By Claire Reilly
It has been just over a year since Ilve opened its new showroom in the Sydney suburb of Leichhardt. Since then, the cooking appliance brand has found great success with the showroom, using the space to educate consumers on the benefits of the brand, and to showcase how the appliances actually look when they’re in the home.
For Ilve’s marketing manager, Daniel Bertuccio, the success of the showroom rests in its unique design – there are five separate spaces that show off the brand’s appliances in different surroundings, and give customers the opportunity to visual the products in their own homes.
“It’s about pairing particular kitchens with particular appliance, which is very important,” said Bertuccio.
“For example, our Majestic and Nostalgic appliances have a particular look about them. They’re obviously appealing to a customer that has a Federation-style house or a Federation-style kitchen, so it seems quite counterproductive to have that kind of product featured in a kitchen that is not that kind of kitchen.
“A lot of people that build a Federation-style kitchen don’t actually see what the finished product may or may not look like unless they see it in a magazine. But they can’t physically touch it or go and have a look at it, nor can they see how appliances fit into it.
“If you go to a kitchen showroom, they may have this style of kitchen built, but they may just have normal stainless steel appliances in it, which is a bit strange because you’re not looking at the kitchen for what it’s going to be. What was important for us was to show customers the kitchen for what it’s going to be when they finish it.”
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Colour is also a big part of the Ilve showroom, with the brand opting for a slightly different take on the traditional white kitchen in order to show its appliances in the best light.
“It was just as important for us to show different colours and different combinations so people can see how versatile our product can or would be in five different kitchen settings,” said Bertuccio.
“We have one kitchen with a lot of brown and cream colours, so it’s a little bit more conservative. We have another that is a bit more daring with a red splashback. Not everyone is going to have a red splashback, but it works. It’s about being a bit risky with colours that still work.
“I noticed a trend about two or three years ago where people were just going with safe colours in the kitchen, which they shouldn’t really have to do – it should be an expression of your personal taste, from your kitchen style right down to your appliances.
Your appliances are chosen based on what you like to eat, how you like to cook, so why shouldn’t your kitchen be based on what you are as a person? That’s why we decided to go a little bit different, and not use particularly safe colours.
“We wanted to show people that you can be conservative, but you can also add a risky element to it and still get away with it.”
Stainless steel appliances set against a powder blue splashback.
This eye-catching Federation kitchen display is at the centre of Ilve's showroom.
Traditional brown colouring with an interesting wood-grain twist.