apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I think I posted this too late in another open thread, just before it scrolled off the front page. So, for what it's worth... It's Faith's turquoise appliances--

www.ephemeranow.com/decor/decor038.htm

having the city to ourselves is great, however, i had an out of town visitor who wanted to do some touristy things. higlights - free walking tour of central park and no wait for brunch at kitchenette uptown; lowlights - CROWDED Met and Nomadic Museum.

Hurrah! I think that I am going to get my home equity loan approved. Step 1, pay off credit cards. Step 2, re-do my kitchen!

Here's my question ... what's the AT and NYC take on stainless steel appliances?

Joan! Thanks so much! What a great pic!! Now I want to redo my entire kitchen to match... But I think I'll settle for one of those frilly aprons from Anthropologie. I will stop at replicating the food, though. That asparagus looks suspiciously brown.

In all seriousness, I kind of actually like that tile around the oven.

The tile around her oven reminds me of the mosaic tile at the Dia Center...

I'm not a big fan of stainless steel, but mostly because everyone else has them and they seem to be the solid, "good taste" thing to have. Then again, most of the good stuff does come in stainless.

I love SS stuff as long as it's all ss. I am not a fan of the vast expanses of black trim on fridges and black tops on stoves that some manufacturers do. Although I don't think anything beats the clean design of the subzero 650 series of over/under fridge/freezers (but only with the rod shaped handles so that precludes the trim panel version with the pressed steel handles) there are cheaper alternatives that similarly do not have any black trim (I'm thinking Frididaire and some GE top line models) plus in terms of function the bottom freezer is a pain due to heft and difficulty in getting to your stuff. Of course Subzero do side by side also but they don't look as good to me.

Also, as much as like the big industrial look of a lot of ranges such as Viking, Wolf, Thermadoor et al, I also really like the sleeker European styles from Miele, Gaggenau, Siemens, Smeg (unfortunate name for the UK market), etc. which don't look as "in your face" as the US brands. Some are not ss though, but they are metal alloys such as Aluminium.

Take a look at Aida's kitchen here for an idea of how to do a unique kitchen with ss without looking like everything else out there.
www.apartmenttherapy.com/main/archives/002246.html

One last thing that ppl mention is fingerprints on ss but we never had a problem with this. It may be the ss cleaner we use which is a bit greasy but does not retain prints.

I've heard WD-40 is good for cleaning SS stuff.

Since SS is so trendy, I wonder if it will become passe in a few years, as did the avocado appliances of the past. But now those are retro trendy. If SS becomes passe, will it take 30-40 years to make a comeback? Kind of a long stretch for resale value.

Now that everyone seemingly has SS, it's inevitable that something new will take over...

The only alternative to SS I can see would be colors (like the "designer color" washer/dryers coming out). However, I don't see SS going out. If you have a nicely designed white or black appliance, they are still "in." It's the badly designed ones that no one wants.

Stainless steel has pretty much taken over, but for me, since I'm not much of a cook, and since I liked the 1937 stove and sink on my apartment, all I did was get a new faucet (chrome) and a new white fridge, because I just wanted it to fit in with the stove and the sink.

I had my fun with painting the walls to look like wallpaper from a 1941 sample book I bought on eBay, which gives me able the whimsy I can handle (and it took 2 and half months of my weekends and weekday evenings).

Since stainless steel appliances and wood cabinets seem to be the most ubiquitous look on HGTV, where they're showing enormous kitchens in California and other sprawling cities, many New Yorkers in small kitchens go for that look here, and I've seen it look nice. But I really enjoyed making mine look as compatible to the period of my place as I could. Mine was built within a year or two of the tiny little cottage that my grandparents lived in during my entire time of knowing them, so although that was thousands of miles away, and although this is an apartment and that was a cottage, and although I haven't used ANY of the colors they had, invoking that period feels nice to me.

If there's anything about the period of your place that suggests a color scheme or theme that resonates with you at all, try to listen to that and see what you come up with.

If the apartment is too new to really suggest a period, listen to yourself, or to the stuff you have. See if you can find that kitchen contest they had on here a while back, because most of that was pretty modern, and pretty fabulous. You might end up with stainless steel after all of that, because is actually popular for a reason; mainly because it can have kind of a lot of references itself, and interact well with sort of a lot of periods.

Totally agree with jamie pup that Aida's kitchen did one of the nicest jobs in making stainless look like an integrated choice rather than a fashion-add-on (AND agree with him about wondering why manufacturers make the sides of these appliances a deadly black...)

