Downsizing: keep snug spaces trim and tidy with compact appliances - products: doctor spec

Residential Architect, August, 2003 by Nigel F. Maynard

When custom home projects call for high-end appliances, architects have more choices than they can shake a stick at. But many of today's renovations are taking place in condos and coops. What are your options when city dwellers in tight quarters want the good stuff without sacrificing square footage? Full-size appliances could box these clients in. A better choice might be any of the new space-saving, compact appliances that blend innovation and good looks.

Historically, architects have found pickings slim when searching for small-sized appliances. The products available--two-burner ranges, undersink dishwashers, and the like--were high on practicality but low on style and performance. That's no longer the case. Today, architects have at their disposal a wide range of appliances that are just as stylish as their full-size cousins and offer similar performance and features.

small package, big benefits

For architect Charles H. Bohl III, principal of Bohl Architects in Annapolis, Md., the advantages of compact appliances transcend issues of space. He likes their understated cachet and versatility. Using undercounter refrigerators, for example, diminishes the appliance's visual impact on the kitchen and on adjoining rooms. A mini fridge, he points out, won't dominate a kitchen the way a full-size unit can.

Still, size is the main issue. Boston-based architect Rupinder Singh has been using a lot of small appliances for his rapidly proliferating condo and apartment commissions. Recently, by specing an 18-inch dishwasher and a 24-inch range, Singh gave a client 6 extra inches of cabinet space. That half-foot makes a big difference when space is at a premium, he says.

For architects who work in New York City, making those kinds of calculations to save a few precious inches here and there is nothing new. "I am pretty sure New York is one of the few markets where compact appliances have always been in high demand," says Manhattan-based kitchen designer and trained architect Claudia Febres. According to Febres, local companies have been producing all-in-one-type appliances since World War II; only during the past 20 years have major manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon.

Even more recently, Febres has noticed a heartening leap in the quality of those offerings. "The trend has been to make appliances not only compact but as efficient and attractive as regular-size appliances," says Febres, who also works as a designer at cabinet company Poggenpohl USA. "Plus, in the last five years, I have seen these same companies make greater efforts to supply products that save energy and water."

mini mart

So what are the options? Where can design pros find these small-and-snazzy luxury appliances?

If a project calls for a high-end range, you can turn to either Greenwood, Miss.--based Viking Range or to Cleveland, Tenn.--based FiveStar, both of which offer a freestanding 24-inch stainless steel gas range with the same features as a full-size product. Viking's version comes with a 15,000-BTU burner and a convection oven. It's available in 13 colors. FiveStar's unit comes with a simmer burner, continuous grates, and a wok ring.

For the client who wants the profile of an AGA range but not its heft, the Cherry Hill, N.J.--based manufacturer now sells the Companion, a freestanding dual-fuel range measuring 24 inches wide. With the same styling as the company's regular ranges, the unit features four gas burners and two electric ovens. It comes in 14 colors.

Beata Galdi, principal of Beata Galdi Design in New York City, likes to use integrated appliances from Huntington Beach, Calif.--based Gaggenau USA. Gaggenau's products provide more design latitude, she says, because they blend seamlessly into cabinetry, complementing the sleek look she favors. Gaggenau makes 24-inch wall ovens and modular appliances such as two-burner and 24-inch-wide four-burner cooktops.

When it comes to high-end kitchens, Sub-Zero refrigerators are a perennial favorite, but these behemoths simply aren't appropriate for small spaces. No matter: The manufacturer also produces 27-inch units, including slick undercounter refrigerator and freezer drawers. With 5.1 cubic feet of storage space, the units feature the same technology as Sub-Zero's larger products and come in stainless steel or with overlay panels. Galdi appreciates the scaled-down fridges for the same reason she likes Gaggenau's products--their clean, unobtrusive lines suit her streamlined kitchens. "It's a matter of function and aesthetics," she says. "In small apartments, there is not much room, so you have to use every inch of space, but I find myself using these appliances in kitchens with large spaces, too."

A similar product hails from U-Line Corporation in Milwaukee, Wis. This company recently introduced the Echelon refrigerated double-drawer unit, which comes in black or stainless steel, with a stainless interior and storage capacity of 5.5 cubic feet. The bottom drawer includes a crisper.

In the dishwasher category, manufacturers are churning out compact units that are smaller, often better-looking, and just as energy efficient as traditional models. Leading the pack is Irvine, Calif.--based Fisher & Paykel, the New Zealand manufacturer whose 24-inch DishDrawer has made such a splash among consumers. Because each drawer is a separate unit, the product allows users to wash two sets of dishes at the same time on different cycles. Or, if space is especially tight, only one drawer can be installed. The manufacturer says the unit minimizes water usage and costs less to run than standard dishwashers.