Samsung has launched its new Bespoke refrigeration range into stores today, an innovative design invention that allows for more than 200 different panel and colour combinations.
The Bespoke range is geared towards customisation – as is evident by the name.
But while modular furniture has been a feature of interior design for years, kitchen appliances have rarely ventured past the traditional white, black, and silver.
As The Block alum and home renovation gurus Kyal and Kara Demmerich explained yesterday, at the Sydney media launch, the Bespoke range will likely reverse the way in which most think about home renovations.
Currently, kitchen appliances are a last thought, purchased to fit a specific space and when the budgets are running low. These fridges will become the focus point, and will dictate the entire colour scheme of the room, as seen with the overhead cupboards in the display kitchen below.
Kyal explained that reno clients of theirs will often aim to hide appliances away behind panels, the opposite of Samsung’s approach here.
These beautiful appliances have taken their time getting to Australian shores.
First revealed in June 2019, the Bespoke branding was originally attached to just the refrigerators, part of a larger concept called ‘Project PRISM’ which featured home appliances “that can fit into any lifestyle by allowing customers the ability to personalise the materials, colors, shapes and designs of the products.”
Since then, the Bespoke name has been used for air purifiers, an ‘airdresser’ that streams and stores clothing, a cordless vacuum cleaner, washers and dryers, and numerous other items – all connected to Samsung’s SmartThings network.
At the launch, it was explained how long periods spent at home during the pandemic, and again during the recent flooding, pushed people to more carefully consider the ‘feel’ of their homes.
For some, the chaos of the outside world was countered by the more neutral tones (influencer Briellyn Turton revealed that recent Pinterest searches for ‘neutral tones’ have skyrocketed), while for others, they felt emboldened to add splashes of colour to traditionally drab spaces, such as the kitchen.
Home décor specialist Alyce Tran explained how she usually themes her dinner parties around colour; as seen below, she has matched the neutral tones of the fridge with her entire dining setup.
One Samsung executive explained to me how his child has dented the bottom panel of their family fridge, an eyesore that would usually lead to either an entire fridge replacement or simply putting up with the imperfections. With the Bespoke range, you can simply replace the panels, which are attached via a suction system – also an option for when you decide to renovate.
As your family grows, you can add more fridge or freezer space without the clunky look of having mismatched appliances sitting next to each other.
The refrigerator comes in two finishes, metal or glass, seven colours, and in five styles: modular French door; bottom mount fridge; single door fridge; single door freezer; and a free-standing French door fridge with Beverage Centre.
While the aesthetics are the understandable focus with the Bespoke range, much like with a Ferrari, what’s under the hood is equally as impressive.
Keeping with the ‘entertaining’ theme, the freezer will make up to 2.7kg of ice a day, and is able to store 3kg. A water jug slots into the fridge and will automatically refill with purified water. Place berries, lemons, herbs, or whatever you wish into its built-in Infuser for flavoured water.
A triple cooling system independently controls the temperature and humidity in three different compartments, preventing odours from mixing. The Metal Cooling plate helps keep the air cooler for longer, while the convertible freezer allows a one-touch conversion that’ll lower the temperature and turn the section into a fridge for extra storage space. Select models also boast wine shelves and ‘slide and fold’ shelves, which do exactly as you’d expect.
And the fridge becomes one part of your entire SmartThings ecosystem, which — beside keeping your house running smoothly and efficiently — will also warn you if you’ve accidentally left the fridge door open.
The in-store experience will feature touchscreens where customers can custom-design a fridge and place an order.
For a more tactile version of this, Samsung will also have a physical folder with colour samples, examples, and differently themed kitchens in which to test-run your design. These will likely be in homemaker/wholesale centres, whereas the touch screens will feature in Harvey Norman and other consumer-facing appliance retailers.
The Bespoke range is available in stores today. Below is the pricing and model numbers/description.
SDFX3100N 387L Bespoke Modular Single-door Refrigerator – RRP: $2,999
SDFX3500N 323L Bespoke Modular Single-door Freezer – RRP: $2,999
SRLX4100N 339L Bespoke Modular Bottom Mount Refrigerator – RRP: $3,099
SRFX9500N 596L Bespoke Modular French-Door Refrigerator – RRP: $6,099
SRFX9550N 647L Bespoke Free-Standing French-Door Refrigerator – RRP: $6,599
