Appliances---When Size Matters

Two apartments in NYC that recently became one.

As anyone in New York City knows, combining apartments is our urban equivalent to suburbia's "putting on an addition". And just like in the burbs, this type of remodeling is on an upswing, perhaps even more so than "up country" because city dwellers can take immediate advantage of the drop in real estate prices when they buy their neighbors place. Where as in New Jersey...you already own your yard, it's just worth less than it was 3 years ago.

It's always interesting to see what extra space is allowed for the new single kitchen, even if the apartment doubled in size, and they ripped out one of the kitchens...it's rare that the kitchen doubles, although I have seen it a couple of times recently. It does seem more likely that TWO 2-bedrooms will become a 3-bedroom with a family room than a 4-bedroom anyway, it's just another trend I see.

Miele 24" Oven, Microwave and Warming Drawer.

What to do then with the 3 bedroom luxury apartment with a 9' one wall galley kitchen and an island...well, first thing is be careful, and don't waste an inch. It's very important to consider cooking and shopping practices in these cases. While a three bedroom home on Long Island or New Jersey would usually have a 36" refrigerator, it wouldn't be uncommon to do a 30" Sub Zero in the city. And it's doable when you take into account the fact that we tend to shop more frequently, picking up fresh fruits and vegetables at the farmers markets on our way home. This is especially easy to manage if there is an additional space for a beverage fridge, say in the new family room.

People in both the city and the suburbs overall love the idea of a wall oven. It's so much easier to lift a heavy roast (or vegetable lasagna) out of an oven that is above counter height than to heft it from down low, possibly straining your back. The beautiful selection of ovens and their sleek look when combined with microwaves and warming drawers when  built in, conjures up images of an uncluttered, well functioning workspace. Normally you would allocate 30" for this appliance set up, but it is possible to do it with a 24" appliance combination from Miele, and if your apartment is a 2 bedroom, that oven may be large enough for the home. One thing to consider before buying a wall oven is if you have the electrical service to support it.  If it's not available, the cost of bringing it in can be exorbitant!

Of all appliances, dishwashers are the ones that sometimes get left out of the equation when something has to go, great space saving options are the Miele Incognito 18" fully integrated or a dish drawer which is generally 24" wide but can be installed as a single, leaving room for more storage under it.

Concetta with a Wolf 36" cook top.

Cook tops come in many different sizes, from the Wolf 15" two-burner up to 48" with grill...you will find one that is right for your space, people seem to like to go a little larger on this appliance, perhaps because of the glamour and fun of standing behind it, especially if you can install it in an island and enjoy time "cheffing it up" with your friends. To indulge a little here is okay, after all redoing a kitchen is a major expense and takes energy, you should enjoy it when its over.

The thing to be most careful about is that your appliances have a relationship, with each other, the number of people you would expect to live in the home, and of course, don't forget the sink. It's important that if you would reasonably expect to use a pot of a certain size to cook, you would have a sink or a dishwasher likewise to accommodate it.

Well thought out storage solutions are the key to a well planned kitchen, and as Gale Steves pointed out to me recently, it's about right sizing your home, you can add storage without adding space to the room, just be smart, and even the toe kick under your cabinets can be useful. Be creative and have fun!

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