The 6 Best Appliances for Your Kitchen Renovation, According to an Expert Design Duo

The founders of Stewart-Schafer, a multidisciplinary architecture and interior design studio, give us their recommendations for the items you’ll want to include in your kitchen remodel.

Oct 26, 2021 - 01:00

The 6 Best Appliances for Your Kitchen Renovation, According to an Expert Design Duo

The founders of Stewart-Schafer, a multidisciplinary architecture and interior design studio, give us their recommendations for the items you’ll want to include in your kitchen remodel.

James Veal and Christine Stucker are coprincipals of Stewart-Schafer.

James Veal and Christine Stucker, founders of New York– and Connecticut-based architecture and design firm Stewart-Schafer, know their way around a renovation. The duo take a holistic approach to their projects by emphasizing the interplay of light, natural materials, and classic forms.

While the team’s knowledge extends to both the residential and commercial realms, we’ve been particularly taken with their recent kitchen remodels and gut renovations of old brownstones and prewar apartments, as well as their own Brooklyn townhouse. Because kitchens are the heart of the home, we asked Veal and Stucker about their top picks for appliances that’ll help transform your own cooking space into a well-oiled machine.

<span style="font-family: Theinhardt, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif;">To accommodate a young family leaving New York City, design firm Stewart-Schafer revamped the kitchen and living areas of an outdated upstate home in just three months.</span> — To accommodate a young family relocating from New York City, the team at Stewart-Schafer revamped the kitchen and living areas of an outdated upstate home in just three months.
Photo Courtesy of Stewart-Schafer

"We love using these panel-ready refrigerator/freezers in our designs—they’re a good value option. This brand now also has a stainless-steel interior option for a sleek and modern look."

Install it separately or pair with another Column for seamless integration—this model is right hinge with stainless-steel interior. ActiveSmart technology helps keep food fresher for longer by constantly maintaining the ideal temperature. Two separate Variable Temperature Zones: each with Freeze, Soft Freeze or Deep Freeze. Internal ice maker with boost for busy times. Customize with your own kitchen cabinetry or purchase our stainless-steel door panel accessory.

"Cooling drawers are a great addition for people who want food storage solutions in different areas of the kitchen. This panel-ready option has five different food mode settings—refrigerator, freezer, pantry, chill, and wine. We love storing our cold drinks here."

Optimize cooling of fresh or frozen goods with this Fisher & Paykel CoolDrawer multi-temperature drawer. Fridge, freezer and chill modes provide the right settings for different perishable items, and the pantry mode lets you preserve goods that don't require refrigeration. A key lock and door alarm on this Fisher & Paykel CoolDrawer multi-temperature drawer keeps fine wines and treasured treats out of the wrong hands.

"Dishwashers have typically been an unattractive item, but now, they can be completely hidden behind millwork or custom paneling. We’ve had the best experience with the Miele integrated dishwasher—it performs well, and with its panel-ready capabilities it can be fully integrated with your kitchen design."

Miele adds a professional, sleek touch to your kitchen with its 24 inch dishwasher with 3D MultiFlex Tray. Do your chores even outside your home with the WifiConn@ct feature, which lets you connect your dishwasher with to the Miele@mobile app. The app gives you access to several features such as auto starting your dishwasher once or several times a day, checking the level of detergent left in your PowerDisk® dispenser, viewing the remaining time left in your cycle, and it even reminds you when it's time to buy new detergent. This dishwasher lets you live on-the-go with the QuickIntenseWash program, which is gives you spotless clean dishes in just 58 minutes. Bring luxury and quality into your home with Miele.

"This timeless piece is one of our favorite ranges to use when designing kitchens. With its elegant lines and variety of beautiful colors, the options are endless. The versatility of sizes and configurations makes it easy to incorporate the appliance into a wide range of design aesthetics."

Measuring at just a meter wide (or 39 ⅜") The Cluny Range offers double ovens and the beauty of dual-fuel. This traditionally French oven size lends itself to a more intimate cooking area, thus eliminating excess oven space that inadvertently dries out food. The "Old World’ oven capacity nourishes aroma and flavor while still supporting the 26 pound Thanksgiving turkey. Opt for two gas, two electric, or one oven of each, The Cluny encourages a myriad of cooking options from oven to cooktop.

"Gaggenau is a favorite of ours, not only for the precision of the products, but also for the clean lines and timeless appearance of each appliance. The options for steam ovens and microwaves give us the ability to configure our kitchen designs to incorporate appliances that our clients will use regularly."

Boasting 13 different heating methods, the Gaggenau 24 inch 400 series single oven can be fitted with the special baking stone accessory, turning it into a real professional brick oven. Pizza, bread, and other baked goods are a real treat to make and share with loved ones.

"We love using Pitt cooktops for an integrated gas option. The burners can be cut directly into the countertop for a seamless and minimalist look."