Add a dash of spice and style to your kitchen

THE HEART OF THE HOME

Add a dash of spice and style to your kitchen

BRANDPOINT

In today’s homes, kitchens serve a multitude of purposes beyond being a space to whip up a meal. They’re the heart of your home; the command center; the family gathering spot. So it’s no wonder why kitchens are where homeowners invest their renovation budget and why homebuyers pay a premium for an updated look. And savvy design professionals agree, spicing up your kitchen with stylish, timeless and natural materials—like cypress—is a recipe for success.

LAYING IT OUT

Planning a new or remodeled kitchen can be an exciting, yet overwhelming time. Designer Erika Powell from Urban Grace Interiors in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, says making the process less stressful boils down to ensuring the layout meets your needs.

“When starting a project, we first like to sit down with our clients in order to get to know them and how they will be using their kitchen,” she says. “If an architect is involved, we also like to work hand-in-hand with them so that any overarching architectural vision they may have is included in the interior design as well.” Nowadays, homeowners are mostly looking for open concept floorplans with kitchens that open up to living and dining rooms. And because there’s less available wall space, there are fewer upper cabinets. To compensate, modern kitchen layouts feature expansive islands with seating and storage, a pantry for canned and dry goods, and a butler pantry to hide away less frequently used items. “Once we determine the layout, then we get to work on selecting building products and finishes,” Powell says. “While there is a wide range of products to choose from, our style focuses on fine materials and classic design elements. Being near the beach, our clients gravitate toward light and natural materials—and products like real wood are just more beautiful. A wood like cypress is stable and durable with unique charm. It’s a fixture in many of our kitchen projects.”

DECIDING ON CABINETS

When it comes to choosing cabinetry, architect Ben Patterson from Bossier City, Louisiana, says it doesn’t take long to notice the difference between cabinetry that’s built with solid wood and what you can find at the big box stores.

“In my experience, homeowners value the natural character and quality of solid wood cabinets,” he says. “I’m a full-service architect and usually design custom cabinets for the projects I work on. And I like working with local materials, so my cabinet designs usually have a cypress face with a birch box.”

Selecting a finish can be tricky, but Patterson says trends come and go. “Painted cabinets seem to be all the rage these days, but a natural wood finish is tasteful and timeless,” he adds. “And that’s another reason I love cypress. Whether new growth, old growth, sinker, or pecky, cypress is simply beautiful.”

TOPPING IT OFF

If your kitchen feels a little bland, luxury homebuilder Matt Cain from Dallas-based Tatum Brown Custom Homes says what’s overhead is often overlooked.

“In kitchens, we typically install a wood plank ceiling treatment to add visual texture and aesthetic warmth,” he says. “There are a lot of materials to work with, but I prefer cypress—especially pecky cypress—because it offers such a specific look and homeowners just fall in love with it. In fact, I’ve never painted a cypress ceiling; it’s too beautiful to cover up.”

For more ideas on how to add some spice and style to your kitchen, visit CypressInfo.org.

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Submitted photos 861 Conn Valley Road, St. Helena 861connvalley.com MATT BJORNER (310) 528-1768 Mbjorner@gmail.com

VIEWS

From 15

The master wing features a private study, spacious bedroom with interior living area, covered outdoor patio, spa-inspired bathroom, expansive walk-in closet and two private studios below.

The nearby guest house, roughly 1,000 square feet, offers two more bedroom suites, living room, kitchenette and covered outdoor deck.

The unique marriage of metal and glass and the warmth of the vertical farmhouse wood siding creates an interesting modern/industrial/ farmhouse feel to the property, the listing says. And this all opens to a limestone patio that spans the length of the main residence, offering “the amenities and setting for private relaxing and entertaining.

“Accessible from all main living areas and the master suite, the patio features a covered cabana with outdoor kitchen, infinity edge pool and spa, full bathroom with changing area, sunken fire pit with built-in banquet, wood burning outdoor fireplace, and covered sitting areas outside the great room and master suite.”

The bocce court sits below the pool with lighting for night time play.

The estate is designed to invite indoor/ outdoor living.

“Throughout the main residence, expansive walls of glass open up to seamlessly connect the interior and exterior living spaces,” it says. “Outside the great room, the 270-plus square foot covered patio features a custom stained wood paneled ceiling, exposed structural steel beams, recessed lighting and speakers. The exterior limestone patios subtly transition at the same level into the wide plank oak hardwood floors inside the residence.”

All in all, it’s an impressive place to be, Carreiro said.

“The vision was to make it to appeal to someone who really wants a unique place to live,” he said. “I am most impressed with how the house fits in with the landscape. You feel like you’re on a million acres, so it has a really unique seclusion and connection with nature. I’m impressed with what nature does with it. The clouds are up there. The sunrises are amazing in the morning. The big glass doors that open up to the outside, gives you the feeling like you’re out in the middle of nowhere, though you’re not that far from town. It’s really a fun place to be. Spectacular views everywhere. It’s really cool.”

LIVE LIVE WINECOUNTRY

BEDS 2

BATHS 1

1/2BA 3637RedwoodRoad $995,000

Napa

CustombuiltWineCountryChaletinthewestern foothillsona1± acre parcel.Multiplepicturewindowsfromthespaciouslivingroom,dining room,andmasterbedroomwithviews.Woodfloorsandwoodbeamed ceilings.Near vibrant downtownNapa andYountville.

20±

ACRES $479,000

Napa

Building Parcel Spectacular 20± acreparcelwithgreatviews of mostlyOaktreesand grasses.Thispropertyhasagravelroadwithaccesstothemainbuilding padthatfacessouthwest,anda3000gallonwaterstoragetank.City waterisavailable,andelectricisavailableatanear by pole. 3

BEDS 3

BATHS 309ShawWilliamsRoad $995,000

Calistoga

Countryhomeon6+acresneardowntownCalistogaonaprivateroad. Picturewindows,twobedrooms/bathroomsonlowerlevel,andacomplete ADUapartmentoverthegaragewithfullkitchenandbath.Twocarattached garage,andasmalldetachedbarnandshop.

2

BEDS 1

BATHS $409,500

Vallejo

613JenningsAvenue Updatedhomewithnewdualpanewindows,centralheatandair conditioning, electricalpanel,tankless waterheater,andrenovated kitchenandbathroom.Expansivebackyardwith2worksheds.Attached 1cargarage,andautilityandlaundryroom.Offstreetparkingfortwo.

GaryRose, REALTOR®

Real Estate Agent | Lic. #00940226 GoldenGateSotheby's International Realty 707.529.5174|G.Rose@ggsir.com GaryRose.GoldenGateSIR.com BrianGross, REALTOR®

Real Estate Agent | Lic. #01908361 GoldenGateSotheby's International Realty 707.337.3689| Brian.Gross@ggsir.com BrianGross.GoldenGateSIR.com