If you have shopped for appliances lately, you know what
analysis-paralysis feels like. No longer are questions as simple as
gas or electric, white or off-white. It's a whole new world out
there.
Actually, it's a complicated universe with a lot of technobabble
and amenities that we apparently can't live without. My appliance
odyssey is long and complicated, as almost all remodeling projects
are. It began with adding a pool to the back yard four years ago. The
project spread its poisonous tentacles into the kitchen, laundry
room, outdoor barbecue area and outdoor bath.
I know we live in the "more is more" world, but more can be mind
blowing. Some of the improvements are inspired, others leave me
asking why. I'm going to give you the reader's digest version on new
appliances. Hang on, you're in for a ride.
No matter where you go, avoiding confusion is impossible. Among
Home Expo, Standards of Excellence, Pacific Sales and the Great
Indoors, choices abound.
If you are shopping in earnest, go prepared. Take measurements:
heights, widths, depths ... and also potential heights, widths and
depths. My journey began with the quest for a new washer and dryer.
The last time I bought a washer and dryer, I was in and out of the
store in 20 minutes. Let's just say that I've been kicking this
around for a year and I still haven't decided.
There are a lot of cool new things about washers and dryers. The
best feature is that many manufacturers are making full-size
front-loading washers and dryers that can be mounted under a counter.
This means beaucoup folding space and storage space, and it looks
cleaner. Of course, if you decide to go with under the counter
machines, it would be necessary to ... add the counter that they sit
under.
I think this is worth the effort, and sooner or later, an
under-counter washer and dryer will make its way into the Wight
house. There are a few new features for washer and dryers that I
don't understand, such as optional pedestal mounts. If there were
room in these bases for a Costco-size box of detergent, this might be
appealing, but since the bases amount to about 12 inches of what I
consider unusable space, I can pass on that.
The only plus side to this feature is there is less bending to put
in and take out a load, but then, your counter height is raised to a
ridiculous level. Why didn't they consult with me when they did all
their market research?
The addition of the backyard pool also tweaked our kitchen --
