Integrating Appliances into a Handmade Kitchen

You have two options. You can either enclose your appliances within your custom built cabinetry, which will allow you to shut them away when they are not in use, or you can physically attach cabinet doors to the front of your appliances, so that they are essentially “one” with the kitchen.

 

Costs can increase

 

Buying your appliances as part of a fitted kitchen can cost you up to 50% more than you would pay if you bought them as free-standing appliances. This is a heavy price to pay, for a bit of camouflage.

 

When you design a handmade kitchen you can bypass this extra pay out by simply factoring them into your design, by using a combination of the methods described previously. For example a fridge or freezer door can be easily disguised by encasing it in a new cabinet door, and will not lose any of its functionality as a result of doing so. However, a washing machine would be best suited to a simple cupboard enclosure, so that its dials and door are able to remain functional.

 

Coffee machines, microwaves and other small appliances can also be built in to your kitchen by creating specific shelves for them within your cabinets in the design stage. You may also want to cover the radiators in the kitchen. These are even easier to disguise than white goods and simply require an easily installed wooden cover. Although the covers bear an etched out design that allows heats to flow, you will you will find that the amount of heat that comes from the radiator is greatly reduced.

 

Tread carefully with integration

 

Of course it’s not advisable to encase all appliances in this way. Whilst most white goods pose no problems by being hidden from view, cookers and boilers are another story. Due to their nature, obscuring their view could pose a serious fire hazard. It is possible to have your boiler encased in a cupboard, however you should always check with your energy provider before you go ahead with this, as doing so without consent could void the repair policy you have with them.

 

Other issues that may arise from integrating your appliances include their repair and removal. Instead of simply pulling the appliance away from its space within your kitchen compartments, as you would with a free standing appliance, you may have to remove large sections of your kitchen units to allow access to the appliances. This could prove to be an added unnecessary expense if your appliances did fall into disrepair.

 

Of course if you do find yourself with problems in this area you could always remove the encasement from your kitchen completely and instead leave the appliance to stand freely within the remaining gap. Before you decide to conceal your appliances, consider whether the aesthetic benefits outweigh the practicality of a freestanding appliance.