All Things Appliances
While often taken for granted, our home appliances make household chores a breeze — if you select the right ones. Today, there are more appliance options than ever before, designed to speed up cooking times and make our lives easier. Many of my Austin interior design clients are surprised by just how soon appliance selections need to be confirmed in the build process. To help you stay on track, I’m sharing my Interior Designer’s Guide to Appliances. Use this guide to help plan appliance layouts, select features, and pick the right style for your home. Get ready to dive into all things appliances!
Range Detail - Induction cooktop with controls integrated into the cabinet front
Your Home Guide to Appliances
Whether starting a new construction project or a major remodel, some of the first information the builder will want to confirm is the specifics for appliances and plumbing. It may feel strange to think about dishwashers and sinks before ground breaks. However, planning ahead is essential because appliance drains must be accommodated in the slab preparation. This includes items like freestanding tubs, icemakers, showers, sinks, and more. Again, think about slab locations. You can wait a bit to make final choices for wired and wall-plumbed appliances, but it’s good to consider them while you have appliances on your brain!
Appliance Checklist
Here is a checklist of every type of appliance to consider during the early planning stage. You may not initially think of things like sinks as appliances. However, including them in the layout design is crucial to accommodate drains in the slab. Additionally, smaller items like countertop appliances come into play for planning outlet locations and cabinet designs, especially if you want them concealed when not in use.
Washer
Dryer
Dishwasher
Refrigerator
Freezer
Wine Fridge
Ice Maker
Stovetop
Oven
Range
Vent Hood
Microwave
Coffee
Countertop Appliances
Sinks
Disposals
Water filtration
Appliance Panels and a concealed Vent Hood behind a Cabinet Front
Appliance Location and Layout
Once you’ve determined your appliance must-haves, you’ll want to consider locations as they relate to workflow. Appliance locations not only affect slab drains but will impact your cabinet layout, counter space, and how you carry out daily tasks. Consider use, location, and size.
Many of my Austin interior design clients are familiar with the kitchen work triangle, which outlines relationships between the fridge, sink, and range. Ideally, these three main appliances should form a triangle shape in the layout for easy access and flow.
While the work triangle is a great place to start, the final layout that works best for your home will come down to personal preferences and how your family conducts household chores. Think about how you currently go about cooking, preparation, and clean-up, and what you need to make these tasks easier. Here are some questions to consider.
Are there two of you cooking dinner?
Is one person cooking while the other person preps or cleans?
Do you entertain often and need an area to lay things out?
How do you grocery shop? When you bring in your groceries, do you have a place to set things down near the refrigerator?
These are things to think about during early architectural planning because changing locations during the process is not always easy.
Appliance Panels and a concealed Vent Hood within a plastered front.
Appliance Features and Upgrades
The best way to determine the appliance features suited to your needs is to visit an appliance showroom. I always suggest my clients visit the showroom where the builder intends to make the purchase to receive the best support. The sales professionals will ask you questions to make recommendations from the many available options. It doesn’t hurt to research some of the appliance jargon beforehand. It's always better to go in prepared!
These days, the choices go way beyond single versus double ovens. Do you want convection? Steam? Speed cooking? Do you want to be able to preheat remotely? (Yes, that’s a thing. It would have come in handy back in the days when I was carting kids to and from soccer practice!)
Investigate what’s available in the market because there are many features you may not have even thought possible. Often, my clients who love to cook are eager to throw themselves into appliance research. However, many features are designed to help people who do not like to cook, like myself. See what’s out there that can make your life easier. For example, I was convinced to buy a steam oven many years ago. I didn’t think I wanted it, but I love it! In fact it’s my default oven even though I have another one, because it is compact and preheats much faster than my standard oven, which helps me to be in and out of the kitchen more quickly.
Appliance Styles and Aesthetics
Just because appliances are practical doesn’t mean they can’t be stylish. Once again, I recommend starting with the appliance brands the builder favors. These often fit the sweet spot between quality, budget, and needs for the types of houses that he or she typically builds. Your project team works with appliances every day and will be able to point you in the right direction.
Certain brands tend to be associated with different house styles, but that shouldn’t be a limitation. I have found that European brands such as Miele and Gaggenau easily accommodate a sleek aesthetic, whereas others, such as GE and Thermador, are well suited for traditional homes. No matter the brand, most appliance packages will come in various finishes with options for integrated paneling.
Pro Tip: Compare Integrated vs. Freestanding Appliances
What are integrated appliances? Integrated appliances feature a cabinet panel that conceals the front for a seamless look that appears built into the cabinetry. I often use this style for a cohesive finish that fits any home style. Unlike traditional freestanding appliances, integrated and paneled appliances are also shallower to align perfectly with the depth of the cabinetry. For this reason, they require detailed planning up front.
One particular appliance having a moment is the Vent Hood. For many years the most popular approach was to have a large industrial hood that anchored the entire kitchen, but more recently my clients have opted for the hood to be almost hidden inside a false cabinet front or another type of surface treatment (note both of the pictures above). If the Vent Hood is concealed, be sure to plan for the appropriate height. That was the biggest challenge in kitchens where my clients wanted cabinets on the sides and a Vent Hood hiding in the cabinet above the range.
There is no “right answer” when choosing between the two. Integrated appliances can feel modern or traditional depending on the cabinet panels applied, and traditional freestanding appliances can make bold statements through interesting design elements or custom color packages.
Modern Kitchen with a dramatic plaster Vent Hood.
Outdoor Appliances
Don’t forget about the outdoor kitchen! Outdoor kitchens are becoming popular as homeowners pursue blended indoor/outdoor living designs. Depending on your climate, there will be very different considerations. Just be mindful of functional priorities and maintenance. Consider what items will be stored outside and allow for close proximity to the indoor kitchen and other entertaining areas. Covered outdoor kitchens also hold up better under the elements.
Certain brands have a reputation for reliability in outdoor conditions. Ask your salesperson which ones they trust in the region where you are building. I lean on salespeople for this because they are the ones fielding calls for all of the items that don’t work well, so if they really trust and like a brand, that carries a lot of weight with me.
The Bottom Line:
When it comes to choosing appliances, you have a lot of professionals to lean on — your architect, interior designer, appliance salesperson, and builder can all walk you through considerations of layout, style, and function. It’s your job to familiarize yourself with the options available and share how your family cooks and approaches chores. From there, your design and build team can guide you through the fine details.