Clarke Showrooms: Your Recipe for Kitchen Success

April 6, 2023

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Text by Maria LaPiana

If a custom kitchen is on your wish list, you’re in good company.

Designing a kitchen can be daunting, however, whether you’re starting from scratch or refreshing an existing space. Most homeowners have an emotional connection to the place where they gather and entertain, so they want it to be welcoming and beautiful. Most serious (and aspiring) cooks need a workspace and suite of appliances they can count on to get the job done—from family breakfasts to gourmet dinner parties.

Luxury white kitchen

The pros suggest you begin the design process with the bones of any kitchen: the appliances. Selecting your appliances early in the process saves time now and potential costs later if you decide to add that induction cooktop or undercounter ice maker. A great way to launch your kitchen project is to attend a complimentary product demonstration at a Clarke showroom in Boston or Milford, Massachusetts, or South Norwalk, Connecticut. Clarke is New England’s official showroom and test kitchen for Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove products.

Luxury kitchen with appliances from Clarke

At a Clarke product demonstration, you’ll have an opportunity to see appliances in action and ask questions of a seasoned pro—a chef, not a salesperson—who knows cooking inside and out. The hour-long demo can help you decide whether to choose a griddle or a charbroiler, an induction or gas range—and much more.

Clarke showroom demonstration

If you prefer, you can schedule an appointment at a Clarke showroom to gather ideas in dozens of full-scale designer kitchens. “From an architectural point of view, the kitchen is an important ingredient in the success of a house,” says noted architect Patrick Ahearn, who has offices in Boston and Edgartown, Massachusetts. “Clarke has really become an important partner in our approach to designing houses. The showrooms are set up in an intimate way, so for clients who may have trouble visualizing spaces and floorplans, it’s very helpful to have them experience something that is actually to scale.”

You may be surprised by what you can learn on a showroom appointment. You’re welcome to ask questions about custom refrigeration, wine storage, coffee systems and warming drawers. Most homeowners discover appliances they would never have known about. While Clarke’s consultants are not designers, they are the people who designers rely on for appliance recommendations.

Veronica Campbell, a kitchen designer with Deane, Inc. in Stamford, Connecticut, is one. “Clarke’s staff is just so friendly and educated. I know that if I can’t go with my clients, I’m confident that anyone who works there will take them around, and I know they’re in good hands.” Clarke Showroom consultants can give you the confidence you need to make many important decisions. And if you visit early in your planning and need a recommendation for a design professional, they’ll share their long list of trusted, accomplished architects and designers, from Maine to Connecticut.

Clarke showroom appliance demonstration

Because Clarke is a resource center and not an appliance store, there’s no pressure. You decide when you’re ready to take the next step, and the Clarke team will help connect you with a trusted retail dealer. “We hear from homeowners all the time that our showrooms are too good to be true,” says Corporate Showroom Director Marco Barallon. “They want to know what the catch is, but there is no catch.” He says that his team is pleased to offer “a unique place where you can take your time, feel no sales pressure, and gather the information you need to make smart decisions about the most important space in your home.”