In my current kitchen remodels, we're using the stainless on it's own. I like the look, sleek and clean, and I like to know where my appliances are hiding :oP

But we're looking to purchase a period home now and after touring many kitchens, I have to say, I'd make ample use of panels if I were doing a somewhat historically accurate kitchen myself. In addition, I wouldn't just panel a sub zero, I'd have a custom amoire built for it (I believe in that same magazine there's one that looks like a yellow cabinet with chalk board paint?). BUt much of that decision would depend on how much room you have (unfitted kitchens take space!). I'd also not do the wall ovens myself, but instead would use a Lacanche so you could have function, but also have a gorgeous and period feeling range.

I did tour one home that had a period looking wall oven though...I'll see if I can find the picture for you. It was white and looked like the front of an old wood cooking stove, but was a wall oven.

I went with stainless panels on existing appliances. Our fairly new compactor (white) and dishwasher (black) didn't match our new SS fridge, MW and stove. So I ordered SS custom panels for the DW from FrigoDesign.com and a slide in panel and other parts from PCAppliancerepair.com and they look brand new! Just another option other than wood panels and saved lot of $ rather than purchasing new appliances just so they would match. Good Luck!

I'm a fan of not hiding the appliances, but in this kitchen reno I decided to put a panel on the dishwasher only because it's to the left of the farmhouse sink, and I thought it would look better that way. If I was going with an undermount sink I definitely would have left the diswasher exposed along with the rest of the appliances.

Thanks everyone and especially ngng for the references to Frigo and PCA!

My home is a 1970 Spanish Colonial, but I wish it was a 1920 Spanish Colonial. I am not a fan of stainless steel. Let me rephrase, I hate stainless steel. It just reminds me of chemistry lab or a doctor's office. I want my home to feel warm, and to me, stainless is cold and clinical. So, I went with a colored (cobalt blue Viking) range and single wall oven, and plan to panel the dishwasher, refrigerator and freezer, and warming drawer. Right now, the kitchen is down to studs so no pictures, yet. So, to answer your question, I am a big fan of panelling. BUT, surely you know yourself whether you like the look or not. Many people love the look of stainless; I'm just not one of them. If I had a real 1927 Tudoresque, I definately wouldn't want huge stainless (or black or white) appliances demanding my attention. I would want the eye to fall on the architecture and wood. You can get a focal point range , and a single wall oven (which will be the one you use most of the time).

With period kitchens especially, my feeling is that if you go the paneled appliance route, the panels must, make that MUST, convincingly mimic period cabinetry. By that I mean the DW for instance has to look like a bank of drawers... Don't go the 'slap a framed single panel' route that reads 'I'm a DW behind a DW panel'.

Agree with Igloo re the frig. I am seriously in lust with a frig armoire from Moore & Bradfield.

There really isn't a good way to disguise the cooking appliances so I wouldn't worry about them. If you want wall ovens, get wall ovens. Either tuck the ovens away somewhere out of immediate sight or rationalize the situation. Something along the lines of...''I'm darned sure not going to cook in the fireplace or shovel coal and, anyway, I'm sure that IF burgundy or cobalt blue self cleaning electric wall ovens had been available in 1842 there would have been one in this kitchen...'' Or use the period kitchen as an excuse to get an Aga or a LaCanche. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Moore & Bradfield

I too agree with the Aga or the LaCanche. I absolutely love both of them. There is also Bertazzoni (made in Italy). There are also Heartland Appliances as well for the period look. They do have double wall ovens that are beautiful in the period look. Check them out. Expensive but absolutely beautiful!

Here is a link that might be useful: Heartland appliances

I like to see kitchens that are appropriate for the house style. But they aren't museums trying to accurately depict a certain year in history. Even houses we now consider historic evolved with age. When something became available it was incorporated. And they didn't hide it.

Thanks for all your thoughts. My house is definitely not a candidate for the Historical Society Preservation Board tour. Just a nice little 1927 tudor style that we had the good fortune to purchase from the estate of the original owners, so nothing had been "remuddled." I want to keep the kitchen sensitively consistent with the house so will preserve leaded windows and cupboard doors but anyone who takes period design seriously would surely call my kitchen transitional. So be it. Just want to think it through carefully, so thanks for the suggestions!

I am also addressing the issue of appliance panels, and I also have a period home - 1932 Tudor. We have done an unfitted kitchen, mostly with antiques, which eliminates standard cabinetry panels.I personally don't care for stainless, having been a professional cook before having my kids. I have hand-wrought hardware, so for panels we have decided to have our gc simply box in the appliances Then on the face of the doors we are mounting antique iron trellises I found on ebay. We have the Thermador freedom columns, so the narrownesss of the doors eiminates the weight issue. Quite surprisingly, according to Thermador,the hinges can hande up to250bs., and that many people are even using granite. Another option I considered was the use of glass panels. There is some amazing fused or dichroic glass out there, but I didn't consider it age appropriate. We aren't specifically adhering to historical architecture, but we are avoiding anything glaringly mispaced. Glass mosaic tiles are an option as well, altho in our case, didn't work w/our backspash.
As far as an oven goes, I believe that no kitchen can "work" if it does not suit your cooking style.Don't go for a range if it's not the way you cook. I beleive Heartland makes a retro design. And a cooktop can be made to look like a range with creative cabinetry.For ideas check out Robeys.co.uk. The refrigerators are amazing. I used to have a site with reconstructed antique ranges that are unfortunately unaffordable if you need to ask theprice! If I can recall it, I will post it. Another site of interest - worldwideglass.com.
If this whole-house reno is ever done, and if I learn how to post pics. online, I'll show you the results
Nora

Personally, I'm not a big fan of panels unless they are done exceedingly well. Most of the time, it just looks like you are trying to hide something under a slab of wood, and, as such (to me) it makes it more obstrusive. But that is just ME. (And I'll add that I have seen lovely examples of panels in various H&G mags - it is just that in real life I have only seen the other variety). I think you can feel comfortable designing your kitchen most anyway that feels right to YOU. It is nice to be sensitive to the age and style of the home, but you don't need to be a slave to that. I am speaking as an owner of a 1890 farmhouse (which I guess you'd call antique if the 30s are considered period). Most period homes aren't museums so while it is nice to preserve some of the details you like, you don't need to keep ones you don't (or that aren't efficient today).

