Appliance.com

Expert Advice from Home Builder Judy Linn Planning a Kitchen in the upper end custom home market is just like being a kid in a candy store.

Judy Linn is owner and founder of Thomas Homes, a 9-year-old high-end custom home building company in Hinsdale, IL. Thomas Homes has won GoldenKey Awards since opening its doors. Its homes have been featured in several leading national publications.

"What do you want in your kitchen?" we often ask our clients. But we find that our clients are well informed and always know what they want. Advertising sure pays off. So we often hear: "Bosch Dishwashers, Sub-Zero Refrigerators, Viking, Miele ...." Brand recognition seems to be key when building a home.

Our typical kitchen in the homes that we build will usually have two dishwashers, a Sub Zero refrigerator, a professional cooktop or range, convection ovens, warming drawers, a wine cooler, and a TV. We have even begun to build in Miele cappuccino makers.

If the square footage allows it, we will build two laundry rooms, one upstairs and one large laundry/craft room in the lower level. The front-load super-capacity washer and dryer (the Neptune and the Duet) offered by Maytag and Whirlpool are quite popular in the homes that we build. The Whirlpool Personal Valet is another popular novelty, as it releases a light mist to refresh your clothes, leaving you as fresh as a daisy every day.

As square footage gets so pricey, basements are no longer basements. They are "Lower Levels." Here reigns "The Bar," which is basically a functioning kitchen with an undercounter refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, wine coolers of all sizes, and of course, a TV.

An abundance of TVs typically exist throughout the homes that we build. They can often be found in the master baths, the laundry room, the workout room, the library, the ladies' office, the kitchen, and in family rooms. From plasma to Ice Box TV's and home theaters...they are everywhere!

The "Morning Kitchen" in the master suite area is also a new trend. It does not take much space to build in a little sink, microwave, and undercounter refrigerator, all of which create a pleasant way to have your coffee easily accessible in the morning without having to leave your bedroom.

Let us not forget the outdoor kitchen. Even in our severe Chicago winter, the outdoor kitchen is becoming increasingly popular in the homes that we build. The professional grill, with all its bells and whistles and a bar refrigerator, is the standard equipment necessary to create the perfect barbeque experience.

To sum it up, we require more and more appliances to make our homes function like Four-Star Hotels. More Editorials