What we don't like
kathy_t
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Featured Answer
Comments (16)
carolyn_ky
6 years agokathy_t
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoRelated Discussions
Need help with choosing a Front-Load Washer
Comments (8)Not John and Kate + 8? ;) I spent months researching my new machines (literally - you can trace my posts back to summer of last year I think). I had a Frigidaire front loader for 10 years so I was not new to front load washing. My Frigidaire was pretty basic (no heater, no fancy settings). We are a family of four (2 adults, 2 kids ages 8 and 5). I'm not even sure how many loads we do but it's a lot. When you factor in bedding, towels, clothes, separate loads like tea towels, cleaning cloths, my husband's dress shirts ... oh my! I narrowed my search down to Miele (W4842) and LG (WM3885). I would have considered Samsung but they do not make a gas dryer for Canada. I wanted, very badly, to love the Bosch Vision 800. Firstly, they are discontinuing their 27" washing machine line end of this year. That concerns me from a part perspective. You would hope parts will be available way down the line but who's to know. I also felt Bosch did not feel very solidly built. I found the dials and plastics felt cheap. I also felt that Whirlpool and Maytag did not feel very "solid". On one machine I was looking at, the detergent drawer was hard to push in and stay in. I really felt the LG machine felt very solid. Everything on them moved effortlessly from dials to detergent drawer. They seem to get very good customer reviews and they were voted most reliable by "a leading consumer magazine". In the end I opted for the Miele (W4842/T9822). I gave up bells, whistles and larger capacity in the hopes of cleaning excellence. I've had them since early February. I can't say how much better they are than my second choice LG (as I've never owned the LG). Although my parents have brand new LG (entry level) machines and are very happy with them. I can say that the Miele definitely washes better than my previous machine and rinses MUCH better. I was always struggling with bubbles left on the glass of my previous machine and that is never a problem with the Miele. Even detergents that were too sudsy for my previous machine work wonderfully in the new Miele. Miele has some features that are hard to appreciate until you own them. I read previously that most machines determine how much water to use based on weight of the load. Miele does not do that but instead "senses" how much water is needed. Therefore, on a load like towels that absorb a lot of water, it will give you more. Other makes will not. I think this makes a difference. Miele also has a setting for comforters (I also use it for mattress pads or anything really bulky) that will "vent" the item(s) first. It thoroughly wets them and then spins out before it actually begins washing. I wasn't sure the heater was a big deal to me. I hadn't had one before and things seemed ok. I really appreciate it now. I also appreciate that the Miele maintains target temps in all settings (except Normal). Other makes (like LG) will only guarantee temps in sanitary and extra hot. I often use the Extra White setting now for items like tea towels, bath towels and bed sheets. My tea towels are noticeably whiter and cleaner. I also feel better knowing they are washed in such hot water. I'm very pleased with my Miele pair. The dryer is another whole discussion. I really like it. It dries very quickly and leaves clothes with some moisture which in the long run is better for fabrics. They are not the largest machines available; you have to decide what your top priority is. Nor are they the quietest (LG is a little quieter - maybe due to their direct drive motor) - although they are not that noisy. I really wanted the best cleaning with the (hopefully) most durable machine. I did get a free upgrade to a 10 year warranty with Miele so that definitely helped push me to that decision. I had to pay for the extended LG warranty and it was only for 5 years. FWIW, my sales guy works in a store that sells the most Miele in Canada. He sells a lot of Miele (he's even been to Germany to see manufacturing first hand). His first choice is Miele, his current second choice is Samsung and then LG. He's no longer a fan of Whirlpool/Maytag and definitely not Bosch. He said if everyone could see what's "under the hood" of a Miele - they would choose it over the others. No one builds them like Miele (he tells me). Good luck!...See MoreExterior paint-please help, I'm lost!
Comments (12)I have another question. If we decide to paint an accent color for the rest of the exterior doors....and I'm still not sure this is a good idea...we have THREE different styled doors on the back porch. A solid 6-panel, a single French door, and a double French door. Will painting these a color different than the trim highlight the fact that none of the doors match? My gut says yes, and just paint them the trim color. OR...paint just the main door that exits from the house (the double French) the accent color, thus making the other doors secondary and less noticable? I have looked at tan colored paint chips until my eyes cross, and don't like any of them. Now I'm considering going lighter with a cream. The yellow undertones seem to be the better match, but I want something a bit muddy that doesn't read YELLOW from the street. I thought this would be a fun project, but since we're hiring this job out, there's considerable pressure to get it right the first time. We could repaint doors and shutters ourselves, so if we goof on those, it's not a huge deal, but the trim color has to be right....See MoreUpdate on "How do I find / buy art?"
