If the green thumb in your family seems to have skipped you, fear not, the Amana 'Green Tea' refrigerator has green leaves etched into the refrigerator year-round and requires no watering or pruning. Kitchen design has long been associated with putting a new coat of paint on the walls and installing a monochrome suite of appliances, but the Amana brand believes kitchen design can expand beyond what typically has been done without breaking the bank.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090427/DE05241LOGO )

Building on the success of the Jot Dry-Erase refrigerator, Amana is continuing to offer kitchen design options with the consumer in mind by creating appliances with color, textures and patterns at an affordable price. Renowned interior designer and Amana brand ambassador Thom Filicia, inspired this collection with the Amana brand, and encourages owners to express their individuality through design by adding a touch of personality and customization to their home.

"The kitchen is the new living room and should reflect your personality while seamlessly interacting with the rest of the home," Filicia said. "Color is a great starting point when thinking about design, but patterns and textures add another layer that can reflect more aspects of your personality. Think of different unconventional ways to incorporate this, such as the 'Green Tea' refrigerator or placing an Oriental rug you have rolled up in storage into your kitchen."

To help home owners and apartment dwellers move beyond color in the kitchen, consider these simple tips from Thom Filicia:

  --  New cabinet door and drawer fronts are an easy and affordable way to
      quickly upgrade your cabinets; select your favorite cabinet hardware
      and instantaneously bring your kitchen from drab to fab.
  --  Treat the countertop as a gallery for displaying artwork--just avoid
      culinary cliches likes photos of food or paintings of forks.
  --  Next to a well-sharpened set of knives, there's nothing an at-home
      chef appreciates more than restaurant quality lighting for cooking and
      dimmers for entertaining.

"Amana listened to our consumers who want to add personality to the kitchen at an affordable price. We focused on the refrigerator so consumers can easily incorporate a large appliance unique to their personality," said Ann Fang, Global Consumer Design, Color, Finishing & Material Design Lab manager, Whirlpool Corporation. "We looked at trends in lifestyles, interior design and fashion when designing this refreshing line of refrigerators."

Some of the design-inspired Amana refrigerators incorporating color, texture and pattern include:

  --  Mojo: Stripes boasting fun colors, this design is reflective of a
      weekend retreat or lake cottage
  --  Inked: Inspired by body art, this refrigerator features an etched
      pattern
  --  Corduroy: Inspired by classic fashion and textured like fabric

  --  Brocade: This intricate design brings out a rich blend of color and
      pattern

Pricing and availability will be announced in the coming weeks. Visit http://www.amanastylefile.com/ for additional interior design tips and http://www.amanacolors.com/ to find out what your design style says about you.

  Follow Amana on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/amanastyle and Facebook.

  About Amana

Established in 1934, Amana has a history of designing innovative cooking, dish, laundry and refrigeration household appliances. With its introduction of the original countertop microwave in 1967, Amana was put on the map as a brand dedicated to bringing convenience to consumers' lives. Amana brand is part of the Whirlpool Corporation, the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion, 70,000 employees, and 68 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. For more information on Amana brand appliances, visit www.amana.com.

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SOURCE: Amana