Personally - I am a fan of appliance panels! I hate having a stainless steel DW and Frig. as it is hard to keep looking sparkling clean. (same with black) I just love the look.. and we are having them installed in our new home and had them in our previous home as well.

Tinker,

Could you please post pictures of your paneled fridge? What make is it? I am planning to put in a Jenn-aire paneled fridge and hope that it will look good and almost built in. I don't know if this is an unreasonable hope.
Thanks,
Judy

I am putting panels on my fridge and my dishwasher and I wouldn't have it any other way. I hate stainless steel - I absolutely hate it. I have it now and with 3 kids and their sticky fingerprints it looks terrible ALL the time. As far as it looking like I am trying to hide something under a piece of wood? You're right, that's exactly what I am trying to do!

Judy,

My new home is not yet complete, but here is a photo of our old home with the Jenn-Air French Door Refrigerator. I am using the same one this time as well, but installing custom handles on it.

Tinker thanks, that's perfect. I am delighted, it looks great. Can the upper cupboard be brought down closer to the top of the fridge? I guess that you like the fridge.

Good luck with the new one.

Judy

I don't like appliance panels, so there's my prejudice. I agree that most don't make the appliance really look like cabinetry. It's more like, "There's the fridge with a panel on it" than "There's a beautiful armoire ... oh, look! it's the fridge." (I admire the workmanship of the latter category, but still wouldn't want it in my kitchen.)

Personally, I think it's entirely a matter of personal taste, as neither is period-appropriate. Well, I suppose I could argue that non-paneled appliances are more period-appropriate, as the original owners of your Tudor almost certainly used modern (to them) appliances without trying to disguise them.

If it were my house, I'd use cabinetry that harmonizes with the rest of the millwork in the house, but use whatever modern appliances you like, without panels. In fact, that's what I'm going to do in my 1917 (or so) Victorian (though a very simple Victorian it is!).

thanks, all, for taking the time to respond. Many valuable perspectives. I had not thought about the panels not showing fingerprints like the SS DW will. So many thing to consider! Maintenance, function, aesthetics! As confused as I am, I just cannot imagine any KD putting more thought into my kitchen than I myself (with all your most helpful posts) have been doing.

Hi Tinker,

Do you find that the panels on the fridge get chipped or nicked easily?

Thanks,
Judy

No Judy, not at all. I would think it would chip the same as any cabinet - it you hit or banged it, otherwise, contact with the cabinet didn't seem to happen. I loved it so much, (and the lack of finger prints - which I HATE) we decided to do our dishwasher too. First house we were talked out of them on the dishwasher, claiming the steam would damage them, but once we had the dishwasher, we knew we were misinformed and that the steam doesn't come in contact with the panel.

Thanks, Tinker. Can the upper cupboard be brought down closer to the top of the fridge, so that there is little or no gap?
Judy

Not sure if you are deciding between a framed or full-overlay appliance.

We have a framed refrigerator rather than the full overlay. We weren't really trying to hide the refrigerator but rather to minimize the effect of something 42-inches wide.

One thing I learned with the framed [subzero] is that you need to order special extended handles that protrude a little further. Otherwise, there won't be space to grip the handle.

jayne

I like paneled in some kitchens and the appliance look in others it just depends. I have never had stainless though and am very concerned about fingerprints as they would drive me crazy and I can't imagine having to clean every time one of us uses the fridge.
Tinker,
Your fridge in the picture looks great! I have not seen any freestanding fd/cd with panels and now that I've seen yours...I am leaning towards panels! Do you mind sharing what brand of cabinetry is in your old kitchen? I am wondering if different cabinet manufacturers do a better job with the panels than others. TIA!

Yolande,
You might be able to get a small piece of stained/painted to match molding to add to the bottom cabinet to lessen the gap and give the fridge a more built in look.

Judy, I would imagine a piece of trim board could have been added easy enough to close that gap on top... I think I will inquire about that too.

lucky, the refig is a Jenn-Air French Door and the panels /cabinets are Medallion. We are in a rental home now, with Stainless appliances - and I HATE, HATE , HATE the streaks and fingerprints. Cleaning the oven and microwave will be enough for me.

Tinker, is it a problem to put on custom handles? My KD finds that the JA handles are too long and obtrusive.

Thanks,
Judy

Adding a panel to the dishwasher would be the one thing I would change about our new kitchen. However, we had just purchased a really nice and expensive ASKO instainless steel when we moved in, so couldn't see replacing it.

My reason is a little different, but might go along with your "period" kitchen. The reason is, the stainless steel right next to the apron sink, takes a little wow away from the sink. If it was only cabinetry, it would be a cleaner look and the Shaw sink would sing in all it's glory.

However, when this dw dies, I will replace with fully integrated and have a door panel made to match my cabinets, no matter the cost.

The frig is a frig and really large (42" SS) and I didn't feel the need to conceal it, it sits at the end of a cabinet run and is built in and looks just great. It isn't taking away from any other "feature" in the kitchen.

By the way, I love the idea of the green-ish cabinets you described. They sound lovely and would be just that little bit different than the norm! I tend to like "a little different"!

Good Luck!

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