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Renovating? Read Up on the Latest Trends in Home Appliances First
Ensure the longevity of your renovation with this experts’ guide to the latest home-appliance trends
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If you’re renovating your home or embarking on a new build, you’re probably well-versed in interior design trends. But do you know the latest happenings in natural gas-powered home appliances? Natural Gas does, as do Simon Wills, director of The Heater Man, and Richard Miller, lead architectural advisor at Escea. So to ensure you choose appliances that stand the test of time, read on.
New Fashions in Fireplaces
According to Miller, modern natural gas-fuelled fireplaces are now used equally as a design feature and an efficient form of heating.
“Often, the trends we see are a consequence of the change in our lifestyles – how we live and what we value,” says Miller. “Some models are now able to be controlled remotely, even via smartphone applications,” he says.
Miller reports that homeowners can now choose from a wider range of materials to clad their fireplaces, thanks to advances in technology and insulation, which have led to the design of more creative fireplace surrounds.
“Flexible flue technology allows for bespoke joinery and shelving, which can see fireplaces integrated into entertainment units and making clever and considered use of space,” he says. “Fireplaces in unexpected locations are also trending thanks to this technology – for instance, under benches or even in the middle of the room.”
According to Miller, modern natural gas-fuelled fireplaces are now used equally as a design feature and an efficient form of heating.
“Often, the trends we see are a consequence of the change in our lifestyles – how we live and what we value,” says Miller. “Some models are now able to be controlled remotely, even via smartphone applications,” he says.
Miller reports that homeowners can now choose from a wider range of materials to clad their fireplaces, thanks to advances in technology and insulation, which have led to the design of more creative fireplace surrounds.
“Flexible flue technology allows for bespoke joinery and shelving, which can see fireplaces integrated into entertainment units and making clever and considered use of space,” he says. “Fireplaces in unexpected locations are also trending thanks to this technology – for instance, under benches or even in the middle of the room.”
Hot Demand for Outdoor Heating
While natural gas-ducted heating, hydronic (or underfloor) heating and fireplaces are popular options to warm interiors, exterior heating is another trend that’s gaining traction. Recent years have seen a surge in natural gas-fuelled heaters, mounted overhead or on outdoor walls, and the popularity of alfresco fire pits and fireplaces has soared.
“The trend of indoor-outdoor living has brought more attention to outdoor heating and dining solutions,” says Wills. “Gas fireplaces are the ultimate luxury when it comes to designing an alfresco space. The great thing with an outdoor gas fireplace is that you have the flexibility as to where it goes, since you’re not as constrained with issues around fluing systems, which makes installation straightforward. You could even have a double-fronted fireplace with one side in the living room and the other opening onto the deck.”
For Miller, models that balance heat output, ambience and convenience are king. “Modern, high-efficiency gas fire models that can be seamlessly integrated into day-to-day life are at the forefront of what consumers are looking for,” he says. “In 2021, consumers are placing high value on performance, convenience and design freedom.”
While natural gas-ducted heating, hydronic (or underfloor) heating and fireplaces are popular options to warm interiors, exterior heating is another trend that’s gaining traction. Recent years have seen a surge in natural gas-fuelled heaters, mounted overhead or on outdoor walls, and the popularity of alfresco fire pits and fireplaces has soared.
“The trend of indoor-outdoor living has brought more attention to outdoor heating and dining solutions,” says Wills. “Gas fireplaces are the ultimate luxury when it comes to designing an alfresco space. The great thing with an outdoor gas fireplace is that you have the flexibility as to where it goes, since you’re not as constrained with issues around fluing systems, which makes installation straightforward. You could even have a double-fronted fireplace with one side in the living room and the other opening onto the deck.”
For Miller, models that balance heat output, ambience and convenience are king. “Modern, high-efficiency gas fire models that can be seamlessly integrated into day-to-day life are at the forefront of what consumers are looking for,” he says. “In 2021, consumers are placing high value on performance, convenience and design freedom.”
Alfresco Kitchens on the Menu
The outdoor kitchen trend began with the humble portable barbie then morphed to include natural gas-powered built-in barbecues. Today it encompasses fully fledged outdoor entertainer’s kitchens kitted out with sinks, bar fridges and gas-fuelled pizza ovens and meat smokers.
“The gas fireplace with a built-in barbecue or outdoor kitchen is a big trend we are seeing in new builds or extensions, with families really wanting to utilise every square inch of their home,” says Wills. If you’re keen to jump onboard this trend, the experts outline the following steps.
