Everyone seems to have many questions about what’s important when choosing kitchen appliances. This month, IKEA presents useful tips on how to choose appliances that don’t just work, but work smarter.

Tips for choosing appliances:

OVENS AND RANGES

Gas vs. electric: This is one of the first decisions to make when choosing an oven or range. Gas provides instant response, precise controllability and lower operating costs, while electric provides even heat and a lower appliance cost. Consider the types of food cooked and your budget.

Features: Consider daily use to determine the features needed, from self-cleaning functions, to basting and grilling functions, and automatic timers.

Layout: Double-stacked ovens provide plenty of capacity for baking and cooking while freeing up floor space. A separate range can create an additional cooking area on a central island.

REFRIGERATORS

Efficiency: Refrigerator energy standards have changed drastically since being mandated in 1993 and 1998. Look for a refrigerator that is Energy Star® qualified to save on energy and operating costs.

Capacity: Plan on 12 cubic feet of refrigerator space for two people and add 2 more cubic feet for each additional person. Space-saving features like pull-out and transparent drawers and bins make it easier to find and organize food.

Features: Look for features like built-in water and ice dispensers, adjustable shelves and separate temperature controls to make life easier.

DISHWASHERS

Practicality: Like refrigerators, dishwashers should be Energy Star® qualified. Besides being more hygienic than hand-washing, a dishwasher also saves water and time.

Features: Consider family size when determining necessary dishwasher capacity. Standard models accommodate up to ten place settings, tall tub models up to 14. Other options include energy-saving air-drying, delay timers for “off peak” energy hours and sani-rinse options which kill most germs and bacteria.

Other Featured Appliances

NUTID built-in microwave oven $699

Stainless steel. 10 power levels. Auto cook, reheat and defrost functions. This feature-rich microwave has an auto-cook function with seven preset categories. Installation in a high cabinet provides a comfortable work height and clears countertop work space.

MUMSIG built-in double oven $1499

This convection oven features two ovens for top and bottom heating and includes functions for grilling, pastries and self-cleaning, plus an automatic timer.

Marlene Pratt, a Casa Latina co-founder, believes that designing for a contemporary American lifestyle is much more than changing colors and buying new furniture. It is about integrating the many elements of a person’s life into their home.

When Marlene takes on a project, she does not just redecorate a space; she redesigns a lifestyle. She gets personal in order to understand who you are, where you are in your life, and where you want to go. Marlene works with each person to make their home an expression of who they are, interweaving their passions, beliefs and desires into the home’s fabrics, colors, textures and designs to create an intensely personal, yet functional, space.

Introduction by Nora Maria Diaz Bretherton

In this article Marlene was featured in Woman’s Day magazine:

Harvest gold appliances and above-cabinet soffits were the height of the kitchen style when Richard and Ellyn Wira moved into their new home in 1973. Fast-forward 32 years. Despite the new wallpaper and replacement appliances, “you walked into that kitchen and automatically knew how old it was,” says Marlene Pratt, the Home Depot interior designer who helped the Wiras bring the room into the 21st century.

What was done:

• Home depot’s Marelene Pratt, above left, guided the Wiras toward KraftMaid maple cabinets in a medium stain for the traditional look they desired.  A two-tone glaze that makes them darker around the edges is a contemporary look.
• The old cabinets came together in the corner and created a non-man’s land of dead space that required a flashlight to explore.  A new catty-corner cabinet, with a lazy Susan inside, makes the space user friendly.  A louvered appliance garage keeps countertop clutter under control.
• Silestone natural quartz countertops in Tea leaf won’t readily show dirt, and beacuse it’s nonporous, the surface won’t absorb stains. A cream ceramic tile backsplash adds texture.
• Pratt persuaded the Wiras to replace their relatively new white appliances with stainless steel ones from Maytag. “You can match any color to it,” says Pratt, “and it makes that color more striking.”
• A built-in microwave above the range frees up counter space.  The wood caving above it was unexpected piece Pratt brought in to provide a focal point. The arch over that, an architectual element repeated above the sink and on the workstation, softens the square lines of the kitchen.
• The Kohler chrome faucet has the old-fashioned look Ellyn loves, but with a modern pullout spray nozzle.

• Stained-glass cubbies replace the soffit above the cabinets, showing off Ellyn’s china and collectibles.  “A soffit makes a room seem smaller than it really is,” says Pratt.  “To the ceilling cabinets give the room added height and elegance.”

• A stunning new workstation doubles the storage space of the old hutch, and adds a desk and a filling cabinet in the base.  Pratt chose Behr’s Mountain Haze paint, an airy, light sage hue, as an homage to the Wiras’ North Carolina vacation home.  A round glass-top table lightens things up further.  The dark cream porcelain tile flooring is easy to clean and dries quickly, Ellyn says.  It was laid on an angle , which creates the illusion of a bigger room.

The details at work:

1. A sleek flat-screen television replaces a bulky old set, freeing up counter space.
2. Two roll-out drawers in the pots and pans cabinet organize cookware, eliminating straining and searching.
3. A pullout pantry next to the refrigerator holds canned goods and puts an end to the typical spice jumble in cabinets.  “You can see everything at a glance,” syas Ellyn.
4. Making most of utensil storage is a dual-level flatware drawer: The top section slide across to reveal a divided bottom.
5. Slide-out wire baskets get onions and potatoes out of the bag and into easy-to-access vegetable bins.