But I think stainless appliances plunked down in the middle of a "Tuscan" kitchen can look pretty silly. I'd rather see the appliances hidden with panels that integrate them into the cabinetry.

I also think one of the reason's Aida's kitchen worked so well was the lighting... ss can look like dreary tin cans if not lighted well.

p(too)!!! THERE you are. Chucky can now cancel his APB/Amber Alert.

Sniff around the comments from last week's posts and you'll see that your presence was missed.

Also, if you want something that's not just white and that's not stainless steel, there are also some fantastic re-conditioned antique things out there, like Elmira Stove Works, I think it is.

Must also second Chucky & Anne's comments about P(too)'s APB.

SS has been around for a while...only in the past few years has the trend really been burning up.

then again so has the trend in home improvement.

I faintly recall avocado green when i was really young..then some time in the 80's we went all SS. (well except the fridge was 1st blended in tot he cabinets...later went to SS)

My parents current home had SS done about 4-6 years ago, however everything was so big and cold that we decided to go to something more neutral/inviting.

I think i covered the saga...which should be done next week. (the oven will be late..never again to lowes...they even denied a refund!)

Oh i forgot to mention ...I know that viking offers diffrent trim packages...IE; a 30" elctric viking has a beige trim option for i think an additinal 350 usd.

When you figure base price is around 3,000usd
10-ish% more is not that high of a premium to pay.

then again this is a 30" electric viking (whats the point?)

and Joan - thank you for the link to ephemeranow. Have you ever visited
www.lileks.com/institute/interiors/index.html ?

I loved some of the rooms there on the ephemeranow site. Of course, a lot of us find so much decor from mid-century oddly comforting, even though I was born in 1969. Often I see photos/illustrations of rooms from then, and I instantly feel 'at home' - I live in a 50's apartment but many of my things are of a more recent provenance. I connect at a very elemental level with that mid-50's-through-early 70's aesthetic.

One of my favorite books is my 1974 edition of Terence Conran's The House Book.

My grandmother's 1961 couch is coming to live with me soon and I'm quite happy about that. 96" long, low, off-white, and it was in the *formal* living room - so of course it was never used and is like new.

Can anyone else suggest some good sites with ilustrations or photography from the 50's, 60's and 70's?

I know I have one bookmarked with scans from a 1970's Sears catalogue; it has some truly appalling rooms and I would be happy to dig for it if anyone wants it.

non-stainless-steel sidebar--
that amber alert comment made me laugh out loud. It's nice to know I was missed!! Thanks!

Faith - You're welcome! I was definitely drawn to those appliances in your kitchen.

Anne - You're welcome, too, and I've visited the lileks site for the Museum of Bad Food or whatever he calls it (quite scary and a big time sucker); now I'll have to go back for the interiors. I confess I check out ephemeranow every day or so, for new scans.

Ah. I mean The Gallery of Regrettable Food.

Wow - thanks for the Elmira Stove Works tip. Maybe enamel is the answer to stainless steel? I do like the clean, industrial look of SS, especially on work surfaces - having done lots of restaurant work, it's comfortingly utilitarian. But still, so bland sometimes.

This here is the sexy younger sister of my rangetop - www.elmirastoveworks.com/northstar/view_image.cfm?title=Mint%20Green%20Northstar%20Range&imagefile=images/range_green_lg.jpg

And I am totally liking their refrigerators. Expensive, though!!

Wow, I go off to a few meetings and look at all the helpful comments. Thanks everyone!

I'm trying to do this low-budget and with resale in mind, so I think SS is the best option for me.

Is there such a thing as a problem with your SS not matching if you buy appliances from different companies?

I was at Sears over the weekend, after seeing their mid-range Kenmore highly praised in Consumer Reports. Anyone else have a Kenmore kitchen?

Curtis, I'm thinking hard about what you said. I want a kitchen with heart. I live in an early 80s re-do building in the middle of a brownstone block in Prospect Hts, Brooklyn. I love to cook, so I want something that's warm and personal. I saw some backsplash tie at Ann Sacks that I thought would work for that, but it's pricey. I'm also keeping an eye out for that one perfect piece of art.

Two of my most favorite things are kitchen related, my collection of red LeCruset pots and my grandmother's Fostoria American china. I would love to feature one or both of them in my tiny new kitchen.

I keep remembering some pictures I saw of Julia Child's kitchen. I think she had a peg board with an outline of each pot. I loved that.

