Dear Laurel,
We’re going to be redoing our kitchen in the next year or so and I’ve been seeing a lot of colorful kitchen appliances. On top of that, I also read somewhere that stainless steel is waning in popularity and is actually on the way out. Is that true?
But, the thought of doing an entire kitchen with all cobalt blue appliances makes me nervous.
I mean, I could see doing one piece in cobalt blue, but then what about the other appliances? And then, what if they don’t all come from the same source? Is that a no, no?
Then, the other day, I was flipping through a magazine at the hair salon and I saw these darling retro-style colorful kitchen appliances.
And finally, now I’m seeing different finishes in the hardware on the appliances as well. Do the finishes have to match the other hardware?
It’s all so confusing and I’m afraid of making an expensive mistake.
Judy Gold
***
Well, Judy. Let’s see… That’s one, two, three, four… five. ;]
Five questions and the allotted number is two. Just teasing. Actually, teasing myself since I wrote this particular “Dear Laurel” letter. :] But, I think I’ve had all of these questions asked of me in some form or other in the last year or so.
I think one problem is that for a lot of people, (who are over 50) when they hear colorful kitchen appliances, it conjures up visions of harvest gold and avocado green so popular in the 70s. Why, it was popular, is another question. But, lapses in good judgment do happen.
Look, guys. Obviously, manufacturers of kitchen appliances want you to buy their appliances. And, if the appliances are any good, they’re going to last for a very long time. But they don’t want you to wait until your appliances have died. (like mine did two years ago.)
No, they want you to get the “latest.” And, so they need to create new things all of the time. Sometimes for the better and sometimes, maybe not.
In a bit, we’ll look at some of the wonderful and colorful kitchen appliances I found at KBIS last month.
But first let’s address some of Judy’s questions. And then decide if we should even be doing colorful kitchen appliances and if so, what are the parameters to achieve the best AND timeless look?
Are stainless steel appliances on the way out?
Over-all, I would say an emphatic, NO! NEVER! However, what I am seeing to beautiful effect is stainless steel being mixed with other kitchen appliance colors, and other metal finishes in the SAME piece.
But, some manufacturers like Thermador primarily make kitchen appliances in stainless steel. So, I don’t see them all of a sudden abandoning that. Not any time soon, that is. And professional chefs are always going to cook on stainless steel. Since the craze began with the professional kitchen, I believe that it’s here to stay.
Do all of the appliances need to come from the same company?
No, they do not. I do advise getting them from the same store, however, because you will most likely get them for a better price. And, of course, it’s important to double-check that finishes coordinate.
So, does that mean that you can do a mix of finishes on your kitchen appliances?
I would keep it to no more than two colors and stainless. We’ll address this in more detail later on.
We also need to consider when deciding on the finishes in our kitchens:
- Over-all design style
- age of home
- predominant color scheme
- budget
Let’s discuss vintage appliances or a vintage look because they are always a color even if the color is white.
And, the look is quite on-trend right now. AKA: trendy
Is it a good trend or a bad trend?
Oh, you already know the answer.
It depends.
Here’s my take on retro-style kitchen appliances be they white or some other color.
They are fine, but not in every kitchen.
For instance, they would look horrible in
- the standard oak three-sided kitchen.
- a very large kitchen
- A standard builder’s kitchen that you’re trying to update.
Retro appliances look great in
- Small kitchens in older homes
- Cottage-y, beach-y homes
- Rec rooms and the like
- Urban homes
Above and below via Big Chill Appliances. They have a great line of retro-style colorful kitchen appliances.
Above we can see the two red appliances and then a white sink and white dishwasher. I think that over-all, it’s a good balance and just enough red.
Here’s an example from Lotte Meister’s guest house. I adore how she used a retro-style fridge in the open kitchen/living area.
As always, there may be exceptions to the above list for using retro-style appliances.
Is it a trend that is going to be dated in 10-20 years, Laurel?
Well… Let me look into my crystal ball. ;]
If it’s in a more-or-less small, retro-style, slightly funky (or a lot funky) kitchen, it’s probably going to be fine.
Moving on…
What about the newer darker stainless steel shades?
I wrote about that here. And please note, that there’s a note about Alex Trebek at the bottom of this popular post. I am heart-sick over his recent diagnosis.
Above, Melissa Tardiff’s fridge looks awfully sleek in her kitchen. Actually, I could also see a retro-style fridge here, as well. It would suit the house very nicely, I think. But, this is beautiful too. And, in this case, it makes sense to break up the expanse of white cabinetry. Any of those choices would’ve been fine.
