I am really getting tired of stainless less appliances. Would it be a big mistake to go to white appliances and a white farmhouse sink?

What color are your cabinets? What is the size of the kitchen? Is there enough cabinetry each side of the sink to feature the farmhouse sink?
Spatial organization in a kitchen renovation is all about creating a cohesive design to feature the focal point. To achieve the best looking kitchen – especially in a small space where the amount of appliances nearly equals the number of cabinets - arrange all similar materials together (cabinets, counter tops, appliances, etc.) much like instruments in an orchestra: where violins are in one area and percussion are in another. Otherwise, you’ll have a cacophony of sound and a mish-mosh looking kitchen.
Kitchen appliances today are most often white, stainless steel or paneled. Budget minded remodeling (in the simplest sense) will do well with white cabinets and white appliances for a clean look, easy to enjoy. If light wood cabinets are desired, adding a panel on the dishwasher helps unify the base cabinets and continues the relaxed feeling. Leaving the dishwasher different from the cabinetry creates the ‘missing tooth’ look. Not so nice.
Your lifestyle will determine the feeling you want to create. Renovating with dark cabinets sets a more formal mood, which white appliances tend to negate. I find that white appliances paired with dark cabinets are too contrasty. Using a black stove with a microwave above it looks good with dark cabinets. However, a black refrigerator, because of its size is very oppressive. A paneled refrigerator would look better, but if this is beyond the budget (and it’s not easy to say), use stainless steel.
Stainless steel appliances, however, work with all kitchen cabinet colors. When a stainless dishwasher is adjacent to the stove or the stove is against the side wall, wrapping the standard cabinet filler with a piece of steel gives the stove a wider and more impressive presence. In addition, stainless steel doors on the sink base of a short wall of appliances adds continuity.
Stainless steel refrigerators have a powerful bulk that I find is diminished by a small cabinet above with thin wood panels alongside. (It’s like seeing a muscleman wearing an Easter bonnet.) In keeping with the theme of grouping similar materials together, the more expensive built-in refrigerator with panels on the front is one solution. Another bold look teams stainless steel side panels with steel doors on the upper cabinet. This adds height to the solid refrigerator form.
For more ideas, view my web site: RosenhausKitchenDesign.com. Click Gallery, then select your style.
Mark Rosenhaus, CKD

0 people like this answer