Kitchen Design: Start with Appliances
Why start with appliances in your kitchen design? Appliances are CENTRAL to the DESIGN, they are BUDGET BUSTERS, and they are the WORK HORSES of any kitchen. Also, LEAD TIMES are still relevant when I am writing this.
Appliances are CENTRAL to the DESIGN of any kitchen – the placement of appliances will dictate a lot of the overall design of a kitchen. No matter if the kitchen is in a small apartment or a 5000 sf house – placing the appliances first will guide the design process in determines of both function and form. All appliances are not the same albeit dishwashers. Are you going to do a range or are you going to do a range top and wall ovens? Are you going to have a microwave? Some appliances will require custom cabinets like wall overs, range tops, drawer microwaves and built in refrigeration.
Appliances can be BUDGET BUSTERS – seriously appliances range wildly in price and If you have not bought any for a while you will be in for sticker shock. Appliances may take up a large part of your budget. They are easy to price out. There really are not a lot of “mid-range” appliance models. It is like budget bottom verses buying a new car type prices. Serious thought needs to go into what appliances you want to buy and appliances that fit into your budget (or add the appropriate budget to match your appliances).
Appliances are your WORK HORSES of the kitchen – thought should go into these and it should be at the beginning of the process. Cooking, food and beverage preservation and cleanup are what the main functions of a kitchen. If you cook and use your kitchen, the appliances will be used on a regular basis. The more you think about it, putting effort into the process of choosing these will pay off in the end. A really good range will make cooking more enjoyable with better outcomes and choosing refrigeration that prolongs the life of food does make a difference. Food is one of your biggest monthly expenses – food that requires refrigeration will last longer in some of the products out there. Currently, I am living in a rental with baseline appliances and an old refrigerator. Vegetables and fruit do not last long in this refrigerator verses the Subzero refrigeration drawers and refrigerator from our house. Vegetables and fruit would last seemingly forever in the Subzeo – now they are wilting in days. I am cooking on an electric range verses a professional grade gas – they both cook, but it is not the same experience and I have burnt sauce (tomato sauce) multiple times on the electric and I never did on the gas where I could have complete control of the heat. Appliances are just appliances really is not an applicable statement.
LEAD TIMES – pre COVID this generally was not a thing. However, some appliances may still have long lead times. Another reason why this should be the first thing that you do.