Once the makeover was complete, the Wiras found that they were surprisingly enamored of some of the smaller touches: a cabinet unit that houses trash and recycling bin, the freezer on-the-bottom refrigerator (”You can see what needs to be used up,” says Richard).  “We’re overwhelmed,” Ellyn says.  “The only thing is, it looks so good, now we feel like we need to redo the rest of the house.”

In a perfect world, we would replace all of our household appliances with more energy efficient models. Unfortunately that is not a realistic option. Instead, the next best approach is to make sure the appliances we have are functioning properly.

The following is what you need to know about how to better use your existing appliances:

Refrigerator/Freezer

• Position your refrigerator away from a heat source such as an oven, a dishwasher, or direct sunlight from a window.
• To allow air to circulate around the condenser coils, leave a space between the wall or cabinets and the refrigerator or freezer and keep the coils clean.
• Make sure the door seals are airtight. Simply place a piece of paper between the door and the refrigerator box, if the paper does not move great, if it slices out then your rubber sealant should be replaced
• Keep your refrigerator between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Minimize the amount of time the refrigerator door is open

Dishwasher

• Always run your dishwasher with a full load. Most of the energy used by a dishwasher goes to heat water. Since you can’t decrease the amount of water used per cycle, fill your dishwasher to get the most from the energy used to run it.
• Avoid using the heat-dry, rinse-hold and pre-rinse features. Instead use your dishwasher’s air-dry option.

Clothes Washer

• Fill it up, clothes washers use about the same amount of energy regardless of the size of the load, so run full loads whenever possible.
• Wash in cold water as much as possible. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut energy use in half. Using the cold cycle reduces energy use even more.
• Where and when possible, air-dry clothes instead of using a dryer. Use a drying rack or hang clothes outside.
• If your clothes washer has spin options, choose a high spin speed or the extended spin option to reduce the amount of remaining moisture in your clothes after washing. This decreases the amount of time it takes to dry your clothes.
• Leave the door open after use, when the machine is not in use, the seal can trap moisture in the machine which can lead to mold. Leave the door ajar for an hour or two after every use to allow moisture to evaporate. Make sure your kiddies do not climb into the machine while the door is open.
• Rinse your washer once a month by running a normal cycle with 1 cup of bleach to help reduce the risk of mold or mildew buildup. Consult the product owner’s manual before attempting.

Air Conditioners

• For better temperature control, use timers. This will allow you to use the minimum amount of energy you need to cool your room.
• Make sure each air conditioner in your home is properly sized for the room that it is in.
  Water Heaters
• Most water heaters last about 10-15 years, so before your’s goes caput, research your next purchase. By acting early, you have more control of your purchase and can start saving money right away.
• Flush the water heater every six months. The buildup of sediment in the tank can reduce your water heater’s energy efficiency and also clog your water lines.

Water Heaters

• Most water heaters last about 10-15 years, so before your’s goes caput, research your next purchase. By acting early, you have more control of your purchase and can start saving money right away.
• Flush the water heater every six months. The buildup of sediment in the tank can reduce your water heater’s energy efficiency and also clog your water lines.

Energy efficient choices can save families about a third on their energy bill — with similar savings on greenhouse gas emissions — without sacrificing features, style or comfort. ENERGY STAR helps you make the energy efficient choice.

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. It helps us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

Help protect the environment and visit ENERGY STAR.Gov

Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are known for stirring up air during the summer months, but did you know that they should be doing the same thing during the winter months? A ceiling fan can actually save you about 30% on your cooling costs and 10% on your heating costs when run in combination with adjusting your home’s temperature by two degrees.

• Make sure your fan is at least seven feet from the ground and make sure there’s ample room for the blades to spin unencumbered, at least 24″ from the closest wall.
• Remember that a fan with a light kit increases its versatility. Fans that don’t come with a light are adaptable in case you ever want to add one.
• If you are replacing an existing fan, purchase the largest fan your room will allow. A larger fan moves more air at lower speeds, which reduces noise and increases the fan’s life span, since it doesn’t have to work as hard.
• Check how your fans have been installed. The right type of mounting maximizes the cooling effect. For a low ceiling make sure it is a flush mount and /or semi-flush mount fan. For a high ceiling make sure it’s a downrod. To bring the circulating action down into the room and for a sloped ceilings an angled mount is required, usually sold separately.
• If you have an outdoor fan be sure that the motor is designed to withstand moisture and temperature changes and that the blades are constructed from a man-made material that won’t warp with humidity.
• Want the ultimate convenience? Add a remote control! Some remotes even have special sensors that will turn the fan on and off automatically or adjust fan speed based on room temperature. Pretty Cool.

Insulation

Homeowners, especially those who live in older homes, can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 20% (up to 10% of total energy costs) by sealing their homes and adding insulation in attics, floors, over crawl spaces and on accessible basement rim joists.

The leading cause of energy waste in the home is inadequate insulation and air leakage. Start by checking your attic. Is there existing insulation? Is there enough? If not add insulation to improve the warmth of your home. Second check the basement. If unfinished, use a blanket insulation with a flame-resistant polypropylene facing; if finished use a faced or unfaced batting insulation between studs in a framed wall

But before taking on these projects make sure to inspect your home thoroughly for any signs of water damage or water leakage. If these problems are not addressed before insulating your home, you may run the risk of long term mold growth and/ or poor indoor air quality. Please take the time to inspect carefully. Also be sure to use proper gear, such as a face mask or respirator, protective clothing, safety glasses, and a work light when inspecting, as airborne fiberglass is irritating to the eyes, skin and lungs. Please be careful and always read instructions before starting a new project. Enjoy your home.