One of a Kind

When it comes to ultra high-end kitchens, it appears that clients do not want to keep up with the Joneses anymore. In fact, perhaps the only reason they would want to know what their neighbors have is simply to avoid creating the same look in their own homes.

These are the sentiments shared by kitchen and bath designers interviewed by KBDN who note, somewhat surprisingly, that designing for the ultra affluent ultimately means replacing the “wow” factor with the “me” factor.

“Our clients want custom kitchens. They don’t have the same color and make of car as their neighbor, or the same dress or suit as their friends, so why should their kitchens look alike?” notes Melinda Earl, founder of San Diego, CA-based StoneImpressions.

Cheryl Hamilton-Gray, CKD, and president of Carlsbad, CA-based Hamilton-Gray Design, Inc. adds: “These clients are seeking uniqueness and personalization of their proposed new kitchens being that they are able to afford the luxury of customization. They are also seeking ultimate efficiency in performance of appliances and electronics.”

“It is definitely an individual thing – they simply want something different,” adds Jinny Plasse, design consultant for Norwich, CT-based David Hecht Kitchens. “They may come in with a crumbled piece of a magazine or they may see something in the showroom and quickly decide they want that product.”

“What all my clients are after is something they’ll never see anywhere else,” says Mary Kramer, owner of Mary Kramer Design Studio in Stony Point, NY.

Plasse notes that the inspiration for many of these designs comes from client travels.

“We”ll take their germ of an idea, match it to the house and have it [evolve]. Often they’ve traveled and want to incorporate a European element,” she says.

To capture these specific looks, many clients are asking kitchen designers to incorporate custom murals into a layout, Kramer adds.

She explains: “Ultra high-end design says it’s okay to sit in your kitchen in Illinois and look at a Tuscan sunset in stained glass, or to step into a garden retreat every time you look at the backsplash I designed from a photo you took in England.”

Doug Smith of Apex Wine Cellars and Saunas in Woodinville, WA, adds that wine cellars are also popular items for ultra affluent designs.

“Wine cellars are very often seen as part of or next to the kitchen. Inside the cellar we will use special lighting, display rows to highlight prized wine bottles, and arches with art or unique murals to accent the cellar design,” he says.

He adds that, often, the wine cellars feature large base and crown molding,and raised-panel doors with glass or iron inserts.
Earl adds: “We have added clients’ names and even wedding dates to images of a wine bottle on stone, and we have used a fabric pattern to create a backsplash.”

But regardless of the design element, the key to designing for the ultra affluent is to fully understand the unique characteristics of these clients.

For one thing, it’s all about custom: custom cabinetry, custom decorative accents, custom window treatments and custom lighting plans with adjustable heads and dimmers, counter lights, cabinet interior lights and cove lighting.

Also popular are separate bar sinks, butler’s pantries, custom-designed islands and peninsulas and exotic stone countertops.

Customized Style

According to Keith Steier, president of Brooklyn, NY-based Knockout Renovation, and chief designer Jennifer Melis, these custom looks benefit both the client and designer.

“The challenge and benefit [of ultra high-end design] is a higher level of design utilizing custom materials and personalized layouts to achieve a greater variety of design goals,” he explains.

Plasse adds: “I believe it is actually split evenly between contemporary and traditional. If a traditional theme is chosen, it typically features deep browns with purple mixed in, as well as carrera marble. Traditional kitchens are typically dark, but remember that these are huge homes with lots of windows and lots of light.”