Richard T. Anuszkiewicz, the Nashville-based founder of Raith Design, would be the first to tell you that a giant gas range with as much firepower as possible is still the pinnacle of American kitchen design — especially in his part of the world.
But he is one of a growing number of designers, architects and developers adding all-electric kitchens to some of the highest-end homes. New technology — specifically induction cooktops — is powering a slate of sleeker, more modern designs, as well as modern upgrades to the traditional gas ranges we used to covet.
In one Las Vegas mansion, Mr. Anuszkiewicz installed a sleek black ceramic-glass cooktop in a strikingly thin, cantilevered kitchen island with a countertop made of a dark African hardwood called wenge.
The juxtaposition of high-tech set into something natural creates warmth and “commands attention and interest,” just as a massive stove would, he said.
“Gas is still coveted by a lot of consumers,” said Mr. Anuszkiewicz, who is also a consultant for the appliance brand Monogram, known primarily for extra-large gas ranges promoted by professional chefs like Marcus Samuelsson. But both home cooks and chefs are becoming more familiar with induction, he said, and it is also something “the design community has grown to understand and really love.”