And that brings me to my next point.
Regarding mixing metals. My general rule of thumb is no more than three metallic finishes in one room.
But there are a few that don’t look as good together.
Here are some that don’t usually play nicely with each other:
- Chrome and Nickel
- Rose gold and regular gold
- Copper with brass or gold. (well, maybe)
Good combos for metal finishes
- Nickel, brass, gold, bronze, black
- Copper, rose gold, bronze, black, verdigris
- Stainless and chrome. (although stainless and nickel is okay because stainless is darker)
However…
Observe. We have what looks like a copper handle with antique brass on the ends and antique brass knobs on the oven door. The cabinet knobs, however, look to be a brushed nickel. Can’t tell for sure. But, it makes sense, because in this case, there’s a combo of white and stainless steel on the range.
This is so smart of them. Now, they’ve opened up the possibility of four different coordinating finishes.
But then, I found this close-up image by my friend, Christine Kohut
(please check out her fabulous post about her take on color at KBIS 2019
This is Christine’s photo of the Cafe range you can see below (more images in this post). The metal finishes look different from my image.
This is a close-up of my photo. It just goes to show you that the lights can play tricks on your eyes!
But, getting back to the main point; brass and copper mixed are on my do not mix list.
What do you think? Actually, in this case, I think they work beautifully together. But, what I’m noticing the most is that the appliance companies are getting into mixing metals which I really love. But still, it’s important to be careful and not get too many in the mix. Gold and brass are pretty interchangeable, usually.
What if you don’t want to clad the pieces that are claddable (is that a word?) such as the fridge and dishwasher?
But, what if you’d like to do a range with a jazzy color and you also don’t want to do a stainless steel fridge?
In other words, can you mix colors in colorful kitchen appliances?
Well, yes, I think so, but only IF one of those colors matches the cabinetry. And probably, it’ll be the fridge (if the kitchen is white) because usually the range is more of a central focal point in the room.
So, for instance, if you wanted to do a cobalt blue range, you could then pair that with the white appliances from either the same company or another high-end company with coordinating white cabinetry and it’ll be gorgeous. But then, you’ll need some cobalt blue accents in the room, so it makes sense.
If you clad the fridge as Lisa Mende did in her fabulous showhouse kitchen we saw the other day, then problem solved. Oh, and actually, there’s copper and brass and gold. And, it’s gorgeous.
So, apparently, in regard to not mixing copper and gold I’m full of shit.
Well, not totally full. I had a colonoscopy yesterday. haha ;]
Sorry. I couldn’t resist. Please forgive me. (And yes, it was routine and everything is fine.)
I think the mix of metals works in Lisa’s kitchen because of the blue cabinetry. The blue just loves all of the metals. OR, maybe brass, gold and copper are okay together. I think it’s fine if one is dominant and the other a small accent. Let’s go with that one.
You see. Or maybe you’re starting to see. There are few super hard and fast rules in design. Or at least, there are always exceptions to the rules. That’s what makes it difficult, I guess.
However, if you have a white bathroom, you definitely don’t want to mix a nickel faucet with chrome sconces.
Now, it’s time for some fun.
I tried at first to work this into some of my three other posts about the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS 2019), but couldn’t make it work. However, I wanted to show you some of the colorful kitchen appliances I saw.
Of course, we’ve seen colorful kitchen appliances in other years.
However, there are some new things to see in the realm of colorful kitchens.
Some are hits and some are, well, certainly different…
Thermador vignette KBIS 2019 via Design Milk
Thermador. We love you and your wonderful innovations in technology and the quality of your products.
Well, let’s just say, this one definitely captured our attention. ;]
However, I adore these super-tall wine coolers Thermador introduced a few years ago.
They are clad in the cabinetry. I love how seamlessly they flow into the rest of the cabinets.
The time has come to get into the king of the super-colorful kitchen appliances.
I don’t know who these gentlemen are. But guys stepping in front of me and my subject matter was a common theme this KBIS 2019.
Yesiree. Two more gentleman stepped into my view finder and so, fine. They make excellent models and I’m liking the way their navy jackets cool down this BRIGHT yellow from Smeg.
Smeg is known not to shy away from color.
And this year, they’ve teamed with Dolce & Gabbana to create this fanciful line of colorful kitchen appliances inspired by Sicily.