If you guys wouldn't mind, I'll post some pictures of the current space on Flickr tomorrow and see what you suggest?

Chris--
Bring it on! And I'd be happy to help with the quest for the perfect piece of art!

Also, saw these at C&B and thought of you... perhaps a nice cross-over to your vintage glassware collection?

Whoops-- here's the link--

www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=130&f=5045

I thought I'd use the open forum to make a few comments about the site.

I know it went through a redesign recently, but I wanted to let you know that find myself reading you less and less because of the layout of the site. It's just a little messy.

For example, photos aren't a standard size. The slide show system doesn't really make any sense. And the categories are so numerous, I don't really know how to use them. Also, there's no a sense of hierarchy to the fonts.

A couple of sites with design that lends itself better to readability include, joshspearDOTcom, penandthinkDOTcom/niggle, idfuelDOTcom, landandlivingDOTcom. Some non-design sites that are easy to read and yet very deep include tpwireserviceDOTcom, jamieoliverDOTnet, manhattanusersguideDOTcom.

I don't know if you want feedback on the site, but as a reader from almost the beginning, I thought I'd throw my two cents in.

Yikes, I just visited those sites and do not know what the appeal is. I think there's way too much design to the entries/sites.

I come to AT for pure content. I've found it to be just the right level of "background" for the amount of information it provides.

hmm, well, i do have to agree w/ Christopher about the slide show issue and the mind-boggling number of categories (or "topics" or whatever). is there any way the slide show system in particular could be modified so that readers could simply click "next", "previous", etc.?

still, i completely agree w/ patrick(too) about coming to AT for "pure content". (though i wasn't quite sure what he meant by "level of 'background' for the amount of information it provides"...)

I think those sites are too busy, as well. I do think that it would be nice if the topics that moved off the page but weren't archived yet were more accessible, but that's minor. I do admit to not looking at some of the slideshows because there are just too many slides (One had 131, if I remember correctly.)

Other that that, I find it very easy to use.

I should have been clear - the content of AT is great.

-Chris...

I just had a huge in depth conversation with my broker (yes my broker about kenmore).

Kenmore = sears
Whilrpool= sold at many places/Lowes
Maytag= sold at many places/Home depot

Kenmore is made by whirlpool

Many kmart outlets are closing and thus many sears outlets are opening (or maybe a merger...i can;t recall) Thus a influx of kenmore products (made by whirlpool)

The cost of steel has tanked! this being the primary cost to whirlpool(which makes kenmore)

Maytag buy out of whirlpool has failed miserably and was.may have been a bluff.
that
#1 they couldn;t afford
#2 a tactic to portray themselves as a power house
(maytag not looking so good right now...but love their stuff especially washer/dryers)

A bad comparison would be say...
Audi and VW ...the VW passat....no wait
better yet...Ford and Jaguar (ford owns jag)

The euro Ford Contour is the American X-type Jag.

Guess which one will always be worth more?

So if you have resale in mind..i would favor Kenmore. If you have yourself in mind..either whirlpool or Whirlpool gold.

Also...be on the eye out for sales! Whilrpool wants to destroy maytag for the failed buy out attempt and can really afford major incentives, they have full coffers and are willing to sacrifice the quarter if it means decimating the competition so it can put them in place for a hostile take over. (speculative theory)

Kenmore may have sales as well but not nearly as aggressive as it's mostly dependant upon Roebuck and Co. (Sears) and the image they wish to portray/ how they are doing in other segments of thier universe.(million + factors)

So umm hope that helps?

Oh and don't buy Maytag stock. (for the full story on whirlpool...email me...it's disgusting how much I now know. I knew there is a reason I go on these obligatory golf outings with the broker/lawyers.)

SO you were talking to a stock broker about Kenmore? I was actually thinking about calling my real estate broker to ask her if the brand of appliances made that much of a difference. I think yuppie buyers like granite counter tops and SS. The trick is to use that "template" and make something great.

A groupf of private investors offered to buy Maytag for $1.3B on May 20th which led to a 25% spike in stock price to a level that is currently being sustained because it is at the offer price.
httpcolon//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050520/ap_on_bi_ge/maytag_ripplewood

So, no, do not buy Maytag stock now because the gain has already happened. Being privately held means that they can hopefully set up long term strategies that are not possible when trying to hit numbers for Wall St. every quarter. If this deal goes through, buying Maytag applicances may not be such a bad thing - depending on how good Ripplewood is - because the company should come out leaner and stronger. They will not be able to compete in any kind of price war though.

