Appliances get smarter, more colorful this 2019

Expanded intelligent functionality and color options headline the hottest trends in home and kitchen appliances this year.

The Kitchen and Bath Industry Show or KBIS concluded recently at Las Vegas unveiling the top appliance and bathroom trends for this year. Among the most notable highlights are "smarter" features being incorporated in already intelligent releases, and bright and vivid hues taking the place of traditional matte look.

The KBIS is North America's largest trade show dedicated to all aspects of kitchen and bath design. The trade show happens annually, and gathers more than 600 exhibitors, including the top five industry giants, namely Haier, Electrolux, LG, Whirlpool and Samsung.

Here are the top trends spotted at the show.

"Smarter" appliances. Smart features? Old news. Connected units that can be controlled using smartphones are now commonplace, considering that such models are predicted to generate $97 billion by 2025. Many dishwashers and washing machines, for instance, can be turned on and off from afar while contents refrigerators can be viewed from the grocery store. These features are included whether consumers intend to use them or not.

So how can appliances get even smarter? A number of leading brands are incorporating Amazon Dash buttons. LG's Wi-Fi enabled dishwashers, washing machines and dryers are examples. Compatibility with multiple voice assistants is another trend to watch out for.

Colors that shine. Plain matte finish is taking a back seat this year in lieu of playful colors partly because of the burgeoning millennial market. Units in red, vintage green and even champagne are expected to be strong.

"An appliance within an appliance". There are two main benefits of multifunction appliances: they are convenient to use and they save space. Among those that turned heads this year is Samsung's Family Hub Fridge with a built-in LED screen that is essentially a computer. Refrigerators with flex drawers that can function either as a fridge or a freezer and ovens with built-in air fryers also drew attention.

Voice-enabled toilets. Alexa, flush my toilet. Voice assistants are starting to reach bathrooms as well. Kohler has launched a smart toilet that doubles as an Alexa speaker. This trend is pointing to more voice-enabled bathroom fixtures to come.

Partnerships. Although not entirely a new trend but rather a continuing one, many major appliance brands are teaming up with tech companies to allow units to pair with cooking apps. Innit, for example, has partnered with many app developers to integrate recipes directly in fridges and ovens.

For example, LG has announced recently that it is teaming up with Tovala, a company that makes meal kits and steam countertop ovens. This will enable the behemoth's smart ovens and ranges to access the recipe and prepare or cook Tovala's meal kits.