Color coming back to the kitchen

Kitchen color is back -- in cabinets, cookware, appliances and surfaces. Those who remember a frightening experience with an avocado fridge, a harvest gold dishwasher or a pretty-in-pink sink -- don't run away screaming.

This time, fashion, not engineering, is driving the color. This time the colors are subtle or bright neutrals that invite mixing and matching, and lend themselves to an endless array of decorating styles. No one ever made a bilious green refrigerator disappear in a design scheme, but today's colors, drawn from the subtler earth tones, are meant to be at ease in their settings. Shape and fixtures contribute to the aesthetic; to return to the language of fashion, the new colors are meant to work in an ensemble, yet do well as a single accent piece.

Here are some examples:

-- Kohler, major producer of bath and kitchen equipment, likens its newest colors to memories brought back from travel to distant places: Sandbar to be reminiscent of the beach; Roussillon red from the soil of a French village; and Earthen white, with a nearly translucent glaze like handcrafted pottery. Sandbar, an alternative to stark white, is available in a full line of Kohler vitreous china, cast iron and acrylic fixtures. Roussillon red is available in select cast iron kitchen and bath fixtures. Earthen white is available in select vitreous china kitchen and bath fixtures. The Roussillon red rectangular sink costs $237.50. For more information, call 800-4-KOHLER, or visit www.kohlerco.com .

-- Circulon Style is a new line of hard-anodized nonstick cookware that comes in red, yellow, blue and black, with S-shaped lid handles made of cast stainless steel. The handles give a jaunty, almost Deco look to the simple shapes of the cookware, and they are designed to stay cool during cooking. The cookware is available as single pieces (a 10-inch open French skillet is $69.99) and in an eight-piece set ($299). For more information, call 800-388-3872 or visit www.circulon.com.

-- Copper Sargasso, cherry geometric, and red, green and blue aluminum are just a few of the finishes offered in Formica's new DecoMetal line of metal laminate and solid metal surfacing. Originally intended for commercial use, the DecoMetal line is designed for display purposes, such as cabinet fronts, paneling or occasional pieces. (It's not intended for countertops.) DecoMetal -- not a do-it-yourself material, unless you're a skilled metalworker -- costs $12 to $20 a linear foot, uninstalled. For more information, call 800-FORMICA, or visit www.formica.com .

-- Coordinating items that rest on your countertop will be easier with Target's new line of small appliances from Philips. Target, committed to good design at decent prices, will offer 16 state-of-the art appliances, from a coffemaker with a Thermos carafe to a deep-fryer. The appliances, in white or stainless steel finishes, have a streamlined look with rounded edges and accents of soft green. Prices range from $34.99 to $99.99. For more information, call 800-800-8800, or visit www.target.com or www.philips.com.