How to Choose Appliances for a Luxury Kitchen (Without Getting Overwhelmed)

Start With the Cooking Surface: The Spark

In luxury kitchen design, the selection process begins with how you cook, not with brand names. Your cooking surface determines ventilation, cabinetry design, workflow, rhythm, and the architectural presence of the kitchen. It is the appliance you interact with most if you love to cook — and the choice that shapes all other decisions.

Gas Cooking

A top choice for home chefs who appreciate:

• Immediate flame control

• High-heat capability

• Visual cues and tactile responsiveness

• The sculptural impact of a rangetop or range

Within gas cooking, it’s important to choose the burner style that matches your technique:

Open Burners

• Exposed flame with direct, uninterrupted heat

• Exceptional responsiveness and power

• Preferred by serious cooks and restaurant-style chefs

• Deeper cleaning access through trays below cooking elements

• Ideal when performance is the priority

Closed (Sealed) Burners

• Flame enclosed beneath a sealed surface

• Easier everyday cleanup

• Contains spills and prevents drips into the burner box

• Excellent for families and everyday cooking

• Surface cleaning required under grates

Both are luxury options; the choice depends on how hands-on, high-heat, or technique-focused your cooking style is.

Induction Cooking

Increasingly requested in luxury homes for:

• Sleek, contemporary integration

• Precision cooking and consistent heat

• Faster boiling than gas

• Cooler surfaces and enhanced safety

• Minimal cleanup

• Excellent for both modern and transitional aesthetics

Induction blends beautifully with panel-ready or European frameless cabinetry and is exceptionally efficient in Michigan homes where winter use is high.

Whether your style leans gas or induction, your cooking choice comes first, because it determines ventilation, cabinetry sizing, landing zones, and the eventual balance of your appliance suite.

Refrigeration: Choose Configuration Before Choosing a Brand

After cooking needs are defined, refrigeration becomes the second major architectural decision. Instead of starting with brands, start with the configuration that best supports your lifestyle.

Freestanding Refrigeration

• Typically lower price-point than integrated

• Professional or sculptural presence when planned into the space

• Stainless or standard colors

Integrated Columns

• Built into cabinetry plan

• Flexible pairings: all-fridge, all-freezer, or both

• Ideal for quiet luxury, open-concept living, and clean architecture

Panel-Ready Refrigeration

• Disappears into the cabinetry

• Editorial, soft, uninterrupted lines

• Beautiful in all styles of kitchens, from Michigan lake homes and modern builds

Stainless Refrigeration

• Iconic, professional, durable

• Adds contrast in neutral or warm palettes

• Perfect for chef-forward kitchens

The right choice depends on whether your kitchen aims to feel sculptural, seamless, or professional.

Dishwashing: The Everyday Luxury That Matters More Than You Think

Dishwashers influence everyday satisfaction more than almost any other appliance. For open floor plans and multi-zone kitchens, quiet operation and flexible racking are key.

Performance Considerations

• Noise levels

• Drying technology

• Adjustable racks

• Stemware and utensil accommodation

• Interior lighting

• Wash cycles and energy efficiency

Dishwasher Drawers vs. Full-Size Dishwashers

Dishwasher Drawers

• Great for sculleries, bars, and prep kitchens

• Ideal for small households

• Reduce bending

• Offer the ability to run small loads frequently

Full-Size Dishwashers

• Best for families and entertainers

• Accommodate pots, pans, and oversized items

• Provide larger overall capacity

Many luxury kitchens use both: a full dishwasher in the main kitchen, and drawers in a secondary or bar zone.

Ovens & Specialty Cooking: Build Around How You Cook

Whether built into the cooking surface as a range, a separate ,wall oven or secondary oven, consider the type of oven to elevate your cooking experience.

Convection Ovens

• Reliable, even baking and roasting

• A foundational appliance for nearly every kitchen

  
  

Steam Ovens

• Superior moisture retention

• Ideal for vegetables, proteins, and reheating

• Excellent for wellness-focused cooking and meal prep

Speed Ovens

• Combines microwave + convection

• Perfect for busy households

• Ideal for secondary kitchens, bars, and condos

Microwave Ovens

• Straightforward functionality

• Often placed in islands, pantries, or utility kitchens

Many of our Michigan clients pair a traditional convection oven with a steam or speed oven, depending on their daily rhythm and entertaining needs.

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Where Brands Fit In

Once appliance categories and configurations are chosen, we curate from brands known for excellence in their specialties:

• Sub-Zero —Standard in Luxury

• Wolf — Iconic statement and performance

• Miele — German engineered precision

• Fisher & Paykel — Competitive modern style from New Zeeland

• Bluestar — Commercial style cooking & full customization

We select brands based on your appliance categories and cooking style, ensuring your appliances support the design, not dictate it.

Why LKS Clients Feel Confident in Their Appliance Package

Our CKBD-led approach ensures that each appliance is intentionally chosen and engineered correctly into the cabinetry and floor plan.

LKS clients benefit from:

• Expert appliance education

• Proper ventilation and electrical planning

• Cabinetry designed around exact appliance dimensions

• Trusted installers and brand service support

• No confusion, mismatched choices, or retail overwhelm

Your appliance suite becomes a natural extension of your home — beautiful, functional, and personally tailored.

Ready to Build Your Appliance Plan?

Explore our appliance partners or schedule a consultation to begin building a package aligned with the way you cook, host, and live.

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ABOUT LKS

Lifestyle Kitchen Studio is a nationally recognized, family-owned kitchen and bath design studio based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.We specialize in tailored cabinetry, performance-driven appliance planning, and client-focused luxury design — creating kitchens that look stunning and work intuitively for every lifestyle.