Kitchen Classics
For the most popular room in the house, manufacturers are cooking up collections inspired by the past.
By Bessie Nestoras -- Gifts and Dec, 3/1/2003 9:00:00 AM
Kitchen accessories are sizzling. Gift manufacturers have cooked up a bevy of kitchen accents and buyers are eating them up. With the growing interest in gourmet product and more and more people entertaining at home, it was only natural that the kitchen would be the next room in the house that gift and home accessories companies tackled.
"It has a broad appeal," notes Marianne Gilliam, marketing manager at Mud Pie. "There are a lot of gourmet kitchen stores. But these items are not only finding a home in those stores, gift stores are buying them as well. And our customers want the product: Almost 80 percent of our regular gift store buyers bought from our new Chef line."
Home entertaining
Everyone agrees that nesting and home entertaining are the reasons kitchen accessories have become so popular. "People are staying at home and entertaining at home, so anything that has to do with the kitchen or entertaining is big," says Chris Duffey, art and product manager at Square Nest, a division of Decorative Concepts Inc.
But the days of formal entertaining in separate dining rooms are, for the most part, gone. "People are making their kitchen and family rooms into one big room," says Duffey. Diane Stites, product development director at the Blue Sky division of Van Group, seconds the motion: "We're going to see larger kitchens and a move away from the dining room."
Looking back
One of the most popular designs right now in kitchen decor is the retro look, especially styles from the 1930s, '40s, and '50s. Manufacturers are visiting antique stores and flea markets, and borrowing themes from past looks while updating them for today's consumer. Last year, Midwest introduced Cottagestyle, a collection of red and white kitchen accessories and products reminiscent of the 1940s. This past January, the company launched Someone's in the Kitchen, a seasonal extension to Cottagestyle. "We've noticed that customers are craving childhood memories, so we look to offer product that promotes 'family time', " says Beth Lorentz, brand and product strategy director at Midwest.
Chris Duffey of Square Nest agrees. "Anything nostalgic does well. People remember sitting at the table with their grandmother, and they want product that reminds them of that time. That's comforting today."
"People are going back to simple things," adds Diane Stites of Blue Sky, whose Funky Chicken collection has a nostalgic country feel with a contemporary twist. "That whole look, especially for Baby Boomers, is very nostalgic. There is a big market for this style of product."
That's not to say that other styles aren't out there. Marianne Gilliam of Mud Pie notes that Parisian, Tuscan, and Cuban are also popular motifs, while Midwest's Lorentz sees practically every style represented.
Multi-functional
Consumers love accessories that they can both use and display, so manufacturers are looking to create product that is multi-functional. "When working on the collection, I thought, How many different ways can people use this?" says Chris Duffey. These days, all of Square Nest's kitchen products are designed for display and use. A recipe box, for example, can be used to store all of grandma's favorite recipes as well as serving as a decorative kitchen counter piece.
Mud Pie offers a collection of Tidbit trays featuring whimsical images of margaritas, daiquiris, martinis, Bloody Marys, and wines that can be used as serveware or hung on the wall as decoration, according to Marianne Gilliam.
Manufacturers are also looking to create items that can easily mix and match with a range of decor. From beverage pitchers to oil-and-vinegar bottles, there is a wide variety of kitchen classics that will fit in with just about any design style.
On the boil
Kitchen accessories will remain a strong category because the kitchen is the one room in the house that is always occupied. And it is a category that will continue to grow. Chris Duffey of Square Nest says her company is expanding its kitchen line into family games such as checkers and chess, and refocusing on entertaining items like wine accessories.
As Diane Stites of Blue Sky puts it, "No matter how nice you make the rest of your house, everyone still meets in the kitchen. When you entertain, everyone goes to the kitchen. It's the gathering place."
And with all that use, the kitchen is the one room in the house that will always need redecorating. You can expect the new emphasis on kitchen decor and accessories to be around for a long time.
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