What’s Cooking in the Kitchen?

The kitchen is the heart and soul of the home. It’s where family and friends gather for nourishment, companionship, conversation and celebration. So it follows naturally that most homeowners want this space to be functional, comfortable and a perfect reflection of their taste and style. Here’s the latest in kitchen design from those in the know.

D +D: Which is more important to your clients today—style or size?

Joshua Doonan, Crown Point Cabinetry

Based in New Hampshire, Crown Point Cabinetry is a family-owned business that handcrafts high-quality, custom cabinetry for clients across the country. Founded in 1979 in a garage by Norm Stowell and his two sons, the firm has grown tremendously over the years, and now has a staff of more than 90 employees. The company offers a wide variety of period styles, including Early American, Shaker, Arts & Crafts, Victorian and Contemporary. Its work has been featured on Bob Vila’s Home Again TV series.

Joshua: I see a balanced mix of projects, including new homes and renovations, ranging from cozy and intimate spaces to expansive and interconnected open layouts.

D + D: Let’s talk style. What are you seeing in 2023—and what is out in 2023? What is the luxury homeowner choosing when it comes to appliances, countertops

Kitchen Design: Majestic Kitchens & Bath

Kitchen Design: Majestic Kitchens & Bath

and flooring—and which styles are going away?

Karen Berkemeyer, Karen Berkemeyer Home

Karen Berkemeyer Home has been designing kitchens and baths for over 30 years. Karen’s talented team of dedicated, enthusiastic and creative designers have extensive knowledge of custom cabinetry, tile and stone, plumbing fixtures and countertops, and handle everything from simple upgrades to large, complex projects. The firm is dedicated to providing a true “one-stop” experience to their clients.

Karen: Homeowners are getting away from all-white kitchens. They’re using color with soft brass hardware. Floors are still wood in transitional kitchen, and large-format porcelains that look like limestone or cement are common in modern kitchens. Speed ovens are popular, as are slab doors or flush inset shaker for doors. Quartzite or quartz countertops with full slab splash are also trendy.

Scott Weinlein, Majestic Kitchens & Bath

Majestic Kitchens was a small cabinet shop when it was founded in 1961. In the early 1970s, the company hired Bill Luceno as a cabinet installer. Soon Bill began selling kitchens for Majestic, and purchased the firm in 1985. Bill’s experience from the ground up has enabled Majestic Kitchens & Bath to become the tristate area’s largest kitchen and bath retailer. Still owned and operated by the Luceno family, the company today has a 9,000-square-foot showroom featuring diverse styles in every price range. Its professional designers provide personalized attention to cater to their customers’ needs.

Scott: We are confident and excited to see that 2023 will be the year that all-white kitchens start to ebb. Dark blue center islands have been very popular, but clients are embracing softer, more muted and dustier colors that lend themselves to entire kitchens and not just accent pieces. Luxury appliances are not only popular, but clients are willing to wait months to receive them. One has even added a sous vide feature! Natural quartzite still dominates the luxury kitchen for counter surfaces, and full-height backsplashes of the same material are on the rise. Larger-than-life, attention-grabbing hardware is a must!

Joshua: I see a wide range of selections. I see wood, marble, granite, soapstone, quartzite and quartz-top materials researched consistently. Similarly, stainless and panel-ready appliances are both regularly considered. More and more homeowners are discovering the advantages to appliances that allow for flush and integrated installation. In some cases, an appliance can be the star of the show and stand out purposely. In others, the countertops or cabinetry can be highlighted as the main event that dominates the “squint test.”

While wood floors are utilized in kitchens more consistently, tile has been selected in a notable number of projects, particularly with heated floors becoming increasingly common in the colder climates.

Homes under construction now are responding to significant changes over these last few years as homeowners embrace new priorities. Functionally and aesthetically, these spaces are being tuned in for a unique social dynamic and new work-life balance. The goals of one person preparing meals in a kitchen have evolved into a new list of priorities anchored in gathering family and friends, and multiple hands teaming up in day-to-day tasks.

Stylistically, these priorities are echoed in substance. Authenticity and visual interest are common denominators when comparing the many options between a stark, ultramodern space to a heavily detailed and more traditional vernacular. Many successful projects find that perfect balance with clean and crisp lines, juxtaposing texture and detail for a timeless look that represents the homeowner’s and home’s personality.

D + D: Does size really matter in a kitchen—and why?

Joshua: Absolutely yes—and no! Size sets a stage for us to interact both within the space with those around us and outside. Tall and vaulted ceilings with large windows flood a space with light and connections to the outside. Lower ceilings and less or smaller penetrations create special moments and highlight key areas on both sides of the glass. The difference in scale between these two forms a foundation to build on, where the details can complement or contrast the size to achieve the perfect balance. While all this can respond to size, a successful composition can thrive in the smallest and largest of spaces by considering scale, texture, color and many other elements first.

Karen: I don’t think it’s the size that matters as much as the style, color, details, symmetry and lighting.

Scott: I agree with Nancy Davilman of ND Interiors—who we work often with—that when it comes to the cabinetry footprint in a kitchen, bigger is not necessarily better. What is most important is function! We continue to see the rise of secondary areas just off the kitchen, such as a butler’s pantry, walk-in storage pantries or a scullery area. These are just wonderful for storing all the bulk items, small home appliances and other items that might take up valuable space in the working kitchen.

D + D: What are some multi-materials you are using to create contrast that result in being visually and texturally pleasing?

Joshua: Within cabinetry, we play with color, wood grain, transparency, texture and shadow to push and pull at where the casework would best support or stand prominently within a composed space. When curated with every element in a space, these details have a transformative effect. As Aristotle would say, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Karen: Mix color with light woods. For example, use soft white with a color, with natural rift-cut oak accents. Consider textured wall tile for the backsplash; large rectangles are still popular as well.

Scott: We love melding mixed medium backsplash tile with metals such as brass, bronze and nickel. The blending of natural polished stone with etched/frosted glass and a pop of metal all combine perfectly to create a beautiful, jewelry-like kaleidoscope.

Resources:

Crown Point Cabinetry

Joshua Doonan 462 River Road Claremont, NH 03743 800.999.4994 www.Crown-Point.com www.CrownSelect.com

Karen Berkemeyer Home

Karen Berkemeyer

175 Post Road West Westport, CT 06880 203.454.0032 karenberkemeyerhome.com

Majestic Kitchens & Bath

Scott Weinlein

700 Fenimore Rd Mamaroneck, NY

914.381.1302 majestickitchens.com

Nancy Davilman

ND Interiors LL www.ndinteriors.com