In fact, you can find all of the small appliances at Williams Sonoma!
And you can find the Smeg Dolce & Gabbana entire line including the fridges at Neiman-Marcus.
You may already know that Smeg is best known for their retro-style appliances. Doesn’t that gentleman look like he’s coming over to kill me? Apparently, he thought the better of it, as I’m still here. ;]
However, one of my favorite brands for colorful kitchen appliances is Bluestar.
Remember this post where I had fun with their color selector?
Above is the kitchen of Madcap Cottage via Traditional Home.
I love their fabulous analogous color scheme and that Chinese Chippendale island table is da bomb. It works to keep the other colors grounded!
At the end of day one, on my way out, I happened on this beautiful vignette featuring Bluestar (curated by Madcap Cottage)
And well. You can see what happened.
Again.
Actually we saw it earlier in a different image taken seconds apart from this image.
But, fortunately, I found a terrific image taken by Madcap Cottage via their instagram. I love what they did here a lot.
I did go back the next day, but that image didn’t turn out so well.
and again courtesy of my friend, Claire Jefford have found out that the colors are:
Benjamin Moore Starburst Orange 2010-30
Benjamin Moore Light Pistachio 2034-60
Kitchenaid is featuring this soft pale blue range which I think looks stunning in this contemporary semi-rustic kitchen.
And to finish off with definitely a colorful kitchen appliance, Madcap Cottage’s ode to the 50s for Bluestar. Here’s what they said on their instagram.
Take any pattern, and cover a range, refrigerator, or hood in the restaurant-quality BlueStar arsenal. The pattern is actually powder coated onto the appliances for maximum durability.
Please also check out my friend and fellow designhound Jeanne Chung’s amazing mega blog post for KBIS 2019. Her recap is extraordinarily fabulous.
xo,
PS: Also, please check out the newly updated Hot Sales
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71 Responses
Thank you! Yes, I plan to do that – Is a consultation with you, possible?
Hi Martha,
I wish I could. But, I am struggling some days just to do everything it takes to keep this thing afloat. Plus, answer emails and comments, learn new things, do my own social media (pinterest, mostly, but I’m obliged to spend some time on facebook and occasionally insta and twitter) oh, and actually have a little bit of LIFE?
Hi Laurel, could you please elaborate a bit more on good combos for metal finishes per room, in an open (but defined) home concept? I am specially concerned in selecting light fixtures.
Would stainless Steel (appliances) + chrome (cab knobs, faucets), old brass (pendants) work in kitchen?
Black (chandelier/fireplace), bronze (metal tables) and silver (few accessories) work for living? Is it a better color for chandelier? like old brass?
What would you do in foyer and dining? I did not buy my white doors hardware yet. Can you refer me to a good article about this? Thank you so much. I love your site.
Hi Martha,
It’s a little difficult for me to take this in right now. But, even if I could focus on it, I can’t see your home and wouldn’t be able to give specific advice as it applies to your unique situation. But, if you’re really struggling, perhaps consider hiring a local designer for a consult.
I have an orange range from Big Chill, but the “pro” series style. I love it, and everyone that comes to my house comments about how they love it too. I love that it is unusual and not something everyone else has. I wish I could post a picture of it here!
We can make that happen. ;]
I am soooo feeling the colored appliances. Also can we bring back colored bath fixtures too? Or at least stop tearing them out of houses? I’ve got a yellow bath that I used to hate but now love.
Hi Erin,
I guess what’s cool is that folks can do whatever they like.
These colorful appliances were interesting, but not my cup of tea. I’ve despaired over the years with the popularity of stainless—I’ve just never liked it. As you said, white is a color and it’s the one for me. Now one has to pay more for white. Say what??? Love it, though, when others break out of the old-fashioned mode and use stainless or other colors.
I have been in love with Blue Star appliances ever since I discovered them. I especially love that they don’t just offer a green, a yellow, a blue – each color is available in multiple shades.
You can have a screaming bright yellow or a soft yellow, and everything in between.
I think a range is the easiest appliance to have in a color if you had to choose one. What I’ve always been curious about is what happens if you put wood panels on your fridge or dishwasher to match your cabinets. What if the panels don’t fit the replacements down the road?
Also, I recently read that built-in fridges last a lot longer than freestanding ones. Does anyone know if that’s true?
