Where's the Fridge?

The trend in interior floor-planning is definitely toward more great-room openness, with exposed kitchens that flow naturally into living and dining areas. While this encourages socializing by letting guests move freely around the house, it also creates design challenges, one of which is what to do with appliances.

Dallas-based interior designer Judith Garman describes the challenge as a tug of war between the desires for status and taste. “With everybody spending time in the kitchen, appliances have become a new status symbol,” she says. “You entertain while you are preparing food, and your guests definitely notice your appliances. It’s all about showing off their quality.” But while families want guests to admire their appliances, they want those same appliances to blend into the cabinetry, so the eye can move from the living room to the kitchen smoothly.

Panel inserts are the old standby. Made from the same wood as the kitchen cabinet fronts, inserts can make it impossible to tell a cabinet from an appliance, which lets the designer carry themes into the kitchen from other parts of the house. “People want their appliances to match their furniture,” says Washington D.C.-based Bob Garner of Reico Kitchen and Bath designers. “If their prized dining set is made from cherry, they’ll use cherry cabinets and panel inserts in the kitchen.”

Some appliances, such as the Sub-Zero ® 700 Integration series refrigerator, are designed to accommodate an insert. This series features refrigerator and freezer drawers that can be placed anywhere, including a base cabinet where they’re out of the sight lines of the great room.

But today’s choices go beyond giving a fridge a prettier face. Some other options:

Hidden Controls

The Meile Platinum dishwasher hides its control buttons on the top of the dishwasher door, so the buttons are completely hidden when the door is closed. The Platinum is very quiet, so it also encourages the flow of kitchen conversation. (By the way, it’s important to remember that not all dishwashers are built for the same kinds of dishes. For instance, some popular European models won’t accept larger American tableware. So before choosing a dishwasher for a client, Garman has them bring a few everyday dishes to the showroom to make sure they fit in the dishwasher racks.)

Ovens that Blend

Ovens don’t take inserts, but if you really want an oven that will blend in with its surroundings choose a flush-to-cabinet model like Bosch’s 4-Series and 7-Series ovens. Their elegant, streamlined look shows off the oven’s quality, while also making it seem a natural part of the cabinetry.

Drawers that Warm

Warming drawers, which keep food warm and moist until serving, can be installed under a cook top or on the kitchen island. Wherever drawers are installed, Garman says, it’s important to “make sure you don’t throw plastic in the drawers near the warming drawer. Lots of plastics will melt!”

The new open, connected kitchen isn’t just a great investment in entertaining; it’s a sound financial investment too. Garman says in Texas, “the brand of appliances is listed right on the information sheet on the house to help it sell faster.” The creativity of the design and appliances stands out, even when the appliances blend in with the great room perfectly.

Sub-Zero is a registered trademark of Sub-Zero Freezer Company Inc.