Comments (22)In defense of the dissing of photo portraits, we were standing near a couple that looked very much like a senior picture. Picture a photo of a pleasant-looking young woman, from the shoulders up, with some trees in the background. Not dramatic trees, not "forest at midnight & mysterious mood lighting". Just person in front of some trees, and a person who looks to be dressed in something you could buy today. The composition was about as interesting as the "sample picture" that is in a lot of frames at Target. Not bad ... but not something I really understood. I can understand feeling a connection with a portrait of someone with an interesting face or a cultural significance. And I've seen some antique photo portraits used in homes that were pretty interesting & worked with the space. I still don't know that I want to buy a photo that has a person looking at me, though. I wonder if it goes back to having those pictures of "little girls with BIG eyes" around when I was a kid? It's hard to explain, but these looked like someone walked into a high school in AnyTown, USA & chose one of the pretty girls with attractive (but not stunning) features and said, "Hey, can you stand over here in front of these trees? I'm going to take a few black & white shots ..." At least, that's what it looked like to me. But then again, many critics denounced Impressionistic paintings when that style first started because they just didn't get it. I might be like one of them ;)...See MoreLayout Help, Round 2
Comments (25)I've definitely seen plenty of others do the DW on the perpendicular wall from the sink. How long is that "arm" of your counter run? Could you put the DW on the far end of that run and still squeeze in an 18" drawer stack there? That'd give you plenty of "standing space" at the sink with the DW open. If you can do that, then I'd go with that plan. 15" drawer stack might be OK, but I'm not sure. I guess to maintain access to that blind corner, you'd need some sort of corner cabinet there . . . so work that in to your plans. You do need trash access somewhere nearby, so that complicates things as well . . . Play with your floor plan and see what you can come up with. The main advantage is that when the DW door is open, it isn't blocking access from the prep zone (range-sink counter run) to the sink itself. You don't want to be tripping over the DW door with a hot pot of water when you need to drain it. Another way (that I like better) that might work with this same general floor plan would be to put the sink and DW over on the short run next to the banquette. (Put the sink under the window, and the DW to the right. Change the upper cabinet to a traditional lower/upper combination to free up that counter space for hand wash drying, etc. Then put the range smack in the middle of that nice long counter run (the one where your sink/DW are now). Allows lots of space on both sides for prep, etc. If you do that, you might look at replacing the counter/cabinets on the right side of your fridge with a big pantry cabinet (unless you have plenty of pantry space elsewhere)....See Morefriedag
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agovee_new
6 years agoyoyobon_gw
6 years agowoodnymph2_gw
6 years agosheri_z6
6 years agocarolyn_ky
6 years agoannpanagain
6 years agoci_lantro
6 years agotackykat
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agowoodnymph2_gw
6 years agokathy_t
6 years agowoodnymph2_gw
6 years agoannpanagain
6 years ago
Related Stories
LIGHTING10 Chandeliers for People Who Don't Like Chandeliers
Get all the chandelier benefits without channeling Liberace, thanks to wood, paper, wire — and even a surprising old-fashioned staple
Full StoryWhen a Column Doesn't Look Like a Column
See Why Designers May Opt for Tree-like Supports in Wood or Steel
Full StoryFURNITUREObjects of Desire: Recliners That Don’t Look Like Recliners
Forget bulky, hulky eyesores. These 7 smart and svelte chairs — some without levers — have mastered the art of disguise
Full StoryTRADITIONAL HOMESHouzz Tour: New Shingle-Style Home Doesn’t Reveal Its Age
Meticulous attention to period details makes this grand shorefront home look like it’s been perched here for a century
Full StoryLIFEYou Said It: ‘Just Because I’m Tiny Doesn’t Mean I Don’t Go Big’
Changing things up with space, color and paint dominated the design conversations this week
Full StoryFUN HOUZZ10 Things People Really Don’t Want in Their Homes
No love lost over fluorescent lights? No shocker there. But some of these other hated items may surprise you
Full StoryBEFORE AND AFTERSKitchen Rehab: Don’t Nix It, Fix It
A small makeover makes a big impact in a traditional kitchen in Atlanta with great bones
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNBathroom Storage: Where to Keep the TP?
The Houzz community steps in with 19 tidy toilet paper storage solutions
Full StorySHOP HOUZZShop Houzz: Live Like a Libra
Designer furniture, soft earth tones and a modern kitchen. Who couldn’t get used to living like this?
Full StorySTORAGEMan Space: A Guy Likes a Nice Closet, Too
If clothes make the man, shouldn't a man make a great space for the clothes? Take inspiration from these dream closets for dudes
Full Story
bigdogstwo