Hi Lorri,
I know! There are dozens if not hundreds of choices. In fact, maybe too many. As for the panels fitting a new fridge down the road. You need a specifically “panel-ready” fridge unless you want to jimmy rig the panel on, but then if it’s completely built in, it needs to be a fridge that’s meant for that too. The sizes do vary, but there are generally standard sizes that should work. After-all, the new fridge also needs to fit in the old space.
I wonder if the thing with metals isn’t to look at their tones. Regarding the gold and copper question: essentially, copper and gold are pink and yellow. All other things being equal, would it make sense to have pink and yellow in your kitchen? If yes, then do the thing. If no, pick one. Which speaks to why they work so well with the light blue cabinets. It balances the warm tones and says maybe just a little grown up easter egg. Certainly springy. And copper oxidizes to green-blue so you can always pair them.
Someone mentioned different upper and lower cabinet colors as relates to appliances. Does the fridge need to tend toward the upper color?
Also, seconding the cheers for preventive medicine. Be gentle with yourself. 🙂
Hi Lily,
Great question about the fridge. If the upper cabinets are white and the bottom are say a navy or black, I would probably do a white fridge. But… It also might be possible that there’s a situation like Melissa Tardiff’s kitchen where there are floor to ceiling cabinets surrounding the fridge. In her case, I could see doing a what’s there, a white retro fridge or a fridge clad with the wood panels. What about a green fridge to match the green cabinets. You know, I could see that too.
That kitchen isn’t terribly large, but it’s a perfect example of how one could use four different fridge styles and/or colors and all, I think would be beautiful. Then, it would come down to over-all desired style, functionality, sizes and budget to make a final decision.
Totally enjoyed this review from KBIS, so thank you Laurel. Also like yourself, hope that manufacturers will offer more in hardware selection as particularly detest the bulky/protruding handles (IMO mostly on the fridges and oven doors) that have been offered the past few years. -Brenda-
Hi Brenda,
I think it would be cool if an appliance manufacturer partnered with a hardware company. Say, like Belwith-Keeler. That way, the handles could coordinate with the rest of the hardware. Just an idea.
I think the key word here is “fun”. The problem with fun is that it tends not to be fun for very long. If you want to have appliances that will last, I think you’ve got to go for the more “classic” finishes, meaning not bright colours, unless you’re going to have the one appliance as a focal point surrounded by neutral finishes. Some of the appliances shown (I won’t name names, but consumer reviews will show whose) won’t last very long, so you won’t tire of them before they die, but otherwise…
And I must agree 100% with another reader: the Aga was a good idea when it was invented, but it makes no sense today — British comments about “why I love my Aga” never revolve around cooking, it’s more about warming one’s backside or making toast.
Thanks so much Gilly. I always love hearing your viewpoint!
I think I could live a long time without that Thermador kitchen that looks like it came off the set of Star Trek…what were they THINKING?? And I probably wouldn’t choose the neon yellow or day-glo purple appliances, but most of the others I could see being smashing in the right place! Thanks for sharing your KBIS pics!
haha!
I love old vintage appliances loaded with chrome trim & handles. I know there are some companies that make new appliances that look old but they’re so expensive. Even the itty bitty Smeg is pricey. Too bad the Cafe appliances don’t offer chrome as an option.
There’s the Big Chill line too, of retro styles. I imagine that they are pretty expensive too, but not sure.
The kitchen with the pale blue range is really lovely and timeless.
I think so too, Kim.
You crack me up and lightened my day with your posts every week. I have white cabinets, stainless stove, dishwasher and microwave but decided to have cabinet fronts for my refrigerator that match my cabinets. Been in my home for 13 years now and have replaced my dishwasher and microwave a few years ago. You’re right when you said you can’t match stainless exactly because after 10 years the manufactures change their finishes a little or the handles on the dishwasher and microwave are different so you have to try and match as best as you can to what didn’t need to be replaced. So far my refrigerator and stove are fine and think they have some years to go. Next time I replace my dishwasher think I’ll go with one with no handle so I don’t have to try and match the style handle on my stove. Same for my microwave. Too hard to try to match finishes and then find that my stove has a rounded handle but the dishwasher I like only comes with a industrial type handle and the microwave has an even different handle! I drove my husband crazy because it took me forever before I landed on a decision.
Hi Jackie,
I’m really loving the choices that some manufacturers are starting to give us in terms of the hardware. And, I hope there’s a trend to even more customization options in this department. At least, it might be possible to clad some appliances and then you can put whatever handle you wish on the outside.