“Firstly, you need to have gas connected to your property; this can easily be checked on the Natural Gas website,” says Wills. “We then need to get the gas to the correct position where the appliance is going to be installed.”
Natural gas-powered appliances can be retrofitted following a thorough consultation with a professional installer or, if you are building or renovating, your architect or designer.
The outdoor kitchen trend began with the humble portable barbie then morphed to include natural gas-powered built-in barbecues. Today it encompasses fully fledged outdoor entertainer’s kitchens kitted out with sinks, bar fridges and gas-fuelled pizza ovens and meat smokers.
“The gas fireplace with a built-in barbecue or outdoor kitchen is a big trend we are seeing in new builds or extensions, with families really wanting to utilise every square inch of their home,” says Wills. If you’re keen to jump onboard this trend, the experts outline the following steps.
“Firstly, you need to have gas connected to your property; this can easily be checked on the Natural Gas website,” says Wills. “We then need to get the gas to the correct position where the appliance is going to be installed.”
Natural gas-powered appliances can be retrofitted following a thorough consultation with a professional installer or, if you are building or renovating, your architect or designer.
Cooking With Gas
Natural gas-fuelled cooking appliances may not be new, but this enduring trend is still going strong. In fact, seven out of 10 house hunters in Sydney, NSW, listed a natural gas cooktop as a “must have” in a survey of over 1,200 Sydney respondents, commissioned by Natural Gas.
As Miller points out, our lives have grown increasingly fast-paced, so appliances that offer improved convenience can help make the most of the hot commodity of time. This holds especially true in the kitchen, so it’s no wonder that swathes of homeowners remain loyal to cooking with gas.
Gas cooktops can save time by immediately heating pots and pans. A gas flame also offers precise temperature control, an even distribution of heat and a great depth of flavour, making it likely that this trend will continue for a long time to come.
Natural gas-fuelled cooking appliances may not be new, but this enduring trend is still going strong. In fact, seven out of 10 house hunters in Sydney, NSW, listed a natural gas cooktop as a “must have” in a survey of over 1,200 Sydney respondents, commissioned by Natural Gas.
As Miller points out, our lives have grown increasingly fast-paced, so appliances that offer improved convenience can help make the most of the hot commodity of time. This holds especially true in the kitchen, so it’s no wonder that swathes of homeowners remain loyal to cooking with gas.
Gas cooktops can save time by immediately heating pots and pans. A gas flame also offers precise temperature control, an even distribution of heat and a great depth of flavour, making it likely that this trend will continue for a long time to come.
Hot Water Systems Get a Boost
“We are also seeing gas continuous-flow hot water systems installed,” says Wills. These types of hot water systems take up much less space as they do not require a large storage tank on an outside wall.
“For an extra level of convenience,” says Wills, “I have a temperature controller at home that we turn down when we run the bath for the kids, which takes away any risk of burns if they accidentally turn the taps on themselves. As the heater is only heating the water to the temperature we specify, we don’t need to add cold water at the tap, making it more efficient.”
Linked to the popularity of continuous-flow hot water systems are solar storage gas-boosted hot water systems. These appliances use the sun’s energy to heat water during the day and save it in a tank, ready for use. The gas booster only activates on cloudy days if the water in the tank is not hot enough. With more homeowners favouring solar technology, these systems are now frequently used to heat pools as well as water inside the home.
More: To find out more about natural gas and discover how it can improve your home, visit Natural Gas.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
“We are also seeing gas continuous-flow hot water systems installed,” says Wills. These types of hot water systems take up much less space as they do not require a large storage tank on an outside wall.
“For an extra level of convenience,” says Wills, “I have a temperature controller at home that we turn down when we run the bath for the kids, which takes away any risk of burns if they accidentally turn the taps on themselves. As the heater is only heating the water to the temperature we specify, we don’t need to add cold water at the tap, making it more efficient.”
Linked to the popularity of continuous-flow hot water systems are solar storage gas-boosted hot water systems. These appliances use the sun’s energy to heat water during the day and save it in a tank, ready for use. The gas booster only activates on cloudy days if the water in the tank is not hot enough. With more homeowners favouring solar technology, these systems are now frequently used to heat pools as well as water inside the home.
More: To find out more about natural gas and discover how it can improve your home, visit Natural Gas.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
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I would really love to know how the soft effect on the white 'painted' bricks was achieved in the first photo. Just paint? Render and paint? Or some other magical product? I want to achieve this look in my house! (Hopefully it's not a photo-editing effect!) Please help?!
We use bottled LGP gas for cooking and a log fire,, but we are switching to all electricity as bottled LPG gas prices have risen 50%, and we have solar panels on the roof.