If you are trying to achieve a certain atmosphere in your kitchen, the sci-fi look of modern appliances can work for you, or work against you. In certain design schemes, shiny metal machines can look decidedly out of place. Luckily nowadays there are many ways to integrate your appliances into the overall look of the room. Modern marvels can hide behind rustic charm, or behind bold artistic gestures.

Most appliance customizations take the form of panels or coverings. In some cases the panels can be ordered from the manufacturer of the appliance, but for most you need to have a cabinet maker or other craftsperson do the job, or order a kit and install it yourself.

Front panels:
Many models of under-counter and built-in appliances have "panel-ready" versions. This is true for refrigerators, freezers, wine coolers, trash compactors and warming drawers (you cannot cover wall ovens or microwave ovens). Cabinet depth refrigerators are meant to sit flush with cabinetry, so you can find panel-ready versions of these as well.

"Panel-ready" can mean two things: appliances with trims that a thin panel slides into, or those with no fronts at all, in which case you attach an overlay of wood, metal, or whatever you are using in your kitchen.

Overlay-style, also called "fully integrated", is the most popular solution, since it allows the appliance to completely disappear into the cabinetry. No metal or plastic edges can be seen at all. You won't know the difference between the utensil drawer and the warming drawer until you open it. You can also use any type of handle or pull to match the rest of your kitchen (see below). There are a few drawbacks to overlays: although these models are technically cheaper than, say, a regular stainless steel version of the same model, the total cost may end up being higher since you have to provide the panels. The panels also cannot be changed easily on a whim (which is only a drawback if you intend to change the look of your kitchen in the future).

The benefit of trim-style models is that they cost less and the panels are easy to change. Any kind of thin sheet can be used (as long as it doesn't sag). It doesn't have to be a metal or finished wood panel. Creative types take note: you can put a fabric-covered board in there if you want, or your latest masterpiece. A laminated collage of photos can fill the entire surface from edge to edge. We have even seen refrigerator panels continue the pattern painted on the surrounding walls. Families may want to slide in a whiteboard and hang dry-erase markers so they can write notes to each other. But if you are not ready to be creative right away, trim-style appliances come with a panel to start with, unlike true overlays. The drawback of trim-style appliances is that you can see the edges, unless you go as far as to do what we describe next...

The middle way: one more option is a trim-style appliance that imitates a fully-integrated solution. This is done by way of a sheet inserted into the trim that is as thick as the trim is deep, except at the edges where the panel fits into the slots. Then an overlay is attached to the panel that covers the trim completely. This allows the appliance to blend in to the surrounding cabinetry, except that it usually sticks out farther from its surroundings than in the case of a truly integrated appliance, so the door can open fully. A common problem with this full covering is the handle: most trim-style appliances have flat vertical handles that run up the inside of the doors. Adding an overlay fills up the space where your hand would usually grip the handle, so cabinet makers often have to carve into the wood a space for hands to slide in.

You may be wondering why people would choose the "middle way" instead of a true overlay. There are two reasons. One, built-in, integrated appliances cost considerably more than trim-style appliances. Two, sometimes people already have trim-style appliances that work fine and don't want to buy new ones when they remodel.

What if your appliance is not panel-ready? There are still options: third-party companies exist that specialize in custom appliance coverings and customizations. You can cover a plain freestanding refrigerator with patterned stainless steel or brushed copper, or make your fridge a monolithic advertisement for your favorite baseball team. Note: Crossroads Appliance does not do this kind of customization.

Hood Liners:
A stainless steel hood jutting out over a range can add a modern gleam to a kitchen. But if you don't want your kitchen to look modern, or don't want to see the hood at all, you can use a "Hood Liner", a hood that is meant to be covered. Only the inside of the hood has a finished surface. For the covering, some people use a wooden version of the triangular hood shape, or build around the hood liner to make it look like it's part of the wall. The sky is the limit (or at least the ceiling). Among the brands we carry, Vent-A-Hood, Dacor, Viking, Zephyr and Faber offer hood liners.

Wall Ovens and Microwaves: These appliances cannot be covered with panels due to the heat they generate. There is nothing you can do to directly customize them if you are trying to make them less visible in your kitchen. If you are remodeling or building a new kitchen, however, you can locate ovens in such a way that they will not be easily seen. You can, for instance, install a wall oven on the inside of a cooking island instead of on the facing wall, so it is not visible to people looking into the kitchen, and so you can use your wall space for something else.

The Finishing Touch - Handles and Knobs:
An added benefit of panel-ready appliances is that you can use matching handles or knobs throughout your kitchen. Even when you have a contractor design and install new cabinets, it will still be up to you to go pick out the handles, which sometimes can make or break the design. Right near our showroom in Bellevue within a few blocks of each other are two great stores that focus on handles, knobs and pulls: the appropriately named Knob Pull & Handle (1044 116th Ave NE) and Chown Hardware (12001 NE 12th St). Get ready to spend some serious time browsing their extensive selections.

Matching issues: because wall ovens and microwaves cannot be covered with overlays, you cannot use whatever handles you want on them. For this reason, some people who are installing custom overlays in their kitchen order extra handles from the manufacturer of their wall oven to use on the rest of their appliances. For example, they order the handle from a smaller oven that matches the handle of their large wall oven, and put it on their dishwasher. You can't do this with all manufacturers, however. Higher-end brands such as Monogram, Miele and Sub-Zero have matching handles you can order as separate parts, while lower-end brands may not offer extra handles at all, or may not have matching ones. If available, you can order extra handles through the Crossroads Appliance Parts Department. Be sure to talk about this issue with your salesperson when you first purchase your appliances.

Examples:
Take a look at our online Kitchen Design Gallery for a very wide variety of approaches to kitchen design, including many that feature customizations. For more in-depth information, feel free to come in to the Crossroads Appliance showroom and talk to one of our salespeople.