passing fad or durable expression of high design?

Who wants one of these? Journalist Megan McArdle is willing to bet that less people will want stainless appliances and granite countertops in the near future. (link here)

I don't think that such design trends can be written off that quickly. The dominant trend in home fixtures and finishes isn't one particular hot style line or material. The trend is diversification, so that every design trend gets a chance to be the ONE that some people desire. Market share can ebb and flow, but the pie keeps on growing and more slices get carved out by new things.

I think stone countertops will enjoy a long tenure at the top of the "must have" list. I predict that stainless steel appliances will start to undergo countless stylistic tweaks that will have the aggregate effect of making them more diversified in appearance, and probably, further disassociated visually from their functional roots.