Function meets style

Whether you’re building a new lake-area home or remodeling an existing structure to make it more functional and attractive, learning what’s hot in kitchen and bath design is an important early step.

While construction and fix-up projects are not as prolific as they were during the boom years — both at Smith Mountain Lake and nationally – there’s certainly enough happening for professionals to assess what customers are seeking. SML design and installation pros can also point to local trends that mimic and complement what’s happening nationally.

LONG-TERM OUTLOOK
The Cabinet Gallery at Westlake Towne Center is the area’s newest one-stop shop for kitchen and bath design and installation. Recently opened by Connie Hall, who operated the original Kitchens by Connie in the same location for nine years prior to a move from the SML area in 2004, the store features several kitchen and bath displays that serve to stimulate  design conversations with customers.
 
“In this slow-moving real estate market, people are viewing their homes differently,” Hall said. “It’s no longer about ‘build and flip for profit.’ It’s about creating comfortable, functional and attractive spaces that will be enjoyed over the long term.”

Hall also pointed to the preference for natural-look materials, as in granite countertops finished in leathered and “tumbled” matte textures for a more natural look and feel. Thick wood countertops are also popular, especially in black walnut, mahogany, zebra-striped and tiger-striped woods.

“Lighting can be as important as finishes in making kitchen spaces fit entertaining lifestyles,” Hall said. “We’re using indirect lighting above and below cabinets and even rope lighting in toe-kick recesses near the floor. People are seeking a soft, inviting look, especially when the kitchen is an extension of the great room or other gathering area.”

Customers are using decorative range hoods, usually custom built with intricate corbels and trims. High cabinets are often installed with glass-fronts and showcase lighting for display of favorite accent pieces.

“’Inset’ doors that close into rather than over cabinet frames are all the rage,” Hall noted. “Custom concealed-storage areas, like pet supply areas, electronic device charging stations and beverage centers, are often designed in from the start.”

In bathrooms, Hall said she is seeing increased use of vessel sinks, commonly mounted atop repurposed-furniture or custom-built vanities. Fixture companies are offering a variety of water-saving faucet designs as well.

Oasis Cabinets in Burnt Chimney is another local resource for cabinets and kitchen design.

“As relative newcomers, we’re using a combination of quality and service plus attractive pricing to establish ourselves,” said co-owner Robbie Shepherd. “We typically use custom cabinets from Roanoke’s Rich Maid Kabinetry, and see glazed finishes, staggered heights and frequent use of turned legs and other features that add a depth dimension to cabinet fronts. Granite countertops remain popular, often with tile backsplashes.”

RENEWABLE AND INTEGRATED
When Dan DeNeal of DeNeal’s Cabinets says green is definitely “in,” he’s not referring to color.

“Sixty percent of the cabinets we are doing are [made] of Lyptus, a South American timber that matures in just 10 years,” DeNeal said. “Bamboo veneer, another fast-growing renewable, is also very popular — for cabinetry, floors, even countertops. It can be stained about any color.”

DeNeal added, “Integrated appliances — wine coolers, ice-makers, for example — are very popular. Some of the work we’ve done at bars and other commercial rehabs is translating into home installations.

Les Kuhn, who owns Kitchens at the Lake, said he’s also receiving more requests for under-counter icemakers.

“Ice is a big part of lake living,” he said. “These units make round or square cubes, not the half-moons that come out of refrigerator freezers. Some people find that appealing.” 

CONVENIENCE RULES
According to Capps Home Building Center kitchen design specialist Russ Kemmerer, today’s kitchen design is about functionality and convenience.

“The lifestyles of most Lakers who build or remodel are pretty well established,” Kemmerer said. “They know by now how they cook and entertain, and they want their kitchens to function accordingly. We incorporate the resulting preferences into their designs as much as possible.”

That leads to functionality features like slide-out storage shelves and deep drawers for mixers, pots and pans; custom utensil and spice drawers; lazy Susans in corners and pull-out trash and recycling bins.

“The kitchen is where guests and family congregate, so homeowners also want an open, inviting social space,” Kemmerer said. “Large islands, frequently in colors that contrast to the perimeter counters and cabinets, serve that purpose.”

