We have found that the top three drivers for purchasing high-end appliances are:

• Appearance
• Appearance
• Appearance

We know that customers will save and push the budget to obtain their aspirational top end of the market appliance, whilst for others money is never an obstacle. Style and colour rank at the top of the list of priorities in the range cooking market, where they often form the centrepiece to the kitchen, and determine the overall style and colour of the furniture.

Many are bought as part of a grand scheme for a new build or an extensive refurbishment project. Often planned for months, the customer has usually also conducted their own research on competitive products.

Whilst consumers may not be purchasing additional appliances for the sake of colour, there is strong evidence that colour is a key driver for furniture, fixtures and fittings, at the planning stage, and we are often asked to provide colour swatches to co-ordinate with walls, floors and cupboards etc.

Some consumers prefer all appliances to match, although a predominance of stainless steel throughout the kitchen does not usually make this an issue.

Stainless steel rather than white is still the most popular finish in the kitchen. Mercury has found that dealers are more conservative than their customers in the finish/colours they choose to put in the showroom. We have found there are very positive results to be gained from being more adventurous and inspiring with finishes.

Constantly assessing colour changes in the furniture market, and importantly, automotive colour trends – (both of which have a strong positive effect on both kitchen and appliance colour trends in subsequent seasons) are a priority. Changing the colour of a large range cooker can change the whole aspect of the kitchen, and we now supply the new contemporary heat-store range THERMASTONE with doors that can easily be replaced to match a change in colour scheme.

Mercury offers 13 colours, and most popular at the moment are Olivine (a pale olive green) and Burntwood. Some manufacturers have chosen to add pattern to colour with a clutch of designs ranging from flowers to abstract, and birds to butterflies.

For further information, please contact 01522 881717 or visit www.mercury-appliances.co.uk