If you are planning to renovate your existing kitchen, or you are building a brand new one, one design trend that is worth considering is incorporating integrated or built-in kitchen appliances into your design.
“Although free-standing appliances remain popular, on the high-end scale, any well-dressed kitchen worth its salt will boast integrated or built-in kitchen appliances throughout. There are many aesthetic and functional benefits of installing built-in appliances that it is easy to understand why they have evolved into a must-have design element for today’s modern kitchens.”
What are built-in or integrated appliances?
As their name suggests, built-in appliances are incorporated into the kitchen cabinetry, walls, or countertops for a modern sophisticated look. Integrated appliances take it one step further and cover the appliance with an exterior panel so that it blends in seamlessly with the surrounding cabinetry.
This offers a sleek appearance; however, it is important to note that not all appliances can be fully integrated, says Jon.
“Usually, a good kitchen design will either boast all built-in appliances, or a mixture of integrated and built-in appliances. Large appliances, such as refrigeration, laundry and dishwashers lend themselves well to full integration, while cooking appliances, such as hobs, ovens, microwaves, steam ovens and cooker hoods for example are best left as built-in units.”
Benefits of built-in
Nothing happens in a vacuum – there is a reason why built-in appliances have become so popular amongst homeowners the world over – the main reason being that they offer several functional and design benefits that freestanding appliances can’t. These include:
Sleek good looks: As more and more kitchens are being designed as open-plan spaces that form part of larger living areas, so does the demand increase for kitchens that offer better aesthetics that won’t let the side down visually. Open-plan kitchen layouts are where built-in appliance really come to the fore, notes Jon: “It’s all about creating a sense of uniformity for a satisfying and design-orientated result. Take Miele’s Artline range of appliances for example – the collection dispenses with handles entirely to blend in seamlessly with flush furniture fronts. The range interprets the concept of full appliance integration in a whole new way – the function of the handle on a conventional model has been replaced by a sensor that is integrated into the fascia, called Touch2Open technology. Gently touching this sensor opens the motor-assisted door, damping its action as it reaches the fully open position. It’s all about simplicity and diverting the visual focus to cabinetry details instead.”
Space-saving benefits: By selecting built-in appliances that would have normally been positioned on countertops, such as coffee machines and microwaves for example, you will not only free up precious work space, but it will also allow you to install a wider selection of appliances. Says Jon: “You can now select a variety of appliances and create an attractive and space-efficient bank of built-in appliances along one wall in your kitchen. Miele’s range of built-in appliances can be installed in a variety of different ways, including horizontally, vertically, or in a t-shaped formation for a truly tailored cooking solution. Miele’s appliances are designed to match each other perfectly across the entire product range allowing for seamless visual pairing.”
Better functionality: “An oven installed at eye-level is far easier to operate than one where you have to bend down to look inside,” explains Jon. He adds that built-in appliances allow you to choose where you would like them to be positioned, instead of their location being dictated to you: “This not only makes them easier to use, but it also allows you to use up otherwise awkward spaces in a novel and efficient manner. For example, why not install a small built-in wine cooler on one side of your kitchen island – this is great use of space that would normally be wasted.”
Easier to clean: Due to the way built-in appliances are installed, there are no gaps or spaces between the kitchen units and the appliances where food or dirt can get trapped. Jon says that this makes them quicker and easier to clean, and makes for a more hygienic overall kitchen space overall.
Increased property values: Many potential homebuyers look for a nice kitchen as this room tends to be one of the most expensive areas to renovate. They will be willing to pay more for a property with a beautiful new kitchen with integrated or built-in appliance solutions. By investing in a reputable and trusted kitchen appliance brand, like Miele for example, you are investing in a defined level of quality, craftmanship, performance, sustainability, and service, as well as in the brand’s reputation that it has carefully grown over its lifetime, says Jon: “When you invest in a Miele appliance, you are investing in quality ahead of its time. It’s this quality that will no doubt add value to your home if you decide to sell.”
Things to consider
If you are set on including built-in appliances in your new kitchen, then there are a few considerations that ought to be given some thought, notes Jon.
“Built-in appliances will cost more to replace, and as such it is imperative to choose the best quality appliances that your budget can afford to ensure that you enjoy the maximum lifespan of the appliance in question. Miele appliances for example, are designed, manufactured and tested to last for a minimum of 20 years – which is far longer than the average- 7-year lifespan of most of its competitors.”
He says that you should also ensure that you select the most energy and water efficient appliances possible, such as Miele’s benchmark-setting appliances, as this will save you money over the appliance’s lifetime.”
Another major consideration is of course to ensure that the appliances you choose are silent and do not vibrate when in operation, notes Jon.
“Any movement when operating could have disastrous effects to the structure of the cabinetry over time. Also, you do not want to listen to your appliances doing their job, when you are entertaining your friends or family. To this end, Miele has gone to extreme lengths to ensure such quiet operation, that you wouldn’t know that the machine is even in operation, says Jon: “Miele’s dishwashers for example, operate at particularly quiet noise levels from 41dB, and deliver consistently perfect results. This is significantly quieter than normal conversation.”
Modern kitchen appliances of today have moved away from being utilitarian machines that are purely functional. Today, appliances are expected to look as good as they perform, notes Jon: “Modern kitchen appliances, like those manufactured by Miele for example, must offer high-end performance and convenience, while simultaneously visually complementing the kitchen cabinetry and adding positively to the aesthetics of the kitchen space in which they are located. Integration might come at a slightly higher cost, but the results make it more than worth it in the long run.”
Want all the latest property news and curated hot property listings sent directly to your inbox? Register for Property24’s Hot Properties, Lifestyle and Weekly Property Trends newsletters or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
Print
