Opinions wanted on buying a built-in fridge or a "built-in look" fridge.
I can buy the kitchen aid for $3900 built in and the front overlay panels
will be "thrown in" by my cabinet guy, or, I can buy the Jenn-air bottom for
$2,000+ 500 for the cabinets (I really don't need the space but would get
it) and cabinet wall that would go on the side, plus have Maytag come in and
flip the door for another $150. So we are talking roughly $1,300
difference.
FYI, this is a new 3500 sq ft house, contemporary kitchen, maple cabinets
and ceasarstone counters $36,000 for the counters and cabinets. Will have a
dacor 36" cooktop, kitchenaid double wall oven convection, bosch dishwasher.
Am I getting anything besides looks for the $1,300? will a regular
refrigerator look out of place?

"biff" wrote in message
...
Opinions wanted on buying a built-in fridge or a "built-in look" fridge.
I can buy the kitchen aid for $3900 built in and the front overlay panels
will be "thrown in" by my cabinet guy, or, I can buy the Jenn-air bottom
for
$2,000+ 500 for the cabinets (I really don't need the space but would get
it) and cabinet wall that would go on the side, plus have Maytag come in
and
flip the door for another $150. So we are talking roughly $1,300
difference.
FYI, this is a new 3500 sq ft house, contemporary kitchen, maple cabinets
and ceasarstone counters $36,000 for the counters and cabinets. Will have
a
dacor 36" cooktop, kitchenaid double wall oven convection, bosch
dishwasher.
Am I getting anything besides looks for the $1,300? will a regular
refrigerator look out of place?

You have already spent a small fortune on the kitchen's look. While I don't
think you gain much, if any, function with the built-in units, they do
contribute to the over-all style of the kitchen and add a certain caché. I
would spend the $1300. When I see the "full yuppie" kitchen remodels on TV
and they pan to a conventional refrigerator amid a sea of granite counters
and custom cabinets it always looks like a mistake - like they ran out of
money and had to compromise. $3900 for the KitchenAid, including the panels
sounds like a good deal.

"biff" wrote:

Am I getting anything besides looks for the $1,300? will a regular
refrigerator look out of place?

"Regular" refrigerators have not looked out of place since the inception of the
ice box. If you put the refrigerator in the Dining Room or Living Room. then it
"might" look out of place. You got the "iwannits".

"Vox Humana" wrote in message ...

You have already spent a small fortune on the kitchen's look. While I don't
think you gain much, if any, function with the built-in units, they do
contribute to the over-all style of the kitchen and add a certain caché. I
would spend the $1300. When I see the "full yuppie" kitchen remodels on TV
and they pan to a conventional refrigerator amid a sea of granite counters
and custom cabinets it always looks like a mistake - like they ran out of
money and had to compromise. $3900 for the KitchenAid, including the panels
sounds like a good deal.

I'll humbly offer a different opinion on this one. I personally don't
care for the look of hiding all the appliances behind panels that make
them blend into the rest of the cabinetry. I like the look of
kitchens where appliances look like appliances. A fridge should look
like a fridge, a dishwasher should look like a dishwasher. That's
what I like (and so does my wife, and so do many of our friends).
Appliances can look good all by themselves, maybe it's a
form-follows-function sort of thing. This is just my opinion of
course, but I accept others will disagree.

Another look I don't subscribe to is the "make the cabinets look like
furniture". Seems to be a trend these days - especially on TV home
improvement shows. Same theory, what's wrong with cabinets that look
like, er, cabinets? Sure, I like a real antique or nice functional
stainless work table serving as a kitchen island. But that's what it
is - a work table. Most of the custom cabinets that I've seen that
shoot for the "furniture" look, look like cabinets pretending (poorly)
to be something they're not. The faux furniture legs are especially
hard on my eyes.

On a side note, the stats for the average cost of major kitchen
remodels in most major metro areas is quite interesting(lot's of info
on Google, but here's one site:
http://www.realtor.org/rmomag.nsf/pages/costvaluedec03g) The subject
kitchen for this thread seems right in line with what is considered
"average" these days.

Shouldn't that be iwannitis?

Otherwise I agree, things in a workshop should look like they are beeing
used, and their looks should reflect their uses, and what is a kitchen if
not a work shop.

