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Luxury Appliances

Forget Stainless: Philippe Starck Wants Mirrors in the Kitchen

Famed designer says you should see your family in your appliances.

Admirers look at Philippe Starck's collection for Gorenje Appliances Credit: Reviewed.com / Keith Barry

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Would you rather look at your oven, or at your family and friends? That’s the question famed designer Philippe Starck tried to answer when he was tasked with creating a suite of home appliances.

“I prefer you, and I see you are better than even the best oven,” said the designer behind the Ghost Chair.

The result? An oven, dishwasher, microwave, and refrigerator with fully mirrored panels and minimalist controls.

Philippe Starck at IFA 2015
Credit: Reviewed.com / Keith Barry

Philippe Starck addresses the crowd at IFA 2015 in Berlin.

Calling traditional appliances “boring,” Starck said that the key to his collection is that the people using a kitchen will see themselves, their family, and their homes—not the machines that do the work to make breakfast, lunch, and dinner happen.

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Starck said the new lineup will match any color palette. With mirrors, he said, “I cannot impose color—the color comes by reflection.” The result is a “ghost of color” that echoes the hues that are already in your kitchen.

Philippe Starck for Gorenje and CEO Franjo Bobinac
Credit: Reviewed.com / Keith Barry

Designer Philippe Starck and Gorenje CEO Franjo Bobinac drew a significant crowd at IFA 2015 in Berlin.

{{amazon name="Kartell Victoria Ghost Chair, Crystal", asin="B004UL4646", align="right"}} The appliances were designed for Gorenje, a Slovenian manufacturer with a large presence across Europe. It's best known in the U.S. for its Asko brand of dishwashers and compact laundry units.

But even though they carry a designer label, Starck promised his appliances will still be affordable.

“Do you want to work 20 percent of your life just to pay for your oven? No!” Starck said. “If I design something and you know you cannot have it, that is a bit disappointing.”

A visitor to the Gorenje booth at IFA 2015
Credit: Reviewed.com / Keith Barry

A visitor to IFA 2015 in Berlin checks out the mirrored appliances from Gorenje by Starck.

While Gorenje didn’t announce pricing—and it’s doubtful that these products will ever come to the U.S., regardless—Starck said that the appliances will bring balance and harmony to any kitchen.

“It’s just what you need—not too much, and not not enough,” he said. “The thing to do is to make the right product at the right price for the right people.”

{{ photo_gallery name="Gorenje Gallery" }}

{{brightcove '4266320973001'}}

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