Our oven died last week.
I had big plans to bake a pork tenderloin, and began to preheat the oven. But after a long time, the temp only registered as "low", which translated to "ice cold". No matter what we tried, we could not get the oven to heat. The stove top works fine, but no oven.
When we considered that a.) the appliances are pretty old and b.) the microwave is held together by duct tape, we figured it's time to look at a new appliance package.
My refrigerator has also been making some funky noises, and it is starting to freeze things that shouldn't be frozen...like eggs and yogurt. It is a teeny tiny fridge for the space, too.
This week, we went to four, yes four, different appliance centers. I had an idea what I wanted...the Whirlpool Gold White Ice collection. But guess what? These are sold out everywhere, and Whirlpool doesn't plan on offering it again.
You should have seen the looks on the sales people's faces when I said "I don't want stainless steel." They looked at me like I'd just escaped from a mental institution, where obviously we did not have a television or 24/7 access to HGTV.
One older gentleman even said "The older ladies prefer the white."
"EXCUSE ME? Did you just call me an older lady?" I laughed it off.
I have several reasons for wanting white appliances this time. For starters, we have an open concept living area, and the kitchen is the back wall of this space. We've added a lot of white paint and accents to the space in an effort to lighten and brighten what were once dark rooms. Our current black appliances really do not match anything, and stainless would just look cold and industrial and out of place.
I want something that feels a little retro and vintage...like you might find in a cottage.
And honestly, I'm just bored with stainless.
One sales person asked me a few questions, and I think she got what I was after. She directed me to the Kitchenaid collection, which was very similar. I think I like it even better! It has the option of ordering in white, with stainless handles and accents.
I think this is what we are going to choose:
The refrigerator has an interior water filtration system. I like that! It keeps the front looking clean and uncluttered.
All of the stainless handles have a nice grippy texture, and the ends have red caps...like an expensive Wolf range, without the Wolf price.
Here's the only problem.
Every appliance center has backorders on everything, and you are lucky if you can get it before Labor Day. Many are pushed back until the end of September and even October.
The problem? COVID-19. When everything was shut down, the manufacturing was shut down, too. You've probably noticed this in a lot of ways...that soup you love and can't find on the shelf. That cosmetic that is not in stock at the department store. The inventory at the car lot. EVERYTHING.
So in the meantime, I am thinking of ways that we can update the kitchen before the appliances arrive. I would love to do a full gut, but that's not in our budget right now. Instead, I am thinking of thrifty ways to work with what we have, just tweaked a little.
For starters, I think we are going to attempt to paint the tiled backsplash. It really isn't our style, and the color will not go with the appliances. A nice coat of semi-gloss white should do the trick!
I also think I want to cover the island in bead board (or a bead board wallpaper knock off) to match the bead board half wall. I think we will paint the island, too, but not sure if it will be white or some different color.
I have considered painting the cabinets, but I think before we commit, I will first give them a good cleaning with Murphy's Oil Soap, swap out the hardware, and see if I like it. The wood might be just enough (but not too much) contrast with the white appliances.
So that is our plan so far!It should be fun to see this space evolve. We have been putting this project on the back burner for three years. I'm anxious to get started!
In the meantime, I will be cooking meals with the Crock Pot, the grill and the stove top. No more baking!
Happy Saturday, cafe friends!
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