Whirlpool Sunset Bronze kitchen appliances: Yes, the company has introduced this color and it will be available for purchase this fall. We first wrote this possible introduction a year and a half ago, and got 200 comments from people who eagerly wanted this warm color for their kitchen. Whirlpool was coy about whether it would actually introduce the color, but howdy hudee: Here it is. I like it because it reminds me of: vintage coppertone appliances. Whirlpool says the color, which is “achieved by color blocking painted stainless steel, is a perfect blend of gold, copper and bronze tones.”
BuilderOnline.com, which was at the show where this announcement was made, reported that the suite would be available on Whirlpool’s French door refrigerator, built-in dishwasher, over range microwave, and range oven.
BuilderOnline.com also talked to the company’s color manager for finishes, and reported that the company wanted to “soften the design of its appliances” and make them less industrial looking. It’s hygee time for kitchen appliances, tee hee!
The finish is also fingerprint proof. But it’s still stainless steel underneath, so that means no magnets on the fridge. Pooh. Now that would be cozy!
What do you think, readers? Are you interested in this new color for your retro kitchen?
Eliza says
darn it. We just bought a SS fridge at an estate sale because it was the right size to fit in the small fridge alcove in our 65 kitchen, and only $450 ($1500 new!). We needed a new dishwasher so we went stainless with that too to match the fridge. I never wanted SS but the fridge was too good a deal to pass up. But man I really love this color.
ineffablespace says
I think I will probably end up with a stainless cooktop and wall oven, and a paneled refrigerator and DW and can make them any color I want. (It would be nice, somehow, if they made panel ready wall ovens, or at least a full featured white and metal handled oven you could get painted). There are a couple companies that make hardware that looks vaguely like old Revco or Sub-Zero hardware in spirit, anyway.
Pam Kueber says
Sub Zero refrigerators today can still be had in the same style — grillwork, handle — as in the 60s — you just need to ask for them. That’s what I have in my kitchen. https://retrorenovation.com/2008/05/17/1-choice-for-a-retro-refrigerator-sub-zero/
Holland VanDieren says
So over stainless and metallics. This goldish tone is riding the backside of a brass and copper resurgence, and will look tired and dated in a few years.
What’s with the mainstream appliance makers’ resistance to colors like Smeg and Big Chill offer (at usurious pricetags)?
Pam Kueber says
Thanks for your comment, Holland. I’m gonna say, though: I don’t think it’s fair to call the others’ prices “usurious”. Low-volume manufacturing and distribution is notoriously costly, and these are high cost-of-entry products… If large scale manufacturers thought there was a larger market, they’d do it via lower-cost mass production.
Heart says
Carolyn: “If you don’t have stuff stuck to the fridge, what in the world do you talk about?!:
That reminds me of a Steven Wright joke:
“One time I went to a museum where all the work in the museum had been done by children. They had all the paintings up on refrigerators. ” 😀
Nan says
Am I missing something about the magnets? All of my appliances are stainless, but I have magnets on every one of them: a clean/dirty magnet on the dishwasher, magnetic towel hooks on the range, and magnets on almost every inch of the fridge. My appliances are all Whirlpool brand too, just in case that’s supposed to make a difference. I’ve never heard of this before!
Pam Kueber says
Ummm, maybe that’s me being not-smart about science? Maybe I’ve confused things, recalling that some stainless “look” appliances aren’t magnetic.
Ree says
I have been assuming that none of my ss appliances could support magnets, so I just checked them. Magnets will not stick to the refrigerator and range, but they will stick to the dishwasher and wall oven. Of all of the appliances I want to be magnet friendly, it’s the refrigerator, although I will say it does look nice and sleek w/o all of the things I had stuck on the old refrigerator.
Pam Kueber says
haha, we are ALL correct, it seems the more nickel in your ss, the stronger it is, but not so magnetic, see: http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Home/July-August-2007/Q-My-magnets-donat-stick-to-my-new-stainless-steel-refrigerator-What-am-I-going-to-do-with-the-stuff-that-hung-on-my-old-one/
Jennifer says
I would love it but the no magnets is a deal breaker unfortunately. I know, it seems weird, but I have a fridge now that is stainless and I loathe the fingerprints and the no magnets aspect.
ineffablespace says
Dacor had a “Rose Gold” introduction at a building show in 2015, as part of a “custom color” line-up, but I don’t think it ever made it onto the market.
The problem with appliances is, that like cars, people just don’t buy them all that often. The major manufacturers have to please the most buyers, and the specialty manufacturers can please everyone else.
The vast majority of people want what is current and popular, and they don’t want to appear to have tastes dramatically different than their neighbors. They want to fit in. Even at the highest end of the market, there is still a lot of fitting in, within that context. The colored appliance market is definitely a niche market and one that a lot of the general public doesn’t even “get”.
la573 says
Dacor was bought out by Samsung about a year ago. Whether Dacor appliances will remain distinct or just become fancier versions of Samsung appliances remains to be seen, but I’m sure lots of plans have changed as a result.
victoria says
hey- you should have an autoplay warning on here (or disable autoplay), that video played from within my RSS reader and i couldn’t find where it was coming from.. thanks!
Pam Kueber says
I’ll take out the video. I could not figure it out.
victoria says
thank you!! no worries 🙂
Ree says
I love this color from what I can see in the pictures, and I would consider buying it. However, I am a person who buys appliances based on the features of each one. I remodeled my kitchen last summer and replaced everything, but I did not buy everything from one manufacturer. I bought a Kenmore Elite refrigerator, gas range and dishwasher, and a Whirlpool wall oven. The Kenmore brands are made by a couple of different manufacturers, but have matching handles as specified by Sears to make the appliances look the same. I do wish more manufacturers would make no fingerprint finishes, and I echo a comment above that you cannot buy some of the appliances with all features in anything other than stainless. That is why I went with stainless for the range. I wanted lots of bells and whistles and yes, I use it daily and love all of the things I wanted to have on it.
Karin says
Very pretty and warm, wish I’d seen them before I bought my recent stainless gray fridge. I agree that people don’t buy suites that often. I bought a stainless steel grey fridge because its compact size and price suited my condo kitchen. I wasn’t wild about the cool gray, but my other options were white and merlot. With my upcoming dishwasher purchase, I’d have to either match the fridge with traditional stainless steel or get a custom panel. So yes, they’re gorgeous. The more options we have the better.