High expectations

As any real estate professional will testify, a good kitchen can sell a house. And for a high-end apartment development, high-quality finishes and the latest appliance technology are not just desirable they are crucial.

The apartment featured on these pages is part of a luxury development by Plaza Properties. In-house designer Erik Jorgensen says potential buyers have an expectation that the kitchen fit-outs will reflect the high standard of specification throughout the complex.

"This expectation influenced our appliance choice," he says. "The kitchens are equipped with top-of-the-line Fisher & Paykel appliances a brand we specify for all our projects. Fisher & Paykel has a good range of products with the performance and aesthetics to complement contemporary interiors."

For this project, Jorgensen specified the new French Door Active Smart¢ refrigerator, which features two central doors and a large freezer drawer.

"This refrigerator appeals for a lot of reasons, not least because it is so spacious. It also offers particularly good value for money."

The French Door refrigerator's 900mm shelves can accommodate large platters, which makes it ideal for entertaining. The refrigerator also features an integrated in-door water dispenser, which offers chilled, filtered water, and an internal ice maker that provides clean, crisp ice cubes. Unlike earlier models, the in-door dispenser doesn't compromise the usable internal storage space. This ensures there is still plenty of room for bottles.

For ease of use, the refrigerator has an on-door electronic user interface, which accesses all refrigerator features.

The Active Smart technology is another bonus. This system continually monitors and adjusts the flow of cool air, to ensure food is kept at optimum temperatures. Humidity-controlled fruit and vegetable drawers help food to stay fresher for longer.

The Fisher & Paykel Titan single oven is also endowed with features that exceed those of a standard appliance. The oven's 10 cooking modes include a roast function, which first sears your meat before automatically lowering the temperature to complete the cooking process. This ensures the roast is both browned and succulent.

The AeroTech cooking system provides even heat distribution, thanks to a high-tech microprocessor control.

This apartment also features a matching Fisher & Paykel Titan gas cooktop, which has five burners, including a simmer, rapid, and wok burner.

"We like the way this cooktop sits flush with the benchtop," says Jorgensen. "We find buyers also appreciate the fact that spills are contained, and are easy to clean up."

All these appliances are in Iridium stainless steel, which has a slightly frosted look. The satin finish is also practical it resists fingermarks, smudges and stains.

Another Fisher & Paykel product shown here is the Double DishDrawer. This technology allows you to have two independent dishwashers, so you can separate your glassware and crockery from your pots and pans. One drawer can be set to a delicate cycle, the other to heavy duty. This means you can clean your dishes efficiently without damaging them.

Each DishDrawer has a large, seven-place setting capacity.

All these Fisher & Paykel appliances come with an extensive two-year parts and labour warranty.

For details, contact Fisher & Paykel, phone 1300 650 590. Or visit the website: www.fp.com.au.

Story by: Trendsideas