Engineering the Kitchen

Well, hello there!  I am back after a family vacation last week.  Every year, our little family goes on a spring and summer trip.  Although we weren't sure if we could squeeze one in this year, we managed to get away despite the renovations happening in our home.  It was just what we/I needed.  Renovations are stressful enough, but living in your home during the process can take its toll...especially if enduring a kitchen renovation!

Today, I wanted to talk about what makes a kitchen truly function, i.e. the appliances!  I consider appliances to be the "engine" of the kitchen.  Without them, a kitchen doesn't function.  I know this first-hand.  Prior to our renovation, we lived without a working oven or dishwasher for two long years.  Lacking a dishwasher wasn't a big deal, but not having a functioning oven was.  Toaster oven to the rescue sorta!

Anyway, when my husband and I would talk about renovating the kitchen, I kept showing him my "dream" appliances.  Ha!

CAD INTERIORS kitchen renovation appliances

He had to pick up his jaw off the floor after seeing the price tag! :) But I knew that the appliances were going to be the largest expense in this reno aside from the custom cabinetry.  Read here about our kitchen priorities.

We ultimately compromised on our appliance package.  Darn budget!  We didn't take advantage of those "appliance bundle specials", but we did compromise.  We spent some time researching the "best" appliances we could afford relative to reliability, durability, functionality, aesthetics, and cost.  We ended up purchasing a combination of professional grade and "regular" appliances.

Here is a preview of our appliances:

RANGE

CAD INTERIORS kitchen renovation appliances interior design kitchen design

Deep in my design heart, I knew I wanted a 36" or 48" professional grade range. :)  It cooks/bakes well, looks great, and we don't intend to replace it.  We are quite frugal and practical by nature, but are willing to "invest" where we see fit.  The "upgrade" to a professional range in our remodel is also consistent with neighborhood comps.

Tip:  When selecting appliances and materials for a kitchen, make sure your decisions support the neighborhood and general area in which you live.  Be careful about overspending or cutting corners.  You should see a return on your renovation investment if you make wise functional and aesthetic decisions.

We didn't end up with the Wolf range, but got the Thermador 36" professional convection gas range instead.  (Side note: I really wanted the 48" range (for the second oven), but the cost...oh my!)  We had narrowed our choices down to the Wolf and Thermador lines from the very beginning.  Both had strong reviews, consumer satisfaction, and reliability.  Thermador's promotion at the time, however, helped sway our decision.  Keep reading to see what we got for free!

REFRIGERATOR/FREEZER

This is where we went the "regular" route.  My husband and I both wanted a built-in refrigerator/freezer for its completely integrated appearance, longevity/durability, and proven refrigeration qualities (supposedly keeps food like fruits and veggies fresher longer).  But the price tag was just too heavy for us (>$10k for the size we wanted).  Instead, we took advantage of a "flash" sale and bought this refrigerator for $2,799.00 (normally retails for ~$3,500-3900).

CAD INTERIORS kitchen renovation appliances interior design counter depth built in refrigerator

When searching for a refrigerator/freezer, we preferred a side-by-side unit over the popular "french door" styles.  It wasn't an easy search since side-by-side units seem to be more limited these days (especially counter-depth options), plus I was also particular about the handles.  I wanted it to look "professional" and consistent with the handles on the other appliances.

CAD INTERIORS kitchen renovation four dour refrigerator interior design appliances

Enter the Samsung 4-door refrigerator/freezer.  What a complete 360!  Not what we had envisioned at all...  Have you ever seen a 4-door refrigerator/freezer?!  It is fairly new in the United States, but very popular in Europe.

This Samsung unit has a "triple cooling" system that is supposedly similar to the refrigeration characteristics of traditional built-ins.  Its counter-depth design also allows us to recess the unit into the cabinetry to achieve a built-in look.  The unit is also taller than other counter-depth units, which is a nice trait.  The upper compartments actually open to a "french door" concept, so I'll be able to store large platters and such as necessary.  It also has efficient LED lighting that illuminates the inside.

CAD INTERIORS kitchen renovation appliances interior design counter depth refrigerator

Perhaps one of this refrigerator's most unique features other than having four doors is that one lower compartment can be used as either a refrigerator or freezer.  This can prove handy if you want to use it as a wine/beverage refrigerator when entertaining. :)

Speaking of wine/beverage refrigerators... We actually planned for a built-in beverage refrigerator in the kitchen island.  One of the cabinets was customized to the dimensions of standard beverage centers.  An electrical outlet was also installed ahead of time.  A good beverage refrigerator is quite expensive (>$1k), so we opted to hold off on buying one for now.  In the meantime, I have other plans for how the cabinet will be used!

DISHWASHER

CAD INTERIORS kitchen renovation appliances Bosch stainless steel

Remember the Thermador promotion I mentioned above?!  Well, we scored a FREE built-in Emerald Pro dishwasher with our range purchase.  Yay!  I mean, the range (and refrigerator) was no drop in the bucket, so every bit helps.  This pro dishwasher is actually made by Bosch, which is a Thermador sister company.  I love that the handle matches that of the range!

I can't wait until our appliances arrive and I can start cooking again!  The kitchen is in the home stretch, and I cannot wait to "move" back in. :)

P.S.: Thanks for your understanding for the limited blog posts this summer.  It's been crazier here, between the kids being out of school, persevering through this round of home renovations, and keeping up with ongoing design projects.  I'm hoping to get back to a more regular posting schedule in a few weeks.


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1 comment :

  1. I have already priced out our appliances for our future kitchen reno and it's ugly. We love to cook so it's hard to cut back on the wish list. I can live without the Sub-Zero. But the fabulous stove??? All your appliances look gorgeous! How do you like that fridge? I am definitely returning to this post when it's go-time for us.

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