A Stainless Reputation
One of the most contemporary materials in current usage both as a surface and as a design element is stainless steel.
Apart from being the most hygienic surface available, it’s sleek, metallic looks are associated with restaurant kitchens. With the trend for open restaurant kitchens, clients are realising that utilitarian need not necessarily equate itself with something unattractive.
Stainless steel is the most durable choice, be it for a drawer front, the side of a unit or an entire work surface. The three enemies of stainless steel are stains, finger marks and scratches but this is a surface that can always look its best so long as you give it a polish every now and then (see below).
Kitchen fittings – subtle handles and clean lines – also look great in stainless steel. You can use stainless steel to create clean, minimalist lines, as in some hanging shelves, or as a highlight, as in the thin band around the bottom part of your major feature, a cooker hood.
At Domestica, we have thought of combining this material with a new, natural material – beech. Young couples are looking for something different and so we have moved away from the traditional wood types to a combination of beech with stainless steel and chequered aluminium.
Beech is a white wood with few veins. It has an earthy look that is easy to match with any colour scheme, and the bright, vivid colours that add life to any kitchen seem to go really well with it. You can then combine them with fashionable stainless steel appliances and frosted glass for your top cupboards.
The latest design trends using stainless steel enable you to maximise space, while creating a design feature. Stainless steel for kitchen sinks is back and the clean lines of this material makes it truly eye-catching.
For everyday cleaning, use a solution of hot water and mild detergent on a soft cloth.
To prevent smears or drip marks from appearing and allow the material to maintain its natural shine always wipe the surface completely dry.
The most common stains will go with ordinary detergent. If finger marks persist, use a little baby oil. Tea and coffee stains will disappear with a little baking powder dissolved in hot water.
You should never clean a stainless steel surface with an abrasive cleaner. Should you face stubborn problems like limescale, rust marks or scratches, a multi-purpose cream cleanser, rubbed gently into the surface with a soft cloth, should do the trick.
If you do have a lot of stainless steel in your kitchen, it may be handy to invest in a specially formulated stainless steel cleaner which you can obtain from your local ironmonger store.