Appliances Online visits Grand Designs Live

October 24th, 2011

Company News

Last week the Appliances Online team visited Grand Designs Live – a live expo based on the popular TV show.

Fans of the show (which can be seen on the LifeStyle Channel) flocked to the Sydney Exhibition Centre to see presenter Kevin McCloud speak about design, construction, sustainability, interiors, and landscaping.

Peter Maddison is the presenter for the new Australian version of Grand Designs, and we were lucky enough to speak with him about current trends in home renovations:

“Technology is making life easier,” he said. “Self-cleaning technology means you don’t need to pull your oven apart to clean it.”

He also explained that “easy to maintain” is the hottest trend in kitchen appliances, and that people are tending to choose discreet, minimalistic designs rather than ostentatious and flashy designs.

Shaynna Blaze is the LifeStyle Channel’s interior design expert. On the Selling Houses program, Shaynna enhances the interior designs of houses to give them the best possible chance of a sale.

“Sometimes appliances can be the focal part of the beginning of a room,” she said, explaining that sometimes when designing a kitchen people like to start with the oven and then work from there.

Shaynna agreed that low profile appliances that “float into the landscape of the kitchen” are in high demand right now, although she also explained that some people are choosing to go in the exact opposite direction with big freestanding ovens that create a sense of drama and awe.

Also at Grand Designs Live we got to see the Miele Kitchen Theatre, where TV Chef Matt Stone conducted a series of cooking master classes.

The audience got to sample Matt’s tropical durian and banana fruit salad, which our videographer Kevin described as “earthy” and “like a high class banana and jelly custard”.

This we washed down with a refreshing cup of cool filtered water from the Billi stand, and a hot tea made from a Zip instant boiling water tap.

Other highlights included the super modern Fisher & Paykel booth, where we got to see the world’s first retractable gas cooktop, and a fridge covered in cow hide.

Altogether Grand Designs Live was an inspiring experience that encouraged us to ‘think big’, and to revaluate the role that architecture and design plays in our everyday lives. We can’t wait until the next one!