Decisions, decisions: Appliances and flooring

Now that the holidays have come and gone, we're trying to get back into the swing of things on our renovation plans.  We've been spending a lot of time researching materials and making decisions on finishes.  A few weeks ago we pulled the trigger and purchased our appliances from Sears. 

We decided to go with the Kenmore Elite line in a stainless steal finish.  While originally we were leaning towards JennAir (mostly because we liked the design and their two door range) we did some research online looked at reviews on Consumer Reports and decided that Kemore offered the best balance of quality, style, and price.

Here's what we went with:

Stainless Steel Kenmore Elite 24.8 cf TRIO French Door Bottom Freezer Refrigerator

We knew we wanted to go with the French door design, and since Paul takes moral offense to doors with water/ice dispensers built in, this was the obvious choice.  Note that this model does still offer water dispension inside the door and an ice maker inside the freezer.

Stainless Steel w/Black Kenmore Elite 30 in. Dual Fuel Slide-In Range with Convection Cooking

Above image shown in black (we opted for ss) but we decided to go with this model a.) because we wanted a slide-in model so we can keep the backsplash uniform;  b.) because we wanted a dual fuel range with convection heating; and c) because we liked the long continuous burner on the left for even heating on a griddle or grill press.

Stainless Steel Kenmore Elite 24 in. Double Drawer Dishwasher w/ Ultra Wash® System

We were very excited to find out that Kenmore just released this new 2 drawer dishwasher.  In fact, when we purchased it at the store it wasn't even yet on their website or in the store.  We had seen similar models made by Kitchenaid and Fischer Paykell but we knew that there were problems reported with the Fisher-Paykell model and we didn't know much if anything about the Kitchenaid model.  We like the concept of a drawer-style dishwasher because it allows us to do smaller loads throughout the week without wasting water.

Stainless Steel w/Black Kenmore Elite 1.7 cu. ft. Microhood Combination w/Sensor and Convection Cooking System

Again, we liked this model because of the convection cooking option.  It gives us an option for another oven to cook food in around the holidays, etc. when we may need to cook various dishes at different temps.

Next we decided to check out hardwood flooring. Because we're by the sea (two blocks from Marblehead harbor), we decided to go nautical with our selection and go with teak.  We wanted to opt for wider floor boards and decided to opt for the hand-scraped finish to stay in keeping with the period of the house.  We found a nice hardwood option at Lumber Liquidators.

Virginia Millworks 3/4" X 5" Solid Golden Teak Pre-Finished Natural

We highly recommend if you're in the market for floors that you really must see a sample in person at the store or order a sample from the website. The image above is a perfect example.  I don't think that the photo above does the color or finish of this floor justice.

So, now we're left with the decision about natural wood or painted cabinets.  Stay tuned for another post on this subject.

Comments

[Poppy]

Very nice choices. I'd love to have a double drawer dishwasher but I'm not sure I can convince the hubby that the price tag is worth it. boo

[Cara Fletcher]

I can say that you've made an amazing choice.All appliances look great and the flooring is very nice too.I have to make a home renovation pretty soon too because I don't like the way my house looks right now.

[Maureen Flynn]

Well done to both Paul & Sacha. They are hard workers and I love them both.

Paul's Mom