Alas, all of this is out of my league as my kitchen is the size of some of those ranges.But I have a related question: did you see any LITTLE, odd-size appliances for tiny apartment kitchens at the show? I need to replace mine and can’t find anything that fits. My fridge is 64″ x 24″ and dates from 1994; no major brand makes that size now. All I’ve found is very cheap and 5″ shorter, making the freezer the size of a glove compartment. Smeg makes a cute one but its freezer is also tiny. Does anyone make an 18″ dishwasher drawer? My little, cube-shaped dishwasher is an Equator (Greek) countertop model from 1998 that we built in. As far as I can tell, we’ll have to re-do the entire kitchen if one appliance dies, so any advice will be appreciated. Even then, it will be a challenge to find appliances that small but do their jobs well. Thank you!
Hi Elle,
I wish I could answer your questions. But, the best way to find what you’re looking for is to google it. I would have to do the same because I don’t know the answers. Another great source is the blog, Apartment Therapy.
Hi Laurel,
As always, thank you for another fun and interesting post. One solution to the multicolored appliances can be to hide everything but the stove behind panels that match the cabinetry. This worked very well for us.
Thanks again!
Laurie
Hi Laurie,
That’s usually my favorite, too.
I love the blue and aqua colors, especially with different metals, but they are not in my budget for this lifetime.
Hi Ramona,
I forgot to link to this post for kitchen appliance make-overs.
Some ideas for low-cost fixes to change the look of your appliances.
just know that when you go to sell your house, people are not going to be crazy about your orange or purple appliances
I’d go along with that Susie, except I did see a gorgeous kitchen recently with an orange La Canche range and let me tell you… Wait. I don’t have to tell you. I can go and grab the URL. Hang on a sec…
Here it is.
I love that your posts are both authoritative yet open ended and invite exploration 🙂
On metal-mixing, I only relaxed when I decided to stick to similar finishes vs colors (this is throughout my home). So, in my living room I’ve mixed dark nickel (I think, anyway, it’s a dusty iron) with antiqued bronze and maybe a tiny bit of brass but it’s the antique finish that (I think) makes it work.
Except stainless steel, which to me is like denim for your kitchen; it’s not blue, it just *is*
Thanks so much Jennifer. Sounds terrific!
MEN ! (eye roll)
hahaha!
Now back to the subject at hand. The manufacturers are finally waking up that they might sell more appliances if they can integrate new with the old. For years I thought they should offer metal hardware, or at the very least, backplates for their white appliances so that we could integrate a new stainless appliance into our kitchens. Instead many of us hobble along because we can’t afford to change all the appliances.
Nice blog Laurel, thanks for the your efforts.
Thank you too, Kathleen!
Laurel, thanks for getting your colonoscopy. Folks, do not shy away from this procedure. It is a life saver. If you get them as recommended by your doctor you can almost guarantee you will never have colon cancer.
The prep is not a walk in the park(where does all of that stuff come from!), but the wonderful sleep you get with the anesthesia is great. And knowing you are clean as a whistle after any polyp removal is a great sense of relief.
Great job Laurel!
And you as well for saying that Kathleen. It’s very important and really only one yucky day.
I guess if one has lots of money to burn (50 grand dolce and gabbana?!?!?) one may feel inclined to buy something like the brightly colored or printed appliances. I am not one of those particular ones!! Although I really like the picture with the soft blue range, I’ll stick to the classics.
Hi Mary,
I’m with you.
Hi Laurel,
I recently re-did my kitchen and featured one colorful appliance: a French Blue Lacanche stove. The color provides a great focal point and I repeated the color on a wallpaper in an adjacent small family room. I always thought of the stove as the focal point, kind of like a fireplace.
Oh, wow! That sounds gorgeous Maureen. The Lacanche are my favorite. At least in terms of looks. Oh, they’re supposed to let you cook and bake too? ;]
Great post! I suddenly feel so nostalgic for the Aga cookers in my friends’ homes when I lived in the UK. Agas wouldn’t work in most of the US (except maybe Alaska) since they are always on and throw heat 24/7, but in the right climate they are the only piece of furniture a person really need, since when your friends come over, they spend the whole visit standing near your range admiring how beautiful it is.
Hi Tsippi,
Actually, I had a client who had one. She wasn’t fond of it, however. But, for the winter, that sounds heavenly. I can see why they are so popular in the UK.
Laurel, I’m so happy to read you, this is one great post, and funny as hell. As always thank you for making my mornings better.
