Selecting the perfect appliances for your space, budget, and style is an important part in every kitchen design. With so many different styles and types of appliances available today, the selection process can be quite overwhelming.

We always suggest speaking to appliance experts to ensure you get something that will fit your needs and budget. However, here are some key points to consider while picking out your new fridge and dishwasher!

Refrigerators

There are endless variations of fridges available on the market today with a variety of configurations and features. Below are pros and cons of some of these common configurations.

French Door

One of the current most popular configurations is the French door style fridge. These fridges come with two upper doors hinged on the left and right, with a bottom freezer pullout. Occasionally these will have an additional flex drawer that can be used as freezer or fridge space, and are suitable as a deli, snack drawer, or for storing larger items.  

Pros:

– Requires less clearance to open the fridge doors. With this two-door style, there is more room to open your fridge doors.

– Drawer freezers are easier to organize and see all the contents with the two-tier drawers inside.

Cons:

– Need to open two sets of doors to access some items, or pull out the bottom full-width crispers/deli drawers.

– Occasionally close less easily than one door configurations.

– Smaller, more broken-up door compartments and shelves.

Single Door Fridge with Bottom Freezer

These fridges have one large upper door, and one bottom freezer in either a drawer or hinged format.

Pros:

– Only need to open one door to access everything.

– Larger door compartments make for easier condiments/ small item storage.

– Simple, sleek look.

Cons:

– Require more clearance for the fridge door swing.

– Entire fridge is opened every time you need to retrieve an item.

Top Freezer, Bottom Fridge

This is the classic fridge configuration.

Pros:

– Come in a very wide range of sizes, especially smaller sizes for tighter kitchens.

– Often a bit more cost effective than some newer configuration styles.

Cons:

– The bottom of the fridge is quite low to the floor and requires bending down to get what you need.

– Your less regularly accessed freezer space is in the preferred eye-height location.

– More swing clearance needed.

Lastly, there are several cool features that can be included in your fridge to make cooking easier! Some of the most popular features include the following:

– exterior water and ice dispenser

– interior water dispenser

– interior ice maker

– smart fridges with Wi-Fi adaptability

– smart view doors

– flex drawers

When planning your renovation, you will want to think about which style will work best in your space. There are counter depth, standard depth, built-in, or panel ready fridge options available. Your kitchen designer can guide you here, on which option would work with your layout and budget.

Dishwashers

Fittingly, the last appliance we will talk about is dishwashers. These appliances are critical to get your beautiful new kitchen back to its like-new clean state after cooking. There are a few different options for when selecting your dishwasher.

Standard Dishwashers

Standard 24” dishwashers remain the most typical version we see. These suit most family’s needs and should fit a day’s worth of dishes in them. To add a higher end look, select a panel ready dishwasher for a seamless look.

18” or apartment size dishwashers are a great option for those living in smaller units, who live alone, or who want to maximize other forms of storage.

Drawer Dishwashers

A newly popular option on the market are drawer dishwashers which typically have two separate washing compartments. These are great for people who regularly don’t fill up an entire standard size dishwasher, for people who entertain and like to get one load going while you enjoy the main course, or for anyone who wants to keep the delicate glassware or crystal separate from their larger bulkier items.

No matter what your needs are in your space, our kitchen designers can help you determine what makes sense with your style preferences and desired layout. From there, you will be informed and prepared when speaking with an appliance expert to achieve a highly customized kitchen for you and your family!