What are Panel-Ready Appliances?
When deciding on achieving the perfect look for your kitchen, you may want to consider the integrated look of panel-ready appliances.
A panel-ready appliance comes ready to accept a custom cabinet panel to cover the front of the appliance. Typically this panel matches the rest of the cabinetry, so the appliance is hidden. The most popular panel-ready appliances are refrigerators and dishwashers to create a consistent, streamlined look across the whole kitchen. Additionally, you will discover options for panel-ready under-counter refrigerators, warming drawers, and custom wood ventilation hoods. With appliance finishes often going in and out of style in less than a few years, panel-ready options provide a classic look that will continue to look refined for years to come.
Benefits of Panel-Ready Appliances
Customizable Choices
With the industrial trend of stainless steel appliances fading, many homeowners opt for a more timeless feel. With panel-ready appliances, your kitchen cabinets look more like furniture making the kitchen a more inviting space.
Recent kitchen trends have leaned towards creating an expression of personal style rather than matching any industry standard, leading consumers to prefer more custom appliance choices. Not only do panel-ready appliances create more personalization, but they’re also consistent with the rest of your cabinetry, giving your kitchen a more high-end look and feel.
Panel Options
Choosing a panel-ready dishwasher or refrigerator presents several options for your finished product. When you purchase a panel-ready appliance, it will come with an unfinished front. Many manufacturers stock basic panel colors available for purchase for an additional cost. However, you will likely turn to your cabinet maker. Cabinet makers offer panel options for refrigerators and dishwashers. Most custom carpenters will cut panels for cabinetry that otherwise might be difficult to match.
Variety of Models
As panel-ready appliances have become more popular, an assortment of integrated options has become available from a greater variety of manufacturers. Refrigerators are available in bottom-drawer as well as side-by-side freezer designs. Column-style refrigerators are also available for those wishing to have a freezer unit separate from the fridge. Glass-front refrigerators have been gaining in popularity and are one of the newer designs with panel-ready options. These units can often be installed flush with the kitchen cabinetry, sacrificing cubic space for the desired seamless look that panel-ready appliances provide.
Installation
There are a few considerations when purchasing a panel-ready appliance. Since fasteners and handles are usually not included, you must purchase them separately. You can find handles and fasteners through your cabinet dealer, carpenter, or hardware store.
Installation of the panels can also be challenging. We recommend that you consult an installer familiar with panel-ready appliances as the process can be complicated and time-consuming.
When considering the overall ambiance of your kitchen, panel-ready appliances are a top choice for luxurious designs. While this choice may incur a higher cost than typical appliances, imagining a timeless and personalized kitchen concept has never been more attainable once the panels are purchased, and installation is complete.
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