Work zones, such as a separate preparation area to minimize food contamination possibilities, often expand or nullify the traditional “nine-foot work triangle,” said Kemmerer, who also said “increased use of exotic-looking countertops of natural materials is trending. Granite often gets finished with leather-look or matte textures to add a natural feel.”

APPLIANCE PARADISE
Lake-area appliance shoppers can get that kid-in-a-candy-store feeling with a stop at the new Sears Hometown Store in Downtown Moneta. Sales associate Sandy McNamara pointed to the 25-cubic-foot Kenmore Elite refrigerator/freezer as an example of how designers are addressing updated customer preferences. Among the innovations: side-by-side fridge doors (with alarms that can be set to signal doors being opened) designed so the space exposed to warm air when the door is opened is cut in half; an icemaker hidden in the door where it doesn’t impinge on freezer space; soft LED interior lighting that is both energy efficient and eye-appealing; a separate mid-height sliding refrigerator drawer, ideal for storing beverages and other things that kids can access without opening a large main door.

“Shelving is really versatile and designed so things don’t get hidden and lost,” McNamara said. “Air doesn’t transfer between fridge and freezer, minimizing flavor contamination and allowing separate humidity controls that eliminate freezer burn and soggy produce.”

Stainless steel remains the “hot” finish for appliances, though some colors (primarily grays and light blues) are showing up in floating glass panels for dishwasher fronts.

Kitchens at the Lake’s Kuhn noted that high-end, commercial-style cook tops and other appliances from manufacturers such as Sub-Zero, Wolf and Viking are becoming the norm for those who can afford them. Paul Sinclair of Vinton Appliance agreed.

“There are more choices today than ever before, including commercial-grade, 48- and 60-inch ranges,” Sinclair said. “People are entertaining at home more and investing in their kitchens accordingly.”

“Quiet” is the operative word in dishwashers. Motor noise is completely masked by the more appealing sound of sloshing water, held to an in-obtrusive 54 decibels or below. For ovens, the word is “convection” – units that cook with circulating air for steady temperatures that don’t abuse meats by cycling on and off like traditional heating elements. Some even automatically convert from standard-recipe cooking times to the quicker times achieved with convection.

Energy efficiency has also become an important factor for many appliance buyers. Think ovens with a full width, six-inch-deep warming drawer, ideal for baking a pizza or tray of biscuits without heating the entire oven.

“Double ovens with convection up top and a warming drawer under are in demand,” said Deborah Stone, store manager for Ferguson Bath and Kitchen Gallery at Westlake Towne Center. “There’s also interest in island ranges with free-hanging hoods ... and lately we’re getting requests for cooktops with induction burners that boil water in 30 seconds and cool instantly once a pot is removed.”


NATIONAL TRENDS

The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has released a list of trends culled from its 2011 NKBA Design Competition. Among the most definitive ones:

Commitment to color and texture

Bold, vibrant colors on walls and backsplashes, often in the tangerine/mango/carrot family, are being paired with exotic wood cabinetry, often in “chocolate” or “espresso” tones. Textures, actual or implied, add to the visual and tactile feast.

The glitter of glass

Many of this year’s kitchen and bath designs use lighted panels of mica art glass or glass-tiled backsplashes shining from behind granite counter tops to provide a pop of color and light against the warmth of wood cabinetry.

Freestanding and angled tubs

Large, freestanding tubs are front-and-center in master bath designs, visible through wide French doors that lead to the bedroom space. Often situated on a “stage” of stone or wood flooring, the soaking tub is a focal point of master baths that incorporate relaxation areas.

Walk-in pantries

Open-plan kitchens, with fewer walls and cabinets, drive the need for a separate pantry for storage of dishes, serving items and foodstuffs. Some even incorporate sinks for first-pass dish cleanup.

Natural elements

Bringing the beauty of nature inside the home, especially in baths and powder rooms, is popular. Stone countertops and accents, leather-wrapped cabinetry, smoky gray, brown and icy-white color accents are all trending.

Inlaid flooring

Envision natural travertine separated by wood-look ceramic tile to mimic a parquet floor. Old boundaries are being stretched with new materials and creative installations.