05 Oct #BOHNAFIDE EP. 3: APPLIANCE SHOPPING AT MIDLAND APPLIANCE
Appliance shopping is finally here and I’m so excited to finally get started on the kitchen design!! You might normally think the appliance shopping would be one of the last tasks of a home renovation, but because we are completely re-designing this kitchen, we have to pick the appliances first so that we can measure all the cabinetry and millwork around them. So off we go to see my one and only appliance expert, Marty from the Midland Appliance Showroom in Richmond! Marty is my go-to guy when it comes to choosing the right appliances for all my design projects. He is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to the latest trends and technology and he’s a great help when determining what type of appliances are a good fit for you and your space. When you purchase all your appliances in one place you are bound to save money and I find Midland Appliances offers the widest range of appliances at competitive prices, so it’s a one stop shop for the entire home’s appliances, which is exactly how I like to do it!
Let’s start with the most important appliance…the one where all the food lives…the fridge! Now, we haven’t quite decided whether we want to integrate the appliances into the cabinetry or leave them as exposed stainless steel, so Marty showed us both options. Not all appliances are able to integrate into your cabinetry, but all appliances can be exposed, so this may help us to make that decision depending on what we like and what is available in the market. Below is an example of an integrated refrigerator.
Below here we have an exposed built-in stainless steel fridge. I am really loving the square shape and simple clean lines of the Fisher & Paykel appliances below. They have a more industrial feel which will match the design of the kitchen perfectly! They also have the option of integrating, in case we decide to go that route.
Whether we choose an integrated or exposed refrigerator, I definitely want it to be counter-depth so that it does not stick out from the cabinetry. Ideally, the more space we have in our fridge the better as Chris loves to collect condiments and we do alot of home cooking, which means we may have to look into taller fridges so that we don’t sacrifice space.
Next up are the cooking appliances…also very important! I am so accustomed to choosing a gas range or cooktop, but from what I’ve been hearing, Induction cooktops and ranges are the future of cooking, so I had to see this for myself! Marty was more than happy to do a demo for us on the induction cooktop and I can see why! He had water boiling in less than 4 minutes and after removing the pot, we were able to touch the cooktop and it wasn’t even hot! Apparently these new induction cooktops are the safest and most efficient way to cook, plus they are extremely easy to clean. The settings are controlled by a removable, magnetic knob, which I thought was really cool. It will also turn off if no pot is sensed and it cools down immediately after your pot is removed. It’s actually really impressive and I have to say, Marty turned us non-believers, into believers! If I haven’t convinced you on induction cooking yet, head down to the Richmond showroom and have Marty give you your own demonstration, I can guarantee, you’ll be convinced!
Next up is the washer and dryer! Pretty straight forward…we knew we needed a front-loading, stackable washer and dryer set and we knew we needed the full size, not the condo size. One tip when designing your laundry space is to make sure you include the proper amount of space for the plumbing and ventilation that will be behind the washer and dryer. I often see people didn’t take the water shut-off and ventilation into consideration which results in a closet door that is unable to close because the appliances are sticking out too far. Lastly, make sure you can reach the settings panel on your washer and dryer when stacking. Unless your ok with wearing your high heels while doing the laundry! 😉
The last few appliances we had looked at were the bar fridge and the microwave. I was immediately sold on this half beer/half wine bar fridge…BRILLIANT!
As for the microwave…the choices were fairly standard. I really like a drawer microwave when it is located in an island (as mine will be). It’s application is just easier to use in a lower space, but of course they do cost more. It’s not the biggest deal to have the swing door microwave in an island, I guess it just comes down to personal preference. We will have to see what Marty can work into our budget. 😉
Overall, our trip to Midland Appliance was super successful and we decided pretty quickly after our visit which package to go with so you will have to keep watching to find out what we chose!! A HUGE thank you to Marty for helping us with our decision. The new technology these days is hard to keep up with so I really recommend going into an appliance showroom like Midland Appliance so you can get a really good idea of what is on the market and have an appliance expert, like Marty, educate you on all the latest features and options that fit your lifestyle and design. I can’t wait to get these in our home!!
If you have any questions for me about choosing appliances for your home, please let me know in the comments below! If you see an appliance you like, don’t hesitate to contact Marty at Midland Appliance!
Until next time!!
xK
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