you know, it's interesting.
We're in the middle of designing our new kitchen. It's going to look very much like the old one; we're not moving any of the services, adding a second under counter oven next to the stove, etc.
BUT: Neither of us like stainless steel. We've gotten a white range from Kitchenaid (it has a convection oven, a temperature probe, and a warming drawer, and it wasn't 10,000), a white frig, a white dishwasher, will have white cabinets with blue laminate countertops, and a vinyl floor.
HOWEVER having said this: open ANY kitchen magazine and what do you see? The same stainless steel appliances. Over and over. With, of course, the obligatory dish towel hanging from the oven handle. While it isn't a bad place to hang a towel, you really cannot USE the oven.
Home design now is more than anything, to me, B O R I N G. It's all 'how much can I spend to make my house look JUST like everyone else's so I have better resale value' not 'what do I want to live in?'
This is a great forum folks. Y'all do interesting things.
Nate