Every texture, tone, and style match the earthy and warm ambiance of slate appliances. Eliminate sticky fingers smudging your home appliance exteriors with a matte, low-gloss finish that continues the flow of your home décor with ease. No longer worry if your appliances match your interior design because slate finishes blend in unlike any other design.
If your kitchen mood board consists of elegant pops of color and cool breezes of textured appliances, a slate finish will fit right in. In contrast, if your eye for design calls for those warmer and grittier surfaces like stone and rugged wood, slate appliances can provide you with the perfect feel. Another easily added perk to slate-designed appliances is that they make any appliance appear high-end. You don’t have to break the bank to make your home look classier; just implement slate appliances.
Follow along as we give you the complete run-down of this up-and-coming appliance trend. Find design styles, name-brand carriers, and more here.
At a Glance:
How to Design Slate Appliances
Slate Kitchen Appliances We Love
How to Design Slate Appliances
Your style is important. An interior aesthetic is like your fingerprint being shown to guests and family. So, when you’re planning how to design your kitchen appliances with a slate finish, there are a few rules we suggest you stick to.
Avoid Mixing-and-Matching
Whether you’re choosing black slate appliances or cabinets that go with slate appliances, you shouldn’t mix-and-max. If you want your home to feature sleek, smooth, and darker tones, go ahead and make the switch to all matte black finishes. Or, if you want those earthy tones but enjoy a lighter feel, stick to a simple slate finish. It may seem expensive at first, but you’ll find that matching your appliances brings an effortless feeling to your home. On top of matching the aesthetic, when it comes time to sell, potential buyers will be grateful everything is cohesive.
The Exception: Color
If you do want to mix and match metals, there are a few exceptions to the rule. It’s perfectly okay to add that pop of color to your home décor while keeping the rest of your appliances cohesively neutral. The main idea is to give your interior design a flow that brings every appliance together. So, go for it! Install a matte black slate appliance with a vibrant stovetop.
Slate finishes give you ample room to adjust your style as your earthy-toned appliances wear the test of time. Easily contrast moods and textures to bring warmth or lighter aesthetics to your home. As the season's change and the trends come and go, effortlessly adjust your home décor while still sporting the same sturdy appliances.
Appliance Finishes
Before slate finishes became big, most manufacturers featured stainless steel and colored finished appliances. We’ll break down these design choices below and give you the positives and a few drawbacks for each.
Pros and Cons of Stainless Steel
Stainless steel appliances are by far the most popular finish you’ll find on major showroom floors. The timeless finish gives your home a refreshed feeling that other finishes may not be able to conquer. Easily mix-and-match brands and models to fit your lifestyle needs. But, if you have kids that want you to display their lovely artwork on the fridge for all to see, maybe rethink investing in stainless steel. Many stainless steel appliances aren’t magnetic. Another downfall to this choice is smudges, smears, and water spots are easily seen. Again, if your home is filled with growing kids, you may want to choose a different- more hidden- finish.
Stainless steel finishes are known for their higher-end price points. Because they’re made out of quality materials, you’ll find that oftentimes they will cost more than other designs. But this finish option does go with almost everything. Again, if your home features a light and airy pops of color and you want your appliances to match, a stainless steel appliance is the way to go.
Pros and Cons of Black Stainless Steel
Black stainless steel appliances are a moodier choice for your home. If you’re looking for something that fits perfectly with your modern style and black trim baseboards, a black stainless steel finish to an appliance will give your home that perfect touch. A positive to investing in a black stainless steel appliance is they are resilient against fingerprint smudges. Your little ones will be able to lean up against your appliances without you worrying about wiping them down right after. A negative to this elegant finish is they scratch easily. If something rubs up against it, say a baby chair or belt, the black finish can be scratched off.
Black stainless steel appliances fit perfectly into today’s booming interior design style of minimalism and moodier aesthetics. If your home sports these up-and-coming trends, a black finish will fit right in. In general, you will have to pay more for the trendier style than an average finish. Prices vary from brand to brand but expect to pay around $200 to $300 more for the same make and model.
Pros and Cons of Colored Appliances
Implementing colored kitchen appliances can be a lot of fun. The decision to make your refrigerator a cherry apple red or a vibrant yellow definitely gives your home that extra zing. If you are considering a colored appliance, make sure to ask yourself if the paint you choose will fit the rest of your home. If your kitchen spotlights a traditional farmhouse design, maybe a retro red fridge isn’t the best option.
Depending on the brand, year, and model of the appliance you’re looking at can affect the cost of a colored appliance, but they typically fall into the lower range of a budget. A colored appliance offers up diversity in a home and can easily succeed in making a room feel fresher. But there are a few drawbacks when it comes to these options. Down the road, when you decide to sell your home, a colored appliance may make the process harder. On top of that, colored appliances can date your home. It may be in style now to have a dark blue dishwasher, but it may be old news in a few years.
