The Recessionary Kitchen
Part Two of a Two-Parts: Its Evolution
By Bill Primavera
The Home Guru
As Published in The Examiner in Westchester and Putnam Counties, New York
So you haven’t yet heard the term, The Recessionary Kitchen? It’s being coined right here in The Examiner. The news is that the fancy schmancy commercial ranges and refrigerators that have been dominating well-heeled residential kitchens over the past ten years have taken a big hit just in the past few months, according to Richard Leahy, a business man who should know.
As owner of Atlantic Appliance Company with stores in Mt. Kisco and Yorktown Heights, Leahy announced the death knell of high end appliances for normal folk. “It happened very quickly in the last quarter of 2008,” he says. “Sure there always will be people who spend $10,000, $15,000 or more for a commercial range or refrigerator, but now, they do it only if they happen to live in a multi-million dollar home. In the last 10 years, we saw people with average priced homes, in the $500,000 to $600,000 range, spending as much as $50,000 to $100,000 in creating new kitchens. But, these people were using equity in their homes to finance upscale kitchens, and now that their homes’ equity is gone with the rapid fall of homes prices, it’s back to utilitarian appliances.”
Guiding a tour through his Yorktown store, Leahy is as sleek as his appliances, obviously the result of many years of knowing and selling his product. “There are many buyers who come in now and find that they have to live within their means for the first time. They can’t spend what they did just a year ago, but they still want a quality look,” he says.
As he goes from the high-priced decorator showroom of expensive appliances to the main floor with rows of different ranges and refrigerators, all lower-priced, he points out that all residential appliances have come a long way, many looking more like commercial ranges, but at price points around $2,500, rather than $10,000 or more. Some offer such features as five cooking surfaces, rather than the traditional four, which can be adjusted in size to conserve energy, and drawers at the bottom of the ranges, formerly used for storage, now serve as food warmers.
“The same finishes are popular in both price ranges, Leahy says. “Some might choose a black carbon or a platinum finish, but brushed steel is still the mostly popular. The object now is to spend less but to try to achieve a similar look,” he says.
Echoing his observation of “same look, less money” is Jodi Duerr of JD Home Design in Somers who designs kitchens from floor to ceiling. “Customers used to ask us to specify the best quality and most expensive cabinetry, high end appliances, counter top and backsplash materials, as well as plumbing and lighting fixtures,” she says. Now, with this economy, we’re quickly changing our thoughts about kitchen design.”
Duerr says that the best place to save without sacrificing looks is with the cabinetry which varies in types of construction, materials used, finishes and warranties. “As one can imagine, the prices are just as varied, from around $250 per lineal foot to around $2500 per lineal foot,” she says. “There are many brands that fall in the middle to lower cost that will give you that incredible custom cabinetry feeling without paying the price.” Duerr also suggested that customers can skimp on the price of plumbing and lighting fixtures. “Many times you’re paying for the brand name, but such items in the big box stores look just as beautiful.”
With counter tops, however, Duerr recommends that no one consider going back to laminate or mica tops if at all possible. “That’s what we’re replacing, after all,” she says. “There are so many options, but granite and solid surface materials like Silestone and Cambria are still the most popular choices. I suggest to budget-conscious clients that they can downsize the cost of anything else, but not to compromise on the surface material which is the essential in the kitchen and covers the most area.”
From these two experts, the bottom line of The Recessionary Kitchen is to challenge the homeowner to be more creative in achieving the look of a high-end kitchen, without the expense. In other words, smoke and mirrors.
Bill Primavera is a Westchester, NY-based realtor ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) and marketing practitioner ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) who can be reached for questions or comment directly at 914-522-2076.
To read more in The Examiner, go to: www.TheExaminerNews.com