Kitchens and bathrooms are established markers of luxury — without updated, high-end versions of these important rooms, a home is likely to quickly decrease in value regardless of how elegant its other elements may be. However, the most luxurious homes need more than just above-average indoor spaces to be considered grandiose.
An entertaining, opulent addition to a large backyard, outdoor kitchens have become popular staples among luxury homeowners. From small-scale pizza ovens accompanied by an understated seating area to a fully furnished kitchen tailored to outdoor cooking, having access to a means of preparing food in an outdoor space is crucial to high-end homebuyers, especially in warm
weather states.
Arcadia White Pane. Photo courtesy of Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet.
Photo courtesy of Brantley Photography.
Kalamazoo Gaucho Grill. Photo courtesy of Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet.
Russ Faulk, Chief Designer and Head of Product at Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, says that one of the biggest outdoor culinary trends is cooking on a live fire.
“Live-fire cooking isn’t new; in fact, it is the oldest form of cooking,” Faulk says. “But more recently, people are re-embracing wood-fired cooking and its primal nature. It started with the chef community. Restaurant menus described dishes as wood-fired or wood-grilled steaks, seafood, vegetables, and even dessert. It was all about capturing the char, smoke and unique flavor that comes when you grill using wood. Now people can capture that same experience right in their backyards.”
Outdoor kitchen design used to capitalize on the novelty of the out-in-the-elements nature of the space, but lately, Faulk has seen homeowners transition their outdoor kitchens to mirror their indoor ones.
Photo courtesy of Brantley Photography.
“We’re seeing indoor kitchen trends move into the outdoor kitchen. That includes more transitional designs, more cabinetry drawers versus doors, and more color,” he says.
These spaces can serve as a poolside dining area made for entertaining, or more simply as a peaceful place to cook on a summer night. The versatility and unconventionality of an outdoor kitchen makes a statement even among the most luxurious of homes.
Contemporary versus Farmhouse. Warm woods versus stark whites. The latest kitchens incorporate new ways of thinking.
By Camilla McLaughlin
The kitchen story continues to be painted in white and grey, but for luxury the narrative is changing. “When it comes to high-end luxury, it’s about quality. It’s about finishes, color and the wow factor,” says National Kitchen & Bath Association Industry Relations Manager Elle H-Millard, who is also a certified kitchen designer, noting that luxury continues to be more about the user experience.
There is no better place to scope out what’s ahead for kitchens than the industry’s annual trade event, the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show. Although the focus might be the overall kitchen market, many of the trends and innovations are ideally suited for the largest budgets and savviest design aspirations.
Still, Christopher Grubb, president of Arch-Interiors Design Group in Los Angeles, points out that luxury today speaks to multiple tiers in the market. “Luxury doesn’t have to be about cost. Luxury is an experience, and at every price level people want luxury finishes.”
White and grey remain the preferred color schemes according to the vast majority of design experts and industry professionals responding to NKBA’s annual trends survey. Still, anyone walking the KBIS show floor this January couldn’t help but notice that wood in medium to light tones was very much in evidence, either for cabinets — especially in contemporary designs — or as an accent. “I am seeing a lot of movement because grey and white have been so popular. I am seeing wood tones come back, which is kind of nice. We haven’t seen that in a while,” observes Grubb. The emergence of wood, either as a primary finish or as an element in a design scheme, reflects a subtle shift and growing desire to integrate an organic feeling.
Typically, styles gain or lose momentum over an interval of several years. This year, Farmhouse suddenly jumped to the top in the NKBA survey with 79 percent of design professionals characterizing it as “trendy” or “very trendy.” This eclectic style mixes white with warm metals and mellow weathered wood. Reclaimed wood beams and hardwood flooring along with barn doors and apron sinks enhance the Farmhouse sensibility.
Transitional, which combines clean lines and streamlined traditional details, was the second most preferred style. Main elements of this style include quartz countertops and wood floors.
Overall, for countertops in every style, H-Millard says, “quartz is where it’s at today;” 94 percent of professionals surveyed agree. Hardwood was the preferred flooring, according to 78 percent of respondents.
Contemporary, defined by linear forms with flat-front doors and frameless cabinets, followed as the third-most-preferred style. Hallmarks include open shelving, clean lines and appliances that meld into cabinets. It’s important to note the narrow spread in the survey between Farmhouse at 79 percent and Contemporary at 73 percent.
Dark tones continue to find their way into kitchens in faucets, hardware and cabinets, sometimes as a contrast with white. For cabinets, blue is emerging, and black is gaining traction for both faucets and cabinets. Glossy finishes are out; matte is trending. A matte surface, combined with processes that highlight grain and create a textural finish, imparts softness and depth that creates almost a tactile sense. It’s not an overstatement to call this “the new black.”
The desire for customized storage shifts more attention to what’s inside cabinets and drawers, especially in the high end. Every year manufacturers expand the number of inserts and products designed to enhance organization, meet everyday cooking requirements and adapt kitchens for a range of cuisines, special interests and abilities.
“One of the things that came out of the luxury custom movement is really creating an experience for the user,” says H-Millard, who sees more and more companies tapping into the human touch, offering ways to customize products.