The one comment I would like to add is: Go for enamelled surfaces, not the
trendy stainless steel, the former is much easier to keep. A swipe with a
damp cloth will be visible on stainless, though they do say that the newest
alluminum surfaces are better.

Apart from that, what difference does it make, if you've got the funds to
build a kitchen at that price?

"Andrew Hardy" wrote in message
...
"biff" wrote:
snip
"Regular" refrigerators have not looked out of place since the inception
of the
ice box. If you put the refrigerator in the Dining Room or Living Room.
then it
"might" look out of place. You got the "iwannits".

"Kim Grauballe" wrote in message
. ..
Shouldn't that be iwannitis?

Otherwise I agree, things in a workshop should look like they are beeing
used, and their looks should reflect their uses, and what is a kitchen if
not a work shop.


In the end it is a matter of taste, so there is no right way to style a
kitchen. While you might see a kitchen as a place to prepare food, others
see it in a wider context. Indeed, there is probably less serious cooking
occurring in kitchens today than there was fifty years ago. Kitchens are
seldom isolated rooms in newer homes. They are areas of the home that are
continuous with other living spaces. Kitchens function as gathering places,
entertainment venues, and a place where bills are paid and other household
business is conducted. In that sense, appliances that integrate into the
overall look of the house make sense. If one has decorated their home in
mid-century style, then streamlined metal cabinets, Formica counters, and
metal-faced appliances would be an appropriate look. That wouldn't be
logical in a very traditional home, in my opinion. I see today's cabinets as
an evolution that started with free standing furniture. Kitchens functioned
very well for centuries with cupboards and tables rather than with the
attached boxes that we know today. Ice boxes where wooden with paneled
doors. I can see as much logic and function in trying to capture the
essence of past designs that are consistent with the style and quality of
the rest of the home as I can in adhering to a strict discipline where all
appliances have to have painted metal doors.

Agreed to a point. In our home that is however not an isue, since it's
styled something like 1900-2004, although my wife is not entirely satisfied
with that.

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...

"Kim Grauballe" wrote in message
. ..
Shouldn't that be iwannitis?

Otherwise I agree, things in a workshop should look like they are beeing
used, and their looks should reflect their uses, and what is a kitchen
if
not a work shop.


In the end it is a matter of taste, so there is no right way to style a
kitchen. While you might see a kitchen as a place to prepare food, others
see it in a wider context. Indeed, there is probably less serious cooking
occurring in kitchens today than there was fifty years ago. Kitchens are
seldom isolated rooms in newer homes. They are areas of the home that are
continuous with other living spaces. Kitchens function as gathering
places,
entertainment venues, and a place where bills are paid and other household
business is conducted. In that sense, appliances that integrate into the
overall look of the house make sense. If one has decorated their home in
mid-century style, then streamlined metal cabinets, Formica counters, and
metal-faced appliances would be an appropriate look. That wouldn't be
logical in a very traditional home, in my opinion. I see today's cabinets
as
an evolution that started with free standing furniture. Kitchens
functioned
very well for centuries with cupboards and tables rather than with the
attached boxes that we know today. Ice boxes where wooden with paneled
doors. I can see as much logic and function in trying to capture the
essence of past designs that are consistent with the style and quality of
the rest of the home as I can in adhering to a strict discipline where all
appliances have to have painted metal doors.

"Kim Grauballe" wrote in message
. ..
Shouldn't that be iwannitis?

Otherwise I agree, things in a workshop should look like they are beeing
used, and their looks should reflect their uses, and what is a kitchen if
not a work shop.

The one comment I would like to add is: Go for enamelled surfaces, not the
trendy stainless steel, the former is much easier to keep. A swipe with a
damp cloth will be visible on stainless, though they do say that the
newest
alluminum surfaces are better.

Apart from that, what difference does it make, if you've got the funds to
build a kitchen at that price?

"Andrew Hardy" wrote in message
...
"biff" wrote:
snip
"Regular" refrigerators have not looked out of place since the inception
of the
ice box. If you put the refrigerator in the Dining Room or Living Room.
then it
"might" look out of place. You got the "iwannits".




I just wouldn't have the budget for built-ins. When I needed a new stove
and fridge in the last few years, we just went out and bought a new stove
and fridge.

