Is stainless steel fridge and other kitchen appliances really the way to go? It seems to be all the rage on HGTV, but not sure I trust the source. I was looking at some old-fashiony looking things (Big Chill) but they are so expensive (more than run of the mill stainless steel). Where should one look for ideas and decent prices?

Thanks


Comments

  1. We’re considering returning to the open fire. I hear the brick oven is really great for making bread and pizza. Our gas line was cut, so it’s not entirely out of the question.

  2. BHS, I like a kitchen that opens onto a garden too.

    If I were starting from scratch with a non-original kitchen that needed to be torn out, I would love to do something with thick wood counters and cupboards that combine steel frames with painted wood faces, or something like that. Hippie child meets Le Corbusier.

    Actually, I recently saw a picture of a “modern” early 60s kitchen in the basement of a UK Victorian. It looked amazing and timeless. It had very plain modern wood-faced low-slung cabinets and 80s-looking square white tiles even though it was from the 60s. Wood floors. The cabinets might have had some very simple abstract design element, such as integrated drawer pulls cut out in a diagonal design or some such. I liked the fusion of modern and handmade with natural materials such as wood.

  3. DIBS, I like the drawers too, have considered that for my (distant) future kitchen update (replacing white box fridge). plus it would add counter space. I think the enameled appliance look is going to replace stainless. It’s easier to clean, but then again design trends aren’t about practicality.

    I like the hide-it approach for appliances, but the non-drawer fridges often arent really very well hidden. And if you’re going to go that route you usually end up boxing the thing in with cabinetry and that look isn’t very antique looking and can look a bit dated, especially if it veers towards the overly ornate country italian/french look.

    Mopar, sadly I think the subway tile and white beadboard look is going to have to come to an end at some point because it is everywhere. But I like the look. For that reason I tried to be really careful about what an old fashioned kitchen actually looked like vs. the modern ones that have many of the same design elements but don’t convey the same sense. The fridge cropped up for me. And overly ornate moldings, and overhead cabinets. But the central wood table is in! For me a door to a backyard from the kitchen makes me like the kitchen that much more, which is pretty irrational I know.

  4. OK, stainless is industrial and the industrial look will never go away, just change with the times BUT stainless with cherry with gray-beige-black speckled granite has never matched and never will.

  5. Drew, I couldn’t agree more but there’s oftentimes a practicality issue.

    In a restored 18th C house I have, I built an island, believe it or not. The islansd is panelled on the outside by a2″ beaded boards and contains a range not visible from the harvest dining table. there is no visible dishwasher, microwave or refrigerator/freezer because they are in the pantry.

    Another option are the Fisher & Paykul “drawer” appliances…refrigerators, freezers and dishwahers.

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