The many distinct variations of Flash Colors on Ceran glass-ceramic cooktop panels allow cooking appliance producers to offer more colors, and allow consumers to create more colorful kitchens.

An innovative pattern printing process is used to manufacture the glass-ceramic with Flash Colors. The process applies colorful patterns to black Ceran, so they dazzle and sparkle when exposed to light. Some even change color depending on the angle of viewing. This iridescent effect is similar to that seen when viewing metallic or opalescent paints on the body of a car.

"By adding an eye-catching color pattern to a standard cooktop, designers can now incorporate the cooktop into the overall aesthetic palette of the kitchen," said Carlos Mendia, director of sales and marketing, the Americas, Schott Home Tech. "There is no longer a sacrifice of form for function."

Subtle Aesthetics Trends

The glass supplier commissioned a worldwide study, and reports that subtle aesthetics, rather than opulent colors, will set the trend in kitchen design in the next few years. The supplier's research shows customers are usually interested in metallic, elegant, or luxurious color shades.

In Europe, where induction cooking using glass-ceramic is most popular, customers favor cooktops with gray shades that closely match metallic surfaces. The research also indicates that North American customers prefer gray and pastels, while Asian customers are partial to bold, intense colors.

This led to the development of color families for Ceran, including a whole new cooktop panel color, granito, as well as other, bolder, more emphatic colors, including, Flash Red, Flash Copper, and Flash Purple.