Dawn

"DawnK" wrote in message
...

"Kim Grauballe" wrote in message
. ..
Shouldn't that be iwannitis?

Otherwise I agree, things in a workshop should look like they are beeing
used, and their looks should reflect their uses, and what is a kitchen
if
not a work shop.

The one comment I would like to add is: Go for enamelled surfaces, not
the
trendy stainless steel, the former is much easier to keep. A swipe with
a
damp cloth will be visible on stainless, though they do say that the
newest
alluminum surfaces are better.

Apart from that, what difference does it make, if you've got the funds
to
build a kitchen at that price?

"Andrew Hardy" wrote in message
...
"biff" wrote:
snip
"Regular" refrigerators have not looked out of place since the
inception
of the
ice box. If you put the refrigerator in the Dining Room or Living
Room.
then it
"might" look out of place. You got the "iwannits".




I just wouldn't have the budget for built-ins. When I needed a new stove
and fridge in the last few years, we just went out and bought a new stove
and fridge.


I have a pretty standard kitchen, certainly nothing on the order described
by the OP. It does open to the greatroom and working there is like cooking
in the living room. The openness of the plan requires a lot of discipline
to keep things orderly and clean. I tried to keep things very functional
while blending the room with the adjoining spaces. My dishwasher and trash
compactor are built-in. The range is a slide-in unit. The refrigerator is a
conventional unit. I did some renovations recently due to a small fire. I
got frame kits for the DW and TC and faced the doors with bead board panels
that I also use on the sides of the cabinets and the face of the peninsula.
It wasn't an expensive undertaking to put customs panels on the appliances.
I thought about getting a panel kit for the refrigerator but I was tired of
having the placed torn apart for months so I put that job on hold for now.
You can see some picture he
http://groups.msn.com/laurelridgegar...novations.msnw

I am glad for all the responses, please keep them coming!
Biff

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...

"DawnK" wrote in message
...

"Kim Grauballe" wrote in message
. ..
Shouldn't that be iwannitis?

Otherwise I agree, things in a workshop should look like they are
beeing
used, and their looks should reflect their uses, and what is a kitchen
if
not a work shop.

The one comment I would like to add is: Go for enamelled surfaces, not
the
trendy stainless steel, the former is much easier to keep. A swipe
with
a
damp cloth will be visible on stainless, though they do say that the
newest
alluminum surfaces are better.

Apart from that, what difference does it make, if you've got the funds
to
build a kitchen at that price?

"Andrew Hardy" wrote in message
...
"biff" wrote:
snip
"Regular" refrigerators have not looked out of place since the
inception
of the
ice box. If you put the refrigerator in the Dining Room or Living
Room.
then it
"might" look out of place. You got the "iwannits".




I just wouldn't have the budget for built-ins. When I needed a new
stove
and fridge in the last few years, we just went out and bought a new
stove
and fridge.


I have a pretty standard kitchen, certainly nothing on the order described
by the OP. It does open to the greatroom and working there is like cooking
in the living room. The openness of the plan requires a lot of discipline
to keep things orderly and clean. I tried to keep things very functional
while blending the room with the adjoining spaces. My dishwasher and
trash
compactor are built-in. The range is a slide-in unit. The refrigerator is
a
conventional unit. I did some renovations recently due to a small fire. I
got frame kits for the DW and TC and faced the doors with bead board
panels
that I also use on the sides of the cabinets and the face of the
peninsula.
It wasn't an expensive undertaking to put customs panels on the
appliances.
I thought about getting a panel kit for the refrigerator but I was tired
of
having the placed torn apart for months so I put that job on hold for now.
You can see some picture he
http://groups.msn.com/laurelridgegar...novations.msnw



What a gorgeous kitchen. Picture mine: Cape Cod house built in 1956.
Galley kitchen. East wall - Sm counter/stove/small counter with dishwasher
underneath/sink/more counter where mixer and microwave also sit/ to the left
is the fridge. On the west wall is the table and chairs. It's hardly any
room sometimes!

We have been here 7 years. Previous owners lived here 7 years. Previous
owners before that were original owners. Middle owners put in the
dishwasher, new counter top and new sink. I can only imagine what it looked
like before that! LOL!

Dawn

Dawn

"DawnK" wrote in message
...

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...

