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New Take on Refrigeration

Guest Writer: Felix Menedez, Famous Tate

The days of massive stainless appliances may be coming to an end. For nearly twenty years the recognized symbol of the luxury kitchen was the enormous stainless built-in refrigerator. Recent trends now seem to indicate appliances becoming less “in your face” and more a complement to quality materials and workmanship.

Many upscale kitchens have traditionally utilized a single built-in refrigerator unit. These built-ins are still very popular and are typically side-by-side refrigerator/freezers, most commonly forty-two or forty-eighty-inches wide. These refrigerators are “built-in” to the cabinets and stand about eighty-four inches tall. The built-in refrigerator is typically the focal point of any kitchen to draw attention to their impressive size and storage capacity. They can be installed with integrated cabinet panels or factory supplied stainless panels to achieve that commercial kitchen look.

Column refrigeration is a newer category and has allowed the “built-in” refrigerator to be separated into separate refrigeration and freezer units. This allows for a more flexible layout and a more creative approach to kitchen design.  Realistically, not every kitchen may be big enough or benefit from an eighty-four-inch tall by forty-eight-inch wide refrigeration product. However, many homeowners would enjoy having that storage space available to them if it were laid out differently. With the advent of refrigeration columns, you can place your more frequently utilized refrigerator near the sink while installing your less visited freezer against the opposite wall.

Maybe you like them together but would prefer a smaller refrigerator or larger freezer?  Refrigeration and freezer columns are available in eighteen, twenty-four, thirty, and thirty-six inches allowing you to create your own unique look based on your own unique needs.

New Take on Finishes

And it doesn’t need to be a stainless column either. With fully-integrated custom panels you the units can be installed flush with your cabinetry giving your kitchen a warmer feeling and eliminating the need for constant stainless polishing. Columns also make grills and hinges disappear allowing the units to seamlessly blend in with the surrounding cabinetry. And since each unit has its own separate temperature and humidity levels, your food will last longer and stay fresher.

Luxury appliance manufacturers are offering increasing options to better reflect personal choices.

IDC Select Partnerships

Johanna is very selective with her craftsmen, trade and vendor alliances; and will only work with the elite in their field of expertise. Famous Tate is one such example. Johanna is relentless in ensuring these partnerships mutually understand the design vision and goals.

This translates into providing you an exceptional level of knowledge, service and professionalism.

As your Interior Design Partner this is part of Johanna’s commitment to you in creating a one-of-a-kind experience for each and every client.

Contact Johanna today for your initial consultation.

Johanna G. Seldes, ASID IDC/Interior Design Consulting is a full service, award-winning Tampa Bay interior design firm that works with custom home builders, remodeling companies and individual clients. We provide interior design project management services throughout the entire construction process, including preconstruction design, selections, and installation.