Parade of Homes

Contemporary styles in stainless steel have domi- nated the appliance market in recent years, but modern versions of vintage models that would be right at home in that old-time farm kitchen have mounted a comeback. Italian manufacturer SMEG's line of 1950s small ap- pliances and refrigerators has made inroads in the Canadian marketplace in recent years. And Ontario's Elmira Stove Works started producing Victorian gas and electric stoves in 1975. Since 2001, the compa- ny has rolled out full lines of northstar 1950s-style ranges and fridges — in Robin's Egg Blue, Buttercup yellow, Candy Red and six other standard colours, complete with chrome accents. new releases like the French Door Model 1958 fridge and the northstar Model 1947 six-burner du- al-fuel range are Energy Star-certified, and they're easy on the muscles to boot, equipped with ultra- modern frost-free freezers and self-cleaning ovens — to save on woman and manpower. "Display kitchens were set up throughout Manitoba to show ladies how the introduction of electricity and the use of electrical appliances could save time and make life easier on the farm." Manitoba Hydro still encourages homeowners to seek appli- ances that get the most work done with the least possible energy output. It's just that these days, the focus is on saving natural gas and hydroelectric power. Smart use of energy starts with assessing "the second price tag," the cost of running appliances over the long term, says Manitoba Hydro's Tracy Moroz. "Efficiency has come a very long way. For example, legislation changed for fridges in 1993 and saw great efficiency improve- ments," Moroz says. "A fridge built in the '70s or '80s could have used 1,500-2,000 kilowatt hours (kwhs) — think of the avocado green ones or harvest gold ones — but today, new fridges can use less than 400 kwhs of electricity." natural Resources Canada points to the Energy Star label as the quickest way to identify the most energy-efficient appliances, while the EnerGuide label on major appliances lets consumers compare annual energy consumption between models. 'Display kitchens were set up throughout Manitoba to show ladies how the introduction of electricity and the use of electrical appliances could save time and make life easier on the farm.' FEElInG nOSTAlGIC? Cont'd from page 117 118 Parade of Homes Spring 2017

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