A cool refrigeration concept is red hot with homeowners. “People love refrigerator drawers,” says interior designer Jana Erwin of Woodlands, Texas-based Classic Designs. “They especially love the fact that they integrate with the regular drawers if you put custom panels on them.”
Launched by Sub-Zero in 1995, these innovative under-counter units have captured the imagination of creative builders, architects, designers, and homeowners. Houston custom builder Gary Bumpass installs them in kitchens and wet bars, as does Erwin, who thinks that they work especially well in an island.
This concept has been so successful that Sub-Zero is adding a refrigerator/freezer drawer unit to its lineup. “It makes sense where space is an issue, such as in small galley kitchens or point-of-use installations like bedrooms,” says the company’s Paul Leuthe.
New entries include GE Appliances’ Monogram, with a cleverly designed all-refrigerator dual-drawer module that can accommodate wine bottles and 2-liter bottles of soda, and U-Line’s Échelon refrigerated double drawer, with stainless steel-lined interiors, a Slide & Divide organizer up top, and a clear crisper below.
All are available in stainless steel or with hardware for custom panels. And, according to Marty Troiani, Monogram marketing manager, “They give builders a lot of flexibility.” What’s more, he concludes, “They can be used in any room of the house—the recreation room or home theater, study or master suite.”
| Sub-Zero |
