Creating
Kitchens With Character
In
the realm of kitchen design, Southwest Florida is fashion forward. While
70 percent of the kitchens and baths installed nationally are remodels,
in our area 95 percent are designed for new homes. With everything new,
harmony is possible when kitchen cabinetry melds with entertainment centers,
bathroom cabinetry, library built-ins and morning kitchens in luxurious
master bedroom suites.
Since 1986, Jeff Stevens,
president of Stevens Industries International, and his professional staff
have been creating gorgeous kitchens for our market. He sees two changes
on the horizon, both driven by architecture.
In estate homes over $2
million, Old World, Mediterranean and Tuscan-inspired interiors remain
hands-down favorites. Because these sprawling abodes with high ceilings
mandate the elegance of yester-year, generous moulding, rich color palettes,
distressed finishes and substantial appointments fit right in. In some
of these stately residences, however, a subtle change is in the air.
“I wouldn’t
call it modern,” says Stevens, “but look for simpler lines,
smooth columns and spare moulding without the carved corbels or elaborate
dentil work. The client who typically would have wanted all-traditional
is now requesting the complement of contemporary. Some are calling this
style Modern Traditional.”
While the call of the ages
rings strong, sleek touches paired with warm colors and wood cabinetry
lend a fresh ambiance. A contemporary infusion might be as simple as a
less ornate cabinet door style and clean-lined hardware. The technique
of adding character to a space with a contrasting color in a hutch cabinet
or an island is still quite popular and fits with the Modern Traditional
style.
The second newsworthy departure
from the norm appears in the condominium market where both new construction
and remodels move away from traditional as builders champion the idea
that less is more.
“Many developers
influenced by European designs are trending toward contemporary in high-rise
residences,” says Stevens. “Where views are at a premium,
kitchens are carefully integrated for maximum functionality and minimal
visual disruption.”
While the prevailing attitude
is far from ultra-modern or industrial, he notes, high-rise clients are
embracing clean lines in cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, contemporary
lighting and colors that pop.
“In new and remodeled
condominium residences, we’re seeing builders and homeowners moving
strongly toward contemporary European styles,” he says. “While
there’s still a desire for a warm and soothing presentation, there’s
a preference for color and metal surfaces.”
The warm contribution of
wood is still prevalent as is the desire for striking countertop surfaces.
Zodiaq is a new category
of surfacing material that captures the radiance of quartz crystal with
depth, clarity and strength. Embracing both nature and technology, the
DuPont product is available in a palette of dramatic colors. Granite,
an enduring classic, remains the top choice for countertops.
It’s long been thought
that careful space planning and high-end product selection are two of
the most important considerations for any modern kitchen. In all Florida
homes the reach of the kitchen expands into the rest of the space as floor
designs are open. The open design takes advantage of every square foot
and makes entertaining easy, and kitchen elements such as furniture feet
on base cabinetry enable an integrated flow into the rest of the home.
“Concealing appliances
has been a popular design technique for years, but now appliances can
be completely under cover,” Stevens says. “In the past, the
high-end kitchens featured coordinating panels over appliance doors, but
you could still see metal trim High-quality appliance manufacturers like
Sub-Zero have engineered products that are frameless and completely hide
any trim.”
Lighting is an important
component of kitchen design.Under-cabinet lighting, for instance, is a
crucial source of task lighting and can be an attractive feature as well.
Cabinets with decorative glass doors use interior lighting to show off
treasured pieces. Coordinating the work of tradesmen such as electricians
and lighting technicians is not always the role of Stevens Industries
International, but the ability to understand the process is valuable in
all projects.
“The overall quality
and success of the design depends on the builder, architect, designer
and all of the sub-contracted trades working in concert,” Stevens
explains. “As a state-certified general contractor, we typically
choose to exercise our licensing only in the cabinet and countertop arena,
but we do have the knowledge, licensing and experience to accomplish much
more.”
Before embarking on the
construction of a dream home or a long-awaited remodel, remember that
experienced design professionals at Stevens Industries International make
dreams come true.
Five certified kitchen
designers and three AutoCAD technicians create kitchens in Stevens Industries
International’s state-of-the-art, 4,000-square-foot design studio
on Trade Center Way in Naples. The studio displays cabinet and countertop
settings in traditional and contemporary styles for kitchens and entertainment
centers. Walls of cabinet doors and hardware offer a comprehensive selection
for a discriminating clientele. The company owns and operates a 45,000-square-foot
cabinet manufacturing and countertop fabricating facility in Southern
Lee County, and more than 100 employees install kitchens, baths and entertainment
centers from Sarasota to Marco Island. For customer convenience, several
luxury home models and high-rise towers by the area’s most respected
builders feature Stevens Industries International’s selection centers
on-site.
Where homes used to be
sold “as is,” today’s homebuyers appreciate choice in
everything from backsplash tile to flooring and lighting.
“Clients today are
much more sophisticated,” Stevens says. “When they walk through
the door they’ve done their research, often on the Internet. We
prefer that because it’s much easier for us to extract information
when a client has an idea of what they like.”
Those who cook and those
who have designed their own kitchens in the past lean heavily toward drawers
and pull-out shelves, as rooting through dark shelves on hands and knees
is a chore.
“I’d say the
one thing everyone wants is pull-outs in base cabinets and drawers,”
Stevens says. “Drawers are the most under-rated additions by far.
The one constant in this business is that each successive kitchen a customer
designs has more drawers and pull-outs. They make life easier.”
There used to be an inverse
relationship between how much money was spent on a kitchen and how much
the kitchen was used. No more. People from all walks of life are spending
more time than ever before in the heart of the home.
“We design kitchens
for budgets ranging from $15,000 to $150,000, with the average at about
$50,000 to $60,000,” Stevens says. “For whatever reason, all
of our clients tell us that they’re eating out less and cooking
at home more. In a hectic world, a well-designed and attractive kitchen
is a valuable asset.”
Courtesy
of Stevens Industries International, Inc.
1998 Trade Center Way
Naples, FL 34109
239 415-7554
www.stevensindustries.com
Written by Sam Moser
Photography Courtesy of London Bay Homes/Romanza LLC
