| The internet is full of articles and sites that are crafted | | | | and without an exposed stainless steel frame. Now, |
| by people claiming to represent the luxury kitchen | | | | however, there are several more manufacturers |
| market. However, "luxury" is an over-used word these | | | | offering this feature, including Miele and Thermador. |
| days. Now that "luxury to the masses" is a common | | | | While not all of my projects utilize a fully integrated |
| marketing concept in everything from handbags to | | | | refrigerator, the vast majority of them do. Luxury |
| kitchen tile, it has become difficult to wade through the | | | | kitchens frequently feature a pair of refrigerators that |
| plethora of information to find what the true luxury | | | | are paneled and trimmed out to look like an armoire or |
| consumer is really looking for....to be set apart from the | | | | beautiful piece of furniture. In fact, this can be your |
| mass market. As a kitchen designer for a high-end | | | | kitchen's best focal point if done well. |
| British company, I seldom engage in projects that cost | | | | 3. Design a space to conceal all of your counter top |
| less than $100,000 (often the cabinetry alone | | | | appliances, such as coffee makers, toasters, blenders, |
| surpasses that amount). Therefore I consider myself | | | | etc. Most high-end kitchens that are well designed |
| to be on the front lines of engagement with the real | | | | allow the homeowner the luxury of having "uncluttered" |
| luxury consumer. If you are building, remodeling, or | | | | counter tops. After all, aesthetics are a big part of |
| designing a luxury kitchen, (or perhaps you just want to | | | | what you're paying for. Sometimes this can be a large |
| emulate one), then consider these suggestions. | | | | walk-in pantry with built-in cabinetry. Alternatively, I have |
| 1. Understand the difference between a framed | | | | often employed a method of creating a tall larder |
| cabinet with an inset door and a cabinet with an | | | | cabinet in close proximity to the sink and refrigerator. |
| overlay door. A framed cabinet with an inset door is | | | | This larder cabinet, complete with pocket doors, can |
| considered to be the higher-end option while cabinetry | | | | have an internal counter top with outlets affixed to the |
| with overlay doors are the more common type seen | | | | back of the cabinet for plugging in an assortment of |
| on the market today. Many of my clients are not | | | | small appliances ranging from the microwave to the |
| familiar with this difference when they visit my studio | | | | stand-mixer. The idea here is that everything is easily |
| and if you are unfamiliar as well, I encourage you to | | | | accessible and already plugged in. No luxury kitchen |
| view cabinetry from both categories in person. It is a | | | | should require the homeowner to pull out a heavy |
| little bit difficult to visualize, but essentially a framed | | | | appliance from a base cabinet. |
| cabinet with an inset door is a cabinet box with a | | | | 4. Consider using a mixture of counter top materials. In |
| stationary frame mounted to the front of this box. The | | | | large luxury kitchens today, a single marble or granite |
| cabinet door then sits inside (flush) the frame. | | | | material on all counter surfaces can look quite cold. |
| Traditional English cabinetry was bench made in this | | | | Perhaps it is because these large kitchens simply have |
| manner and it still holds appeal today. An overlay | | | | so many square feet of counter top material. |
| cabinet can have a frame or be frameless, but | | | | Regardless, this is a careful line to walk because using |
| regardless, the door overlaps the frame or box. A | | | | too many different materials can quickly look like a |
| frameless cabinet with overlay doors can be very | | | | trend. To be easy on the eye, consider using your |
| desirable in a contemporary kitchen where clean, | | | | stone of choice around the perimeter counter tops and |
| smooth lines are desired. However, in terms of | | | | then opt for a wood top on the island. This breaks up |
| traditional cabinetry, this is seen as an inexpensive way | | | | the coldness factor of stone while not conflicting with |
| to produce a lot of cabinets. A framed cabinet with an | | | | the pattern of your marble, limestone, or granite. |
| inset door is a lot more work to manufacture and | | | | 5. Don't put a stainless steel panel on your dishwasher. |
| requires a great deal more craftsmanship to get | | | | This is really just a pet peeve of mine. Personally, I |
| everything properly aligned in its aperture. If your home | | | | don't think the dishwasher is an attractive appliance. |
| value is over $1.5 Million, you really should be purchasing | | | | Therefore there is no added value in putting a stainless |
| framed cabinetry with inset doors. There is simply a | | | | steel panel on it - even if all of your other appliances |
| perceived quality associated with it. | | | | are stainless steel. Placing a stainless steel door on |
| 2. Spend your money on high-end refrigeration. Most of | | | | your dishwasher just breaks up the visual line of the |
| my clients still opt to conceal their refrigerators behind | | | | beautiful cabinetry on which you are splurging. I strongly |
| custom cabinetry panels. However, even if you want | | | | encourage you to consider a fully integrated |
| the professional look of stainless steel, I would | | | | dishwasher model. Miele, Bosch, and Asko all currently |
| encourage you not to skimp on your refrigerator. A | | | | offer excellent fully integrated models. Again, the term |
| few years ago, Sub Zero had a firm corner on the | | | | "fully integrated" means that the entire dishwasher |
| market for fully integrated refrigeration. By "full | | | | front (including the controls) are concealed behind a |
| integration", I mean that the refrigerator can be | | | | cabinetry panel. If done properly, you will not be able to |
| designed to sit flush with the cabinetry (24" deep) | | | | distinguish between your dishwashers and any of the |
| without the need for a stainless steel grate above it, | | | | adjacent cabinetry. |