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the post, Jenny!
Seeing all those men photobombing your efforts is hilarious…if they are married, I can guarantee they don’t cook! I am in love with the Chinese Chippendale table. đź’•.
On the subject of colonoscopies hahaha, I am having part of my colon removed in two weeks due to severe diverticulitis. By a robot! The worse part is I just found out I have to drink the nastiness the night before AND morning of the surgery. Somebody needs to gift me with a cobalt blue La Cornue range as a get well gift!!
Oh, you poor thing! You definitely deserve a cobalt blue La Cornue range. There’s one pictured here somewhere. And, as I recall it’s verrrry large. Godspeed through your prep, surgery and recovery, Roxanne!
“…range with topics…” Good one! –Jim
oh gawd! I didn’t notice that! haha!
Laurel, I had to laugh when I saw the clip from Amadeus…because we have a favorite saying in my family (from the same movie) when we see something like the Thermador vignette “It has too many notes”
Haha! Yes, just cut a few and it’ll be perfect. haha
Too much fun for my kitchen — vanilla is my favorite flavor. Although I could probably live with a colorful range. I think I’m getting a migraine from the yellow appliances. ;). Not sure My eyes were able to see anything after that!
Haha! They are bright and the convention center lights don’t help, in this case.
I love this post!! Coming back later to fully comment. I have to get ready to host my friends who are coming over for brunch in our new house/KITCHEN!
Oh, lovely!
I think I love all of the coloured appliances. Some might not bode well for a potential home buyer, but then I don’t furnish my home to please the next guy…I didn’t really care for that last stove door with the pattern, but then I thought how unique it would be in a leopard print…
Hi Colleen,
Now you’re talking!
I love smeg and I love color and I love that mixer and I want it.
Hi Celeste,
In the right kitchen, it would be a lot of fun.
Hello Laurel,
What a great post! Of all the kitchens photographed here I adore the light blue Kitchen Aid range in the contemporary kitchen. It is a wonderful example of how contemporary kitchens can take more colour and variety…and I love white minimalist kitchens.
Hi Jane,
I strive to provide a range with topics like this and I think I succeeded with this post! What’s great is that there’s something for everyone.
A dear old friend used to laughingly refer to my decorator style as “Reign of Terror”. Lots of laughs over that description, over the years. Having seen this year’s Dolce & Gabbana Sicily patterns on stoves and appliances on your blog, Laurel, I think that I must pass on the “Reign of Terror” style crown to D & G.
Hi Carole,
I looked over at Neiman Marcus and the fridges are 50 grand!!! + $495 S/H Oh my. That link takes you to one specific style. If you scroll down. (If you want to scroll down, haha) there are others. Some are sold out already.
Hello Laurel, Well, you are definitely having an effect on me. I started reading in reactionary mode, thinking that my favorite appliances would always be white. But a lot of the color options really work. I find that I like the less-vivid colors better in a kitchen, and I still think they look cleaner.
However, I did find my limit at the patterned appliances. I think that their novelty will wear off very quickly. The Dolce and Gabbana appliances reminded me of a set of poison-green Peter Max canisters we had that were pretty lively (my sister has them now). The idea that the patterns are powder-coated on and will never come off seems to me more like a threat than a guarantee!
–Jim
p.s. I like the trim Kitchenaid hood which is sleek and not obtrusive.
Haha! “More like a threat than a guarantee.” That’s funny Jim. Dolce & Gabbana aside, I think some of the manufacturers do these over-the-top ideas to be memorable, not for anything that’s going to be massed produced.
I just noticed that the kitchenaid cabinets don’t have handles or knobs. I do know that there are some that get pushed lightly, to open, but this is probably not a real kitchen, but taken to advertise the range. “I thought you ordered the order the hardware.” “No, I thought it was you!”
Hi Laurel, you nailed it with this article!! I’ve been vacillating about a white fridge to match the upper cabinets in my new house, and I think I’m going for it!. Lower cabinets are Chelsea gray and the rest of the appliances are stainless GE cafe.
What do you think about stainless finishes from different manufacturers? Sometimes they don’t match. Should they? Am I being too picky?
Hi Michelle,
The finishes should coordinate, but stainless, is reflective to some extent, so it’s bound to look a little different on different walls, in any case. The handles being substantially different might be an even bigger problem. It also depends which appliance it is. A solution might be to get a panel ready version for the dishwasher.