How to Style White Appliances and Decor

If the thought of white appliances gives you painful reminders of outdated kitchens from the 1990s, you aren’t alone. Trends have shifted, and stainless steel dominates. While stainless isn’t going away, white appliances have made their way back into high-end kitchen designs, and the sophistication has been turned up a notch. 

John Davidson, Purchasing Manager at Metro Appliances and More in Springfield, Missouri says he has seen a rise in demand for white appliances over the past few years. The biggest difference between these new appliances and their ’90s counterparts is the finish. “This matte white finish that GE launched in their café line doesn’t have that high gloss,” said Davidson. “It comes with an accent of brushed bronze knobs and handles and even has the ability for people to customize and go with a brushed copper or even brushed stainless. People have been falling in love with that—not having that glossy shiny white.”

The visual appeal isn’t the only draw. According to Davidson, they have the high quality and performance typically reserved for stainless steel but with the warmth of the matte white. “I think a lot of people are wanting to get away from that industrial look of some of the higher end appliances and the all stainless steel, but they don’t want to lose the performance,” said Davidson.

Interested in incorporating white into your kitchen but unsure of where to start? Davidson suggests using a sleek matte range to anchor the space. “We see a lot of people using that as their focal point and then designing around that,” he says. With white as a neutral base, it easily incorporates into virtually any color palette. Customizable handle and knob options in brushed black or brushed bronze add a wow factor and elevate the overall design. “Instead of just having a standard white traditional handle you have that ability to give that appliance a personality as well,” said Davidson.