Quietly, unobtrusively, the Australian kitchen has crept from the structured square into radical freeform with ovens, cooktops, dishwashers and microwaves moving away from the traditional 600mm square into the free-ranging rectangle.
Industry innovators, such as the Italian Smeg brand, have harnessed the talents of cutting edge architects and designers to rethink and transform both the design and function of these everyday labour-savers.
Smeg, an ideal brand available from , now has dishwashers that are a horizontal 900mm wide by a mere 560 deep. They are installed at waist height, combining the advanced in water-saving dishwashing technology with the ergonomics of stoop-free loading and unloading.
The STH905 features 10 wash programmes, houses 12 place settings and uses only 12.6 litres of water for a full load.
Then there are compact, dual and triple function ovens that measure 455mm high by 600mm wide and yet combine convection baking with microwave cooking and fan-forced grilling.
And further good news is they come in both the classic Smeg stainless steel Canali design (SA45MCX) but also the futuristic Linear (SCA45MCX) styling.
And again, leaping from the traditional square to yet another rectangle is the beautifully efficient 770mm four heat zone induction cook top.
This appliance delivers instant heat to the food, but not the cooktop and cleverly recognises pan-sizes and adjusts accordingly, not wasting any energy by heating a larger area than necessary.
It also has two adjacent cooking zones that can extend to become one and are ideal for larger cooking vessels such as fish kettles and griddles. The SE284ID features touch controls and a sleek black ceramic surface with bevelled edge.
The demand for freestanding upright cookers continues unabated and the recent Smeg offering is once again far from square.
The larger-than-life semi-commercial CSA150X upright cooker measures a generous 1500mm and features both a 600mm and a 900mm Thermoseal multi-function oven, seven burners including two ultra rapid wok burners and a griddle with stainless steel drip tray and volcanic rock base.
The CSA150X is definitely for the serious cook and avid entertainer who appreciate pure style. And last, but definitely not least, are the radically unconventional Smeg rangehoods such as the cylindrical KASC505 and IS505 and the box shaped K508. All are satin stainless steel with seriously powerful, but significantly quiet motors and halogen lights.
Smeg kitchen appliances are available nationally from appliance outlets, electrical retailers and some department stores.