"DawnK" wrote in message
...

"Kim Grauballe" wrote in message
. ..
Shouldn't that be iwannitis?

Otherwise I agree, things in a workshop should look like they are
beeing
used, and their looks should reflect their uses, and what is a
kitchen
if
not a work shop.

The one comment I would like to add is: Go for enamelled surfaces,
not
the
trendy stainless steel, the former is much easier to keep. A swipe
with
a
damp cloth will be visible on stainless, though they do say that the
newest
alluminum surfaces are better.

Apart from that, what difference does it make, if you've got the
funds
to
build a kitchen at that price?

"Andrew Hardy" wrote in message
...
"biff" wrote:
snip
"Regular" refrigerators have not looked out of place since the
inception
of the
ice box. If you put the refrigerator in the Dining Room or Living
Room.
then it
"might" look out of place. You got the "iwannits".




I just wouldn't have the budget for built-ins. When I needed a new
stove
and fridge in the last few years, we just went out and bought a new
stove
and fridge.


I have a pretty standard kitchen, certainly nothing on the order
described
by the OP. It does open to the greatroom and working there is like
cooking
in the living room. The openness of the plan requires a lot of
discipline
to keep things orderly and clean. I tried to keep things very
functional
while blending the room with the adjoining spaces. My dishwasher and
trash
compactor are built-in. The range is a slide-in unit. The refrigerator
is
a
conventional unit. I did some renovations recently due to a small fire.
I
got frame kits for the DW and TC and faced the doors with bead board
panels
that I also use on the sides of the cabinets and the face of the
peninsula.
It wasn't an expensive undertaking to put customs panels on the
appliances.
I thought about getting a panel kit for the refrigerator but I was tired
of
having the placed torn apart for months so I put that job on hold for
now.
You can see some picture he
http://groups.msn.com/laurelridgegar...novations.msnw



What a gorgeous kitchen. Picture mine: Cape Cod house built in 1956.
Galley kitchen. East wall - Sm counter/stove/small counter with
dishwasher
underneath/sink/more counter where mixer and microwave also sit/ to the
left
is the fridge. On the west wall is the table and chairs. It's hardly any
room sometimes!

We have been here 7 years. Previous owners lived here 7 years. Previous
owners before that were original owners. Middle owners put in the
dishwasher, new counter top and new sink. I can only imagine what it
looked
like before that! LOL!

Thanks! My mother replaced her kitchen a couple of years ago in a home that
my parents build in 1956. It was pretty modern and well equipped for the
time. It was sort of bitter sweet to see it go as it was kept in almost
museum condition! The new cabinets aren't nearly as sturdy as the old
custom built ones made from plywood with hardwood frames and doors. The
appliances were shot and it was going to be less expensive to start over
than to try to retrofit new appliances into the odd shape cut-outs and
cabinets that held the originals.

I lived for years in apartments with small kitchens like yours. I feel your
pain. Mine isn't terribly big and I have to maximize all the storage space.
Odd sized things and rarely used items are stored in the basement. I have a
nice pantry just off the kitchen, so that helps. Sometimes you have to
re-evaluate the way you live and reconfigure the space. So many homes have
a lot of space devoted to formal dining rooms and living rooms that never
get used. You can sometimes repurpose those spaces to enlarge the kitchen
and turn the space into a great room that combines several functions.

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...

"DawnK" wrote in message
...

"Vox Humana" wrote in message
...

"DawnK" wrote in message
...

"Kim Grauballe" wrote in message
. ..
Shouldn't that be iwannitis?

Otherwise I agree, things in a workshop should look like they are
beeing
used, and their looks should reflect their uses, and what is a
kitchen
if
not a work shop.

The one comment I would like to add is: Go for enamelled surfaces,
not
the
trendy stainless steel, the former is much easier to keep. A swipe
with
a
damp cloth will be visible on stainless, though they do say that
the
newest
alluminum surfaces are better.

Apart from that, what difference does it make, if you've got the
funds
to
build a kitchen at that price?

"Andrew Hardy" wrote in message
...
"biff" wrote:
snip
"Regular" refrigerators have not looked out of place since the
inception
of the
ice box. If you put the refrigerator in the Dining Room or
Living
Room.
then it
"might" look out of place. You got the "iwannits".




