Our kitchen designers are installing more and more beverage stations in the kitchen. From coffee bars to wine refrigerators to children’s snacks and drinks hubs, clients are requesting a dedicated area for beverages and their preparation. Some are even adding them to their master suites. Let’s have a look at some design ideas and what I did in my own kitchen:
The Built-In Coffee Machine. What a luxurious “quick cup” treat for you and your visitors. Could anything be more inviting? The Miele line has systems that use either Nespresso capsules or whole-beans. If the machine isn’t plumbed, you’ll want this near a water source. The cup warmer is also a nice touch. If you use capsules, here is a sleek Nespresso Rack from Swissmar.
You can also make espresso, cappuccino, latte, foamy milk, and regular coffee with Gaggenau’s CM 210 — another high-end professional coffee machine in stainless steel. This unit can also be combined with the WS 261 warming drawers for cups and dishes.
The Extra Wine Refrigerator in the Kitchen. Many of our clients have a separate wine cellar but enjoy the convenience of having another smaller wine refrigerator in the kitchen. The SubZero units we used below not only cool wine but protect your wine investment from too much light, humidity, heat, and vibration.
We haven’t seen this as a kitchen trend yet, but what about a home wine dispensing station? A single-glass wine station from Napa Technology can preserve four open bottles for 60 days.
Under-Counter Refrigerator Drawers. Equally fabulous for adults, kids are giving these SubZero refrigerator drawers a thumbs up. With refrigerator drawers at their height, children can easily help themselves. Recently we pulled out under counter basket cabinets and swapped them SubZero refrigerator drawers (photo below). Thank goodness for Wood-Mode who created the perfect cabinet color match to integrate them into the client’s 10 year old kitchen island cabinets. They stocked them with drinks only in the top drawer and fruits/veggies in the bottom drawer. When you make it this convenient and easy, the family happily reaches for an apple instead of a bag of chips.
Q: What would you want to add to your kitchen?:
A) coffee station
B) wine cooler
C) refrigerator drawers
D) all of the above
Article by GRACE KELLY