An interior designer has revealed how an exposed dishwasher can make your kitchen look tacky – after the Duchess of Sussex joined the list of famous faces making the faux pas.
Jordana Ashkenazi, the London-based founder and design director of Element One House, insisted that showing the appliance off in your home is a ‘mistake’.
She revealed the kitchen rule she always stands by, telling the Daily Mail: ‘I’ll be honest, I’m not on board with this look at all.
‘For me, everything in a kitchen should be integrated. Fridges, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers. If you can hide it, hide it. No one really wants to see appliances on show.’
It comes after Meghan’s As Ever Instagram account recently shared a photograph of her making pancakes using products from her lifestyle brand.
‘Spring inspiration’, the caption read. But for some, the dishwasher being on show in the background likely distracted from the delicious treat on offer. It’s unclear whether the picture was taken in Prince Harry and Meghan’s own kitchen in Montecito.
Jordana said having appliances exposed – including dishwashers and washing machines – ‘was tacky’ and ruined the flow of an otherwise stylish kitchen.
But Meghan isn’t the only celebrity to fall foul of the interior designer’s rule. Marina Fogle, wife of TV presenter Ben Fogle, previously kept her four dishwasher drawers on show.
José Andrés also seemingly has a dishwasher on show in his property, with Martha Stewart previously posting a photo on Instagram of the chef making her a ‘home cooked’ meal.
Meanwhile, Stacey Solomon keeps her washing machine exposed in her utility room, as does singer Shirlie Kemp.
Jordana insisted: ‘The goal now is a kitchen that feels completely seamless, calm and considered. When you invest in a kitchen, you’re investing in the joinery. The cabinetry, the finishes, the handles, the detailing. That’s where the beauty is.
‘So why interrupt all of that with a visible appliance? If you’ve spent thousands on beautiful joinery, the last thing you want is a dishwasher stealing the spotlight. A dishwasher, in particular, is probably the least attractive thing you could have on display.’
The interiors designer continued: ‘Let’s be honest, there’s nothing pretty about most appliances, so why are we putting them on show?
‘You can get a decent-looking toaster or kettle, or even a sexy coffee machine at a push, but even those are being hidden now.’
Jordana insisted that even smaller appliances – nevermind the likes of dishwashers and washing machines – are now being hidden, rather than exposed.
She said: ‘In fact, we’re moving even further away from visible appliances altogether. It’s now getting to the point where people don’t even want to see kettles, toasters, coffee machines or microwaves left out on the worktop.
‘Instead, we’re designing concealed pantry cupboards or breakfast stations, where everything is tucked neatly behind doors. You open it when you need it and close it again so the kitchen goes straight back to looking clean.
‘That’s where the trend is really heading, towards simplicity, minimalism and visual calm. Less clutter, less interruption, more continuity.
‘So when you look at it like that, leaving something as bulky and functional as a dishwasher on show just feels completely at odds with where kitchen design is going.’
Jordana suggested celebs could be leaving their appliances on show to try and achieve a more ‘relaxed, lived-in feel’ – but insisted that there’s a ‘fine line between relaxed and looking unfinished’.
The expert said: ‘In high-end homes, everything is integrated for a reason. It creates flow, keeps the eye moving and makes the space feel more expensive, more thought through and ultimately more timeless.
‘And when it comes to washing machines and dryers, it’s a complete no for me. They’re bulky, they’re functional and they have absolutely no place being on show in a kitchen.
‘If you don’t have a utility room, which many city homes don’t, then you need to work even harder to conceal them within your cabinetry.
‘Even a simple cupboard door makes a huge difference. It keeps everything consistent and allows the kitchen to read as one continuous design, rather than a mix of furniture and appliances.
‘I do understand that not everyone can integrate something like a fridge, and that’s fine. But a dishwasher? That should always be hidden if you have the option.
‘Ultimately, good design isn’t about showing everything you have. It’s about knowing what to conceal. And for me, visible appliances just feel a bit tacky.’
Marina revealed in November 2023 that she has four dishwashers in her home.
She wrote: ‘Before you start visualising our palatial home, I must make clear that, while we have four separate machines, they are large ‘dish drawers’ that take up the same space as two normal dishwashers.
‘But still, the reality is I do have four dishwashers. And yes, I did feel slightly smug when I read yesterday that kitchen designers are now frequently asked by clients to include two machines in a new kitchen. One Yorkshire store says 35 per cent of its customers now want to double up.’
She said of her dishwashers: ‘I wholeheartedly believe they make me a better mother and a nicer wife.’