This year, Elkay introduced an option offering various front panels for their farmhouse sinks, which allows consumers to change the look of the sink. Pops of color are another hallmark of high-end kitchens, and H-Millard says a growing trend is the use of bold colors to make large gas ranges the focal point of a kitchen. Often too, manufacturers give consumers ways to change the look with panels in multiple colors that can be switched out. “They are making new colors every year. There are so many options to choose from in bold pops of colors, everything from knobs, materials and finishes. That alone is really kicking the personalizer for the user experience to a whole new level,” explains H-Millard.
For refrigerators, Tami Catalano, sales consultant with Monark Tucson Showroom, says it’s about “columns, columns and more columns. We have just about every brand offering columns now. It’s about who can dress them up more, be more flexible or offer the most competitive price point.” Having the option to create whatever configuration a homeowner desires and seamlessly integrate it into a custom design completely personalizes this appliance. Manufacturers continue to offer new takes on stainless, but Grubb says for high-end kitchens typically the choice is a paneled finish that matches the cabinets, so the appliances blend in and make the kitchen appear larger.
Sinks are on the cusp of morphing into the most versatile product in the kitchen. Not only are large format styles in demand, but manufacturers offer many ways to configure a sink along with accessories that maximize function. Often a sink can be combined with under-cabinet refrigeration. An induction burner adds an option to cook pasta or lobster next to the sink. Multiple bowls also make the sink a spot to ice drinks or seafood. H-Millard says, “This is a whole new way of thinking, which will drive new traffic patterns in the kitchen.” Even the traditional work triangle is being tweaked by large islands. A standard U- or L-shaped plan is now focused on the island, and H-Millard expects this to change the configuration of cabinetry. “It is also going to change how people look at functionality in their kitchens,” she says. Mid-height cabinets should gain traction.
For next-generation kitchens, look for a growing interest in wellness and freshness to spark a new wave of innovations.
Photos courtesy of Laurent Levant Interior / Dave Bryce Photography, istockphoto.com / Hikesterson, Taryn Emerson Interiors / Jared Bumgarner, Haffle America Co., Mike Tuell, Arch Interiors / Greg Weiner Photography
Timeless Italian styles are reemerging in gourmet kitchens, showcasing bold new colors, artisan craftsmanship, cutting-edge cooking options and updated safety features.
By Stacey Staum
The custom kitchens built by Officine Gullo USA have been referred to as “living sculptures” because of their unique artistic style. “I think beginning from the fact that it’s handmade and custom-made for each client, each item in the kitchen is cast by hand in solid brass. They are an expression of the person’s taste and uniqueness. If someone wants a completely new dimension or customization, it’s built for them, built for their needs, tastes and desires,” says Moreas.
Citing the styles of Florence as the major influences on Officine Gullo USA’s design style, Moreas continues, “Ancient sculptors like Michelangelo even casted in metals, so we use this as an inspiration. After three generations of doing this, we still use the ancient techniques for metalwork that make it unique and special in every way.” By using artisan methods, Officine Gullo USA achieves a traditionally styled cooking device that functions as art.
Valetina Bertazzoni describes Bertazzoni’s appliance style as aesthetic and functional. She explains, “The use of an avant-garde appliance coordinated with elegance and substance in the kitchen is becoming more and more important. We see this as the synchronicity design paradigm. It’s the idea of ‘as well as’ rather than ‘either or.’ Consumers no longer have to decide between a kitchen range only, or a cooktop with wall ovens. They can choose elements that work in synchronicity with one another, and they can choose to customize the kitchen to fit their lifestyle, which may mean a modern kitchen will include a range and a steam oven.”
When it comes to choosing cooking options, availability of features is of paramount importance. What features are most important varies widely from company to company and reflects each establishment’s unique outlook.
Bertazzoni offers features like steam cooking and other non-traditional cooking surfaces as cooking tastes evolve. Bertazzoni explains, “Cooking culture moves relatively slowly, compared to other sectors. Cooking is definitively more related to tradition and habits, and our tastes rely very much on our memory. It will take time before these technologies will reach the same popularity as, for example, gas cooking.” The company continues to offer modern technologies as the tastes and health concerns of consumers evolve over time.
Officine Gullo USA offers a wide variety of professional-grade equipment, providing the highest BTU output available in residential kitchens. The company incorporates blast chillers, vacuum packing machines, steamers, integrated coffee machines and any other appliance that a home chef might need in the kitchen.
On the opposite end of that spectrum, Verona and ILVE stick to more traditional methods.
“We have modern upgrades, but for us, the less electronics, the better. We believe more in Old World cooking: really great convection stands and really powerful ovens.”
While Verona and ILVE stick to more traditional cooking styles, safety upgrades are of the highest importance, as they have modern flame failure safety devices that shut off the gas when the pilot goes out, and ignition delay that prevent little hands from turning on the stove when children are unattended.
Bertazonni also places a high premium on safety. “One of Bertazzoni’s pillars is family, so safety is very important. Among many safety features, our latest is the Induction range which is universally friendly to all ages for its cool-to-the-touch cooktop,” she says.
With this focus on safety, top-of-the-line craftsmanship and an enduring aesthetic, the Italian-style kitchen continues to be the model for luxury in the high-end kitchen market.
