When I was designing my dream kitchen, I learned that appliance selection is key and that my first step should be to find a great appliance showroom near me to explore my options. This sounded counter-intuitive, because I had always thought of layout and cabinetry as the backbone of any dream kitchen. Turns out, most designers like to know what appliances you want to fit into your kitchen first, because these functions and the space they require dictate your layout and impact your cabinet choices. If you know the appliances you want to include, you could save money down the road, because redrawing plans in mid-project may mean additional design fees. I started out thinking I wanted a big commercial range and ended up with an induction cooktop and a wall oven and convection steam oven. I never even knew these appliances existed when I started my project! It took curiosity and appliance experts to make it happen.
Searching for an Appliance Showroom Near Me Unlocked Valuable Information
I also thought that most appliance showrooms were basically the same. It had been years since I shopped for appliances, but I still expected an appliance showroom to have a line-up of various appliance models by different brands and salespeople who could explain features and pricing to me. Seemed simple enough. What I learned is that many people buy major appliances online, which didn’t help me in my quest to see, touch, and understand what I would be buying. I was also surprised to learn how pricing in the appliance industry had changed dramatically, depending on what you are looking for in brands, features, finishes, etc. As I searched, I learned that that in my area I only had a few choices for appliance showrooms. They were small independent appliance stores that had a few models on display. When I visited the first one, I realized that what I really needed was a trusted resource, a place where I felt like I was able to gain access to real appliance expertise. The salesperson at my first stop was very nice, but I didn’t have confidence that I would get the in-depth knowledge I needed to make this investment. After doing more research online and talking to friends who had recently remodeled their kitchens, I realized that I was definitely looking for high-end luxury appliances, something more than a GE or Whirlpool model. This was going to be my dream kitchen and I wanted the latest technology and features. I was willing to pay for the best range, refrigerator, and dishwasher, as long as I understood what made them superior.
The Appliance Showroom Near Me Unlike Any Other
My biggest lesson in this journey was to talk to everyone about their kitchen design ideas. You’ll never know what nuggets you’ll learn. For many, designing a dream kitchen is probably a once-in-a-lifetime endeavor, so people are happy to share their personal tips, tricks and favorite designers and brands. I got referrals for several kitchen designers and, after looking at their websites, decided to meet with three of them to see what they were like. To my surprise and delight, I was able to tell right away whose design style I liked, and I could also get a sense of who I would be most comfortable working with on a long-term project like this. During that process I also learned about a wonderful resource for appliances that I never would have found on my own! In fact, this great appliance showroom was near me, but they don’t sell anything, which is why they didn’t initially come up in my search for a great appliance showroom! One of the designers I met with said, “Have you visited Clarke yet?” When I told her “No,“ she got so excited to share all of their information.
Clarke is Like No Other Appliance Showroom
It ends up that Clarke is New England’s Official Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove Showroom and Test Kitchen. These third-generation appliance experts have large, inspiring showrooms in Boston’s Seaport, Milford, Massachusetts and South Norwalk, Connecticut. Each one is more extraordinary than the next. They are brand ambassadors for world-class appliances exclusively from Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove. According to many architects, designers and homeowners, Sub-Zero manufacturers the best refrigerators and freezers in the world. The company was launched in 1945, after founder Westye Baake designed built-in refrigeration for legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright. After decades of appliance innovation, Sub-Zero acquired Wolf from a commercial range manufacturer. Over two decades, they have created the most jaw-dropping residential cooking appliances on the planet. Gas, electric, induction, convection, steam…if you can cook with it, Wolf now has an appliance that will satisfy your need for superior performance and culinary perfection. And in 2018, the company set a new standard in luxury dishwashing with their Cove brand. This triumvirate of kitchen technology brands is a thing to behold.
New Englanders Have Access to These World-Class Appliance Showrooms
While there are Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove showrooms in other parts of the country, New England is home exclusively to Clarke. At a Clarke Showroom, you will be able to see and compare every model Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove make. This is unheard of! In most appliance showrooms, you will see, at best, a dozen Sub-Zero and Wolf models, but you really need to visit Clarke to see everything these brands offer. It’s more than the selection, though. Clarke is all about expertise. Clarke Showroom Consultants are considered the savviest appliance professionals in the country. These are the people architects and kitchen designers rely on for appliance recommendations. According to Veronica Campbell, award-wining designer at Deane, Inc., “One of the benefits of working with the Clarke Showroom for me as a kitchen designer is that I get to take my clients to Clarke early in the process. They get to see the appliances, USE the appliances and make sure they are really what they like, and I can design the cabinetry around it.”
That’s right, homeowners can actually test drive the appliances at Clarke.
You don’t buy appliances at Clarke. If your showroom tour results in your wanting to purchase Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove appliances, Clarke will refer you to a trusted retail dealer in your area and brief that dealer on exactly what you liked at Clarke. This means you never feel pressure to purchase while exploring the appliances. According to Clarke Showroom Manager Jeremy McCulla, “A lot of people feel like Clarke is too good to be true, but there’s no catch. We exist just to help homeowners learn and understand what appliances will work best for their home.”
Three Ways to Engage with a Clarke Appliance Showroom
Clarke makes it easy to learn about world-class appliances with no pressure to purchase.
- Free Appliance Demonstrations – Attend a Wolf Production Demonstration to learn about a wide array of Wolf appliances or register for a Wolf Convection Steam Oven Demo to unlock the secrets of the oven that 80% of showroom visitors decide they must have!
- Schedule an Appointment – Spend one hour with a Clarke Showroom Consultant and you’ll enjoy a personal tour that allows you to see and compare hundreds of appliances in dozens of custom kitchens created by the region’s finest designers.
- Ask the Chef – Once you own Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, a professional chef is just a phone call or visit away. Clarke Chefs are your resource for recipe assistance, use and care advice and much more.
When I found Clarke on my journey to find the best appliance showroom near me, I felt like I hit the jackpot! I love the way my kitchen turned out and hope you will achieve the look and performance you imagine too.