Slate Kitchen Appliances We Love
Easily revitalize your home with these beautifully crafted slate appliances below. Refurnish your home individually or choose a slate appliance package to upgrade everything at once.
1. GE® 27.0 Cu. Ft. Slate French Door Refrigerator (GNE27JMMES)
This GE slate refrigerator is a golden egg when it comes to what your home needs. If you have a large family or someone who loves to eat, this large-capacity fridge will be able to manage your household. Easily cook to your heart’s content without worrying about leftover space. And if you have any picky kids when it comes to the taste of water, take advantage of the filtered water one-touch spout. Spill-proof drawers eliminate sticky cleanups, and the slate finish makes sure those fingers don’t show on your new fridge.
2. GE® 30" Black Slate Free-Standing Electric Convection Range (JB735FPDS)
If you want to match your fridge seamlessly to your oven, go for this GE slate range. Choose between the traditional slate finish or a darker, moodier black slate if you’re looking for a pop of versatility. GE slate appliances are made to match counterparts, so you won’t need to worry about a slight change in hue.
If you need to make dinner on the run, utilize the fast preheat option to quickly cut down on your mealtimes. If that isn’t quick enough for you, the included air fryer doesn’t need any time to preheat. You can have crispy, healthy dinners in no time. Or, if you love to bake, take advantage of the delay bake option. Start prepping your dessert in the morning, preset the desired finish time, and it will be hot and ready for the party at six.
Discover quick dinners by Staying Ahead of the Trend: Speed Ovens [Buying Guide + Reviews]
3. GE Profile™ 24" Slate Built-In Dishwasher (PDT715SMNES)
The GE slate dishwasher that we love comes with all the cycles and features you could want. Choose between 20 different elements to make your wash cycles your own. Steam and sanitize baby bottles, wine glasses, and silverware to provide extra cleanliness. On top of that, you can activate the dishwasher’s three drying features. Dry Boost with Fan Assist uses innovative heating technology to get extra-hard items, like Tupperware, completely dry. The slate stainless steel finish uses advanced coverage that makes swiping fingerprints away an easy job.
4. Maytag® 5.0 Cu. Ft. Metallic Slate Front Load Washer-MHW8630HC
Slate appliances don’t stop in the kitchen or with GE. This Maytag slate front load washer makes laundry day quick and easy. Monitor and control your slate washing machine from your phone when you’re away from home. Notifications and alerts will help you manage your clothing and know when repairs are needed. We’ve all forgotten our laundry at one time or another. And because of that, this machine features a 24-hour Fresh Hold option to keep clothes clean throughout the day or night with intermittent tumbling. Lastly, use the cycle memory option to customize and store your favorite wash cycles.
May is Maytag Month, so keep your eyes peeled for promotions and rebates with Spencer’s in the coming months.
Slate Appliance FAQs
Q: Who makes slate appliances?
GE is known for creating the trend, and they do it well. But they aren’t the only ones. Dacor, Whirlpool, Frigidaire, and most other name-brand appliance companies make slate-colored appliances.
Q: How do they hold up
Slate appliances last as long as other household appliances. The only caveat is that the slate finish may scratch easier, and it can be harder to cover up.
Q: Do you have to buy all slate appliances for them to look good?
You don’t have to buy all slate finished appliances for your home to look cohesive. But, the clash in silver stainless steel and a muted textured appliance may not give you a look that flows from one corner of your home to another.
Q: What's the difference between black stainless steel and slate?
Slate doesn’t reflect glares like black stainless steel and features a more profound, muted tone. Also, slate is smudge-proof and won’t show messes or fingerprints as easily.
Read up on The 7 Best Black Stainless Steel Refrigerators of the year
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Since 1973, Spencer’s TV & Appliance has grown to 10 locations throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. The secret to our longevity is simple: personal service. Customer satisfaction has always been the focus of our business, and throughout the years, we have been able to work hard with our suppliers to bring you the best prices. After all, getting customers the best price and personal attention is how we compete with big-box stores, day in and day out.
Not only do we offer top-rated appliances, name-brand electronics, and the best mattresses on the market but we also provide water treatment solutions and perform kitchen design services. Stop by your nearest Spencer’s and see what you’re missing!
Shop Slate Appliances at Spencer’s
At Spencer’s TV & Appliance, we provide high-quality, name-brand products at great prices — check out our catalog to shop slate appliances online today. Your friends in the business are always happy to help you find the perfect slate finish appliances for you. Call us, or better yet, stop by at one of our locations in the Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Glendale regions. Visit us today!
Learn More: Get More Family Time with Our 6 Best Frigidaire Dishwashers