WRT ss and granite (now that you mention it) I know ppl think that these are fads that will go away but you only have to look at restaraunt kitchens to see the worth of SS. Extremely hard wearing, easy to clean, hygienic. The functional positives make ss a natural, sensible, long term choice IMHO.

Granite is not found in restarunt kitchens (they stick to ss for counter tops) but, again, functionally it has a lot going for it. Impervious to heat - you can place hot pans and baking trays on to it without fear of damage thereby greatly increasing the ease of working on a kitchen, hard wearing, low maintenance. I hear ppl talk about the need to reseal it but who does this and those that don't, who has seen or experienced any detrimental effects? It's like the proper conditioning of your lap top battery to ensure it sustains the maximum charge. How many ppl do this? and how many ppl who don't suffer as a result?
We never resealed the granite in our kitchen over the 5 years we used and abused it and it still looked like new when we sold.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that the alternatives (at least for the foreseeable future) have too many compromises so SS and granite will become mainstays rather than passing fads. I keep harping on about European kitchens but take a look at some british mags such as Kitchen BEdrooms and Bathrooms and see what can be done to break away from the trad look of SS, maple cabinets, and pinky/brown granite. A lot still use ss and granite but they look vastlt different to the ones I'm sure we are all used to by now and are complaining about.

correction, during the restructuring process under private ownership Maytag will not be able to enter a price war.

Chris -

Another thought about kitchens -- they've genuinedly always meant to be about function, and in modern times they have REALLY been all about "labor-saving devices"; and so in every single decade of the 20th Century, the kitchens portrayed in the illustrations in the wallpaper sample books referred to the kinds of things in the kitchen that made it easy and a pleasure to work in the kitchen, "Daily chores become a pleasure in a colorful kitchen" quoth the back of the wallpaper sample that I ended up slavishly copying onto my own kitchen walls with paint.

So, up-to-date modernity, combined with certain nostalgic references to the versions of modernity of yesteryear probably make a kitchen work AND feel right. But different yesteryears become in fashion during various current years, in various forms. For instance, because of the Bicentennial in 1976, 1776 was all the rage, and anything colonial was VERY popular. Americana interpretations of toile-esque patterns were rendered in wallpaper in olive-cado and harvest gold all over the place.

To me, the new, sleek stainless steel things KIND of look fabulous, but their popularity may be because of the many married men who like to cook, but who want to imitate the professional kitchens of chef-dom, and perhaps some of their wives think, "Fine! If it makes him feel more comfortable helping me in the kitchen!"

To warm that up, they tend to use the kinds of wooden cabinets that make the place look like a wood-paneled men's club. But you may need to be careful to avoid that chief coroner's office look.

And, by the way, much like some people like to mix various kinds of whites in their homes (I have several whites in my kitchen), I think that several different versions of stainless steel would probably be BETTER than all one brand. But that's just me talkin'.

Curtis and Jamie,
Thanks for your help. My kitchen is so so so small. It might look like a men's club . . . too tiny for that.

I think I am going to go ahead with the SS option. My current fridge face is rusted to heck, and this won't happen with SS. Thinking that it is so pouplar becasue it is functional makes me feel better.

I want to use my LeCruset pots or my old dishes to give the kitchen some color and some feeling of me.

I didn't get to take pictures of the kitchen yesterday. It was too messy.

Chris -

To show off festive pots (Le Creuset are gorgeous), a pot rack would be good, especially in a small kitchen, because it would free up cabinet space.

I got a great stainless steel pot rack at Gracious Home, so that my pots can hang on the wall above my stove. I love it.

Well...my info was from early May..thus the maytag buy out I didn't hear of...(I let me broker run wild with a chunk of my portfolio...so I don't hear about everything as I once did)

my point was

Kenmore= sales
Whirlpool= bigger sales
Maytag....not so much

Also

Kenmore=Whirlpool

I think Kenmore = Whirlpool only for most dishwashers. Kenmore also has ranges etc that are made, I belive, by other companies.

I joined Consumer Reports online for $5 a month and they give good information about this. I plan to quit CR after the kitchen work is done.

Everyone's been so focused....
I was reading the Times Home section today, which seems to have become a little anemic -sp?- since the introduction of the Thursday Style section, but anyway, there was an article about having banquets custom made for a "Turkish corner" and then they didn't say who you might enlist to make the banquets - alternately known as really long thin mattresses. Since I don't think the guy at the dry cleaner who hems pants will do it, does anyone have any ideas? Thanks.