I just wouldn't have the budget for built-ins. When I needed a new
stove
and fridge in the last few years, we just went out and bought a new
stove
and fridge.


I have a pretty standard kitchen, certainly nothing on the order
described
by the OP. It does open to the greatroom and working there is like
cooking
in the living room. The openness of the plan requires a lot of
discipline
to keep things orderly and clean. I tried to keep things very
functional
while blending the room with the adjoining spaces. My dishwasher and
trash
compactor are built-in. The range is a slide-in unit. The
refrigerator
is
a
conventional unit. I did some renovations recently due to a small
fire.
I
got frame kits for the DW and TC and faced the doors with bead board
panels
that I also use on the sides of the cabinets and the face of the
peninsula.
It wasn't an expensive undertaking to put customs panels on the
appliances.
I thought about getting a panel kit for the refrigerator but I was
tired
of
having the placed torn apart for months so I put that job on hold for
now.
You can see some picture he
http://groups.msn.com/laurelridgegar...novations.msnw



What a gorgeous kitchen. Picture mine: Cape Cod house built in 1956.
Galley kitchen. East wall - Sm counter/stove/small counter with
dishwasher
underneath/sink/more counter where mixer and microwave also sit/ to the
left
is the fridge. On the west wall is the table and chairs. It's hardly
any
room sometimes!

We have been here 7 years. Previous owners lived here 7 years.
Previous
owners before that were original owners. Middle owners put in the
dishwasher, new counter top and new sink. I can only imagine what it
looked
like before that! LOL!

Thanks! My mother replaced her kitchen a couple of years ago in a home
that
my parents build in 1956. It was pretty modern and well equipped for the
time. It was sort of bitter sweet to see it go as it was kept in almost
museum condition! The new cabinets aren't nearly as sturdy as the old
custom built ones made from plywood with hardwood frames and doors. The
appliances were shot and it was going to be less expensive to start over
than to try to retrofit new appliances into the odd shape cut-outs and
cabinets that held the originals.

I lived for years in apartments with small kitchens like yours. I feel
your
pain. Mine isn't terribly big and I have to maximize all the storage
space.
Odd sized things and rarely used items are stored in the basement. I have
a
nice pantry just off the kitchen, so that helps. Sometimes you have to
re-evaluate the way you live and reconfigure the space. So many homes
have
a lot of space devoted to formal dining rooms and living rooms that never
get used. You can sometimes repurpose those spaces to enlarge the kitchen
and turn the space into a great room that combines several functions.



Now, you're talking lottery dreams. Of course, if one won the lottery, fix
up a few things here and then just go build a new house!

Dawn

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 15:12:23 GMT, biff wrote:

Opinions wanted on buying a built-in fridge or a "built-in look" fridge.

Am I getting anything besides looks for the $1,300? will a regular
refrigerator look out of place?

How deep are your counters going to be? If the standard two feet, the
flushness of the built-in refrigerators is nice. I like 30" deep counters.
The built-in refrigerators are all 24" deep. To make up for the lost space
in back the built-in ones are high. You then lose having a usable (wide and
deep) cabinet above the refrigerator. I could use this cabinet to store my
Excalibur dehydrator.

Don donwiss at panix.com.

On Sat, 17 Jan 2004 07:47:02 -0500, Don Wiss
wrote:

On Thu, 15 Jan 2004 15:12:23 GMT, biff wrote:

Opinions wanted on buying a built-in fridge or a "built-in look" fridge.

Am I getting anything besides looks for the $1,300? will a regular
refrigerator look out of place?

How deep are your counters going to be? If the standard two feet, the
flushness of the built-in refrigerators is nice. I like 30" deep counters.
The built-in refrigerators are all 24" deep. To make up for the lost space
in back the built-in ones are high. You then lose having a usable (wide and
deep) cabinet above the refrigerator. I could use this cabinet to store my
Excalibur dehydrator.

Don donwiss at panix.com.

Howdy,

We have counters of the standard depth, and an ordinary refrigerator
with a surround of the same cabinetry. The fridge is, in essence, the
last cabinet in the line. It is deeper than all the others.

Because of the surrounding wood work, it looks like a built-in. It has
the price and volume of a standard refrigerator.

We are extremely happy with our choice...

HTH,

--
Kenneth

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