Faucets and Fridges and Sinks, Oh My!

From Refrigerators...






..to faucets...



...sinks...

....and wall ovens...

The sheer number of options is frightening.  Faucets and fridges and ovens...oh my!

One trip to showroom was all it took to shake my confidence.  Up until then I was sure that I'd  be able to make my selections with ease.  Hey, it would even be fun!  I thought that I'd lived in enough houses to know what I did and did not like.  I have a developed sense of style by now and above all else, I'm practical (and budget conscious)...how hard could it be, right?  HA! 

My husband, David, and I walked into the showroom one Friday morning with our house plans and budget numbers in hand.  We wandered around looking at beautiful model kitchens with state of the art appliances and "statement" faucets and sinks.  We looked at shower fixtures that had 16 water jets coming out at all angles, like a drive-thru carwash.  We saw sinks made from rocks, faucets shaped  koi fish and ultra-sleek contemporary bath tubs.

Now, I appreciate artistic fixtures in an upscale restaurant or high-end hotel when I visit (the hotel rooms at the Kohler Resort in Kohler, Wisconsin have, by far, the coolest bathroom fixtures I've ever seen! Now THAT was a "car wash" style shower, and it was AWESOME!) but do I really need to have my fixtures making statements about me in my house?  What would they be saying?  If I were to choose, say, the Koi Fish Faucet, I think it'd be saying that I'm an idiot. 

It didn't take long for David and I to realize that we were not going to find what we were looking for in the showroom.  One peek at a kitchen faucet price tag of $2095 assured us of that.

A few days later, Adam, a sales rep from the same showroom visited me at my office. They must have a whole department to deal with people like us.  Maybe they've dubbed us "Hopelessy Practical" or "Non-Statement Makers" or just, "Boring".   He came with a small, glossy page catalog featuring a manageable number of "ordinary" faucets, sinks, shower fixtures, bathtubs and toilets.  In about half an hour he walked me through the selection process for fixtures for 4 bathrooms, kitchen and laundry room that our house will need.  The fixtures that I selected are quality brands (better quality than any I've had in any home so far) and stylish.  The quote came in under budget.  I think the only "statement" they make is that the owners of the house are practical and budget conscious.  But I guess I'll have to wait until they're installed before I can hear what they have to say. 

Appliances were an easier task to tackle.  One hour at the local appliance store and we'd selected our refrigerator, dishwasher and wall oven/microwave.  Strict criteria for the range features narrowed down our choices quickly.  Being a busy mom, I needed programmability.  None of the "professional" grade ranges (like Wolf and Viking) have the features that I needed.  I guess professional chefs don't put a frozen pan of  lasagne in the oven at 2:00 p.m.and program it to cook  and shut off at  6:00 p.m.  However, I do.  Kitchen Aid had just what I needed.  So that made the decision simple.  And...we came in under budget!

This isn't the end of it either....in fact, it's just the beginning.  We still have flooring, tile and lighting to choose!  I'm sure it will be a challenge to sift through the choices but I'm regaining confidence that I can remain true to my sense of style and still come in on budget...... and hey, it actually is kinda fun!