth-stone oven to make these dishes in your own kitchen. For extraordinary roasting, look to a commercial-style rotisserie for delicious duck, lamb or chicken. Or, to spice up your kitchen with a great conversation piece and a cooking tool rarely seen in the United States, try a tandoor oven. This Ancient Middle Eastern clay oven is ideal for whipping up delicacies such as curries, spicy masalas and naan breads.
Gourmet chefs seldom do the heavy lifting when cooking up their eclectic cuisine, so why should you? New pot fillers, like the stylish model from ShowHouse by Moen, mount easily to the wall above your cooktop or range -- allowing for less spills and more safety in the kitchen. Previously only available in commercial kitchens, the ShowHouse Pot Filler now comes in a warm Oil Rubbed Bronze finish and can extend up to two feet to deliver hot or cold water directly into your pots and pans. When it’s not in use, the pot filler folds neatly against the wall for an understated, yet upscale, look.
See Double
To create the ultimate luxury kitchen, two appliances are better than one. And now the double oven, long a staple in gourmet kitchens, has gone high-tech. Program your oven to cook your dinner: a refrigeration function keeps the food chilled until it’s time to heat up. Better yet, new turbo ovens are available that use forced air and microwave technology for significantly quicker cooking. Imagine roasting a 12-pound turkey in 42 minutes or baking a pie in less than 15.
Double appliances work twice as well for your own private parties. If you love to entertain, your refrigerator is probably bursting at the seams every weekend. Add a second refrigerator to keep party food fresh and drinks chilled. If you don’t have the space for something full-sized, incorporate a beverage center, complete with a small wine-chilling refrigerator and ice maker.
And seeing double also means double-duty convenience. Install a drawer dishwasher in your island prep station for quick clean-up, while your main dishwasher does the heavy-duty work. Add warming or refrigeration drawers to aid in the food preparation process and added convenience will be just an arm’s length away.
Glamorous Entertainment Options
Don’t forget entertainment while entertaining. Access the family's collective music library from a computer touch screen and listen to music wired through speakers hidden behind your cabinets. Flat panel television screens that look like mirrors or artwork when not in use, are a high-tech, high-end addition as well.
Wine Not?
The ideal temperature for wine storage is 10 to 13 degrees Celsius, with moderately damp and dark conditions. Since most kitchens are designed to be welcoming and cheery, you may want to consider adding your own wine cellar. As a stand-alone room that can hold up to 500 bottles, or a smaller refrigerated unit that preserves 10, there are a host of options to keep your wine collection easily accessible and perfectly stored.
Finishing Touch
Don’t overlook finishes when creating your kitchen masterpiece. Culinary fixtures and appliances have recently undergone a style makeover to accommodate consumer preference for Old World finishes, such as oil rubbed bronze, pewter and brushed bronze. Look for new products in these great finishes to complement your décor.
New options, new products and new luxurious products ensure that the sky is the limit when designing the gourmet kitchen of your dreams.
For more information about ShowHouse by Moen’s new Kitchen Pot Filler, visit www.showhouse.moen.com or call (877) MOEN-SH1.
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