One of the most fulfilling feelings is seeing something you imagined, created and worked hard for come to fruition. This week, my Frigidaire Professional® appliances arrived and were installed, and it wasn't until they were put in place and installed that I began to see the big picture coming together! Up until now, it's been hard to visualize and determine how my final space would look and function, but I've been forcing myself to trust my gut and stick to my plan — and boy am I glad I did. The appliances are not only gorgeous, but their placement has proven to be super functional and their layout feels natural and intuitive, so I am thrilled.
I have yet to cook a large Italian meal, but the few things I've already prepared (such as fried eggs and roasted chicken) have been scrumptious. I can really tell the difference between the power and durability of my old set of appliances and my new ones. In doing this whole renovation, my end goal has been to not only have a more functional kitchen overall, but to finally get some grown-up, durable, high-performing and reliable appliances. Though it's only been a few days living with my new appliances, it's safe to say that they exceed my expectations and needs.
Let's be honest: most refrigerators can often stand out like sore thumbs and can be a necessary evil in the kitchen, but my Frigidaire Professional® french-door refrigerator blends seamlessly into my cabinets. There's no unnecessary knobs or handles (thank goodness, I terribly dislike gadgets and gimmicks) -- even the controls that are necessary are hidden on the inside of the door. The aesthetic of the fridge, inside and out, is sleek and minimal.
Because it's counter-depth, it sits back and takes up less room, while still offering plenty of customizable storage inside with SpacePro™ Adjustable Crisper Bins and Slide-Under, Flip-Up Shelves. One of the many features it offers is a PureAir® Filtration System to remove odors and keep food tasting like it should, but if you asked Piper what her favorite aspect it, it would be the automatic ice-cube maker.
Next up, my Front-Control Freestanding Gas Range with powerful burners for maximum flexibility and performance. It has a PowerPlus® Convection oven, and preheats in minutes. It also comes with a handy temperature probe and warns you when a certain temperature is achieved when cooking meat or fish -- which will come ion handy as I'm hosting Christmas at my house for the first time ever. Eek!
Directly above my gas stove is an over-the-range microwave unlike any microwave I've ever seen. It doubles as a Convection Oven which you can actually bake in -- I'm talking everything from cookies to an entire chicken! It also has PowerSense™ Cooking Technology which automatically senses the ideal time and power level to cook at, and an adjustable timer so you can add or remove time rather than having to cancel a cycle and restart (like I'm usually guilty of doing).
And last, but certainly not least, my dishwasher (!!!), which I'm admittedly the most excited for as I never had one before. I love that the control are hidden inside so you don't have to see them, and so you don't accidentally start or cancel a cycle, but one of the most impressive features is the PowerPlus® 30- Minute Wash cycle, so if you only have on set of plates or dishes and you have guests over, you can wash everything and have it ready to use again in a half hour.
My plumber just installed the drain line yesterday and I've already used it twice, and I must say my dishes have never looked cleaner. This baby is not only fast, but powerful as heck! It even has special jets, AKA PrecisionPro Wash Zones™, to target those hard-to-reach areas of things like water bottles and delicate stemware.
Powerful performance and intuitive function of my appliances aside, I am most impressed by their overall design and aesthetic. All of the handles and knobs are consistent across the series, the control panels are hidden and discreet for a de-cluttered, seamless look, the stainless steel is Smudge-Proof (even with Piper poking her nose around them) and even the font used reflects the professional, sleekness of the pieces. As a visual designer and illustrator, I'm pleasantly surprised! It's obvious that plenty of thought went into each piece, both individually and as a cohesive family.
But as I've come to expect in a renovation, for every bit of good news and progress, there's an equal amount of issues you run into. I did run into some hiccups this week which came in the form of my back-splash. In last week's post, I gabbed about my existing white subway tile back-splash and adding to it, but after visiting the store I purchased it from merely 6 months ago, I was burned to learn that the dye lot had changed and the colour and size was different, albeit ever so subtly. In the end, I made the tough choice to rip out my old back-splash (which was glued down so well by me months ago that the drywall came with it)! This meant re-dry walling, plastering, and sanding - which meant more dust, just when I thought the mess was over! But sometimes, blessings are disguised as curses, because though it was upsetting, it gave me the opportunity to choose the perfect tile for the new space and be able to line it up better than it previously was. And I must admit, it looks fantastic!
I cannot wait to show you guys how this has all come together! Next week is the big reveal and I'll be sharing oodles of photos and video of my finished kitchen, dining space and even bits of new-ness in my living room, because I've been secretly re-doing that space as well -- surprise! There was no way I could do over my kitchen and dining room and leave my little living space as it was, so get ready for a crazy post next week! Heading into this weekend, it'll be the first day in a month that I can sleep in and take the day off. Yippee!