What a Custom Kitchen Designer Would do Differently in her Own Kitchen
Many of our clients at Fresh Design Group worry when making decisions about whether they are making the right choices for the long term. I figured I’ll save you the trouble: what could be better than learning the good and bad from a kitchen designer who built her own kitchen a few years ago?!
WHAT I LOVE
1: First and foremost, my kitchen cabinets! Being in the industry, I certainly had my own choice of pretty much any cabinet brand I wanted. I chose Wellsford Custom Cabinetry, located in Pennsylvania. In business for decades and owned by the same group of families that entire time, they have quality NAILED. And that quality is crucial to longevity. My husband and I love to cook and entertain. It’s common on a summer weekend to find a dozen friends in my kitchen. I needed something I could use and abuse, and we do. Wellsford has hands down the best quality in the business. The finish on my cabinets, a combo of paint and stain, has endured through countless dinners and clean-ups. The cabinets are as stable as the day they were installed. Lesser brands won’t hold up this way. I’ve seen other brands peel, chip, and become out of square, which means doors and drawers don’t open and close properly, and the paint or stain shows significant signs of wear. This is a big investment. I always advise clients to put that investment where they use it most, and that’s your cabinetry. This is NOT the place to settle. And Wellford has a win-win here: The other reason I love Wellsford is that they can build anything gorgeous that I want; since they are all handmade, they can be highly creative! In this case, I asked for a specialty one-inch-thick door for a deeper, richer look, in a style I designed myself with rounded island corners, and accents of walnut in a Bahama shutter style! This is no plain Jane kitchen. I drove myself (and lots of other people) nuts coming up with new and creative ideas, and Wellsford executed every single one… with the utmost patience and skill! If I had to do it all again, I’d use Wellsford for sure.
2: My Taj Mahal counters. Please don’t tell me that quartz is more durable than natural stone. So much of that is marketing hype. Man made materials, such as quartz, are definitely a lesser budget, but a good quality natural Taj (which is quartzite, not quartz), takes a beating and keeps on giving. Plus, it’s gorgeous. It just is. It’s a completely different look than quartz. I use both man-made and natural for my clients, but I will say most clients do gravitate toward a natural stone because the aesthetic is unbeatable. I made sure I sourced from a very reputable yard (shout out to @NashstoneGroup) because there are inferior stones on the market, and you want the best quality here. Again, this is not the place to skimp. My counters are classic, durable, and beautiful, and I share the love every day.
3: Double ovens and a range top. This is the premier choice among cooks because of the flexibility. I chose a steam wall oven, which doubles as a regular oven, and a full sized (30 inch) wall oven directly underneath. I can cook veggies in one and a roast in the other, or I can crisp veggies, bread, or pizza in the steam oven. Love them both. And then I have a 36 inch range top, in gas, for all my burner needs. It holds a cast iron pan no problem and has a low simmer burner for melting and simmering at low heat. My choice was the @TherrmadorHome for its flexibility, high quality, and simmer burner. I love this combo of appliances and would happily do it again.
WHAT I WOULD CHANGE
1: Okay, we are definitely the party house, but I am not sure that I need a column wine fridge that holds 58 bottles. I don’t even have 58 friends, and if I did, I am hoping each one would not need their own bottle. I made myself choose between that and the built-in coffee / espresso maker. To be honest, I wish I had splurged on the coffee maker instead. We drink a lot more coffee, and the built-in ones can do different beans (think decaf for her and regular for him), and add all sorts of milk and espresso drinks. In retrospect, I would have used the coffee maker more.
2: I would have done two dishwashers! WHY oh WHY didn’t I do two dishwashers??? I had the room. I could have sacrificed a bit of pot storage for an extra dishwasher. Yeah, that would have been a good choice. Consider it if you do a lot of entertaining.
3: I would have added more seating to my island. I have room for three. I may not have 58 friends, but I have a LOT more than three. Enough said.
The things I would change: I am being super picky here. I am in love with basically every nuance of my kitchen. But I do love transparency and honesty, and I want you to learn from my wins and “not wins.” It’s a big investment, and I want to help you get it just right! Happy cooking!