Are you tired of repairing old kitchen appliances and resurfacing your cabinets for the 3rd time? Renovating your kitchen can be an exciting time, but before you get carried away looking at countertop samples or designing a new kitchen layout, you’ll need to think about your new appliances. Appliances form an essential element in kitchen design, and it is often a good idea to plan your new kitchen layout around the key appliances.
Most of us are familiar with the basic appliance triangle needed in an effective kitchen design, but you may need to think a little more about your placement. A truly effective kitchen doesn’t just need an oven, refrigerator and sink in a triangle, you need to think about the functionality of your triangle. Does your layout create enough space as a prep area near your sink and cooktop? Will you need to walk across the room to get ingredients from your refrigerator? Is the sink placement convenient for your dishwasher? Don’t assume that because your appliances form a triangle, this is the best placement. Plan your layout and think about how it will be used on a daily basis.
If your current appliances are more than a few years old, you may be surprised at the variety of features available on new models. It is well worth taking some time to research the new options to determine which would be beneficial in your kitchen. Most modern appliances are designed to be energy efficient, but you can save energy and water with certain programs and features, such as half load programs, sensor technology, and eco wash settings.
While looking at energy efficiency and appliance lifespan is important, you also need to understand the current trends and how they will impact the longevity of your kitchen design. Trends are continually evolving, so you’ll need to think about which trends are timeless and which finishes may become dated quickly. On the other hand, many trends are not merely aesthetic, and can serve an important purpose. For example, induction is an upcoming trend, and it allows precise, efficient and safe cooking. Having an induction cooktop and separate wall oven will allow multiple cooks to use the kitchen together.
In the past, if you were shopping for appliances, you were likely to be stuck with white as your only option. Today, there is a fantastic choice of appliance finishes, so you can choose the one best suited to your kitchen design. Stainless steel has been popular for years, but you can now get black stainless steel, which offers all the practical benefits of stainless steel with a sophisticated new look. Some manufacturers offer a wide selection of custom colors that can allow your new appliances to be showcased as a design feature. If you want to keep your kitchen lines clean, you may even prefer to opt for an unfinished appliance that can be built-in seamlessly. Take a step back to consider what aesthetic you are trying to achieve; you may even find a clean, simple white finish will look better in your kitchen.
Finally, although price should not be the only consideration, it still needs to be a consideration. Before you start enthusiastically shopping for unrealistic options, you need to think about your overall budget. You will need to think about the total cost of your renovation and where you are prepared to make compromises. Splashing out luxury appliances may mean that you won’t have the funds for custom cut quartz countertops, but you need to think about what is most important to your new kitchen.
If you are planning a kitchen renovation, you can explore your appliance options with this collection of home appliances or speak to a home appliance professional for a more customized service.