South of the Border

Designers seeking to add more zest to their designs may want to look south of the border. After all, with their focus on dark woods, natural materials and family-friendly designs, Mexican- and South American-inspired designs, perhaps more than any other, convey a sense of the warmth and home (see related story, Page 56).

These are the sentiments of Roger Karr, showroom director for Lubbock, TX-based Ortega Kitchen and Bath, who notes that you don’t have to live south of the border to love this look. However, he adds, “With this style, people [in the U.S.] want and authentic look…but if they are going to put down money, they also want it to be very functional and family friendly.”

Darius Baker, CR, CKBR, and owner of Sacramento, CA-based D&J Kitchens and Baths, agrees: “[The key] is to create a sense of function in relation to the size of the family.”

He continues: “[As a rule, Mexican-styled kitchens have] to be larger and offer suitable space, because the nature of [the cooking style associated with this type of design and culture] requires more from a preparation standpoint. That’s why you will see a larger cleanup area and maybe even two sinks.”

“They are combining the kitchen and den into an all-in-one space, so it needs to be functional and efficient, yet still have that Old World look,” he adds.

Karr notes that a popular trend with this design style is having the island or raised bar feature a different material than the main countertop. “The main countertop may be granite while the island may feature an engineered stone,” he says. “We also see people using tumbled tiles and accent tiles to create that Mexican flavor.”

“It is a warm, cozy look,” offers Laurel Osborne, designer, for Mesa, AZ-based Stradlings, Inc. “The Mexican influence is a very heavy, furniture-style design theme. We’ve even seen mesquite being used in cabinetry, and that is a very heavy wood.”

Sarah Jason, president of San Diego, CA-based Kitchen Idea Center, cites a project she designed that reflects this style. “The home has a Spanish influence to it, so we brought in red tiles, which complemented the gold and orange found in the countertop. We also selected light wood cabinets with dark doors and combined that with tile backsplashes,” she explains.

“We’re doing a lot of undermount sinks mixed with granite, and have also done copper sinks. It gives a different flavor than traditional homes,” Karr says.

Osborne continues: “People also want stone surrounds for their cooktops and venting systems, and [as a result] we’re doing a lot of concrete countertops.”

Karr says that another key to the Mexican-influenced design style is – simply put – options.

“There are so many textures involved that you may not be able to decide between engineered stone and granite – but you can have them both. Everybody gets what they want because you can combine textures in one area.”

Baker agrees: “These designs force you outside of the design mold that so many of us get trapped in. Your experience of designing will be enhanced and you can improve your design process for the ‘common’ projects.”

A Whole Old World

The trademark of Mexican-influenced design is the Old World aesthetic, Karr points out.

“Old world is huge with Spanish influence,” he says.

For Baker, this means that proper tile selection is crucial.

“We will use a red body tile with painted finishes and earth tones combined with yellows and blues. The tile selection alone can go a long way toward creating that overall look,” he says.

Jason agrees: “The right tile will set the theme and set off the countertops when the cabinets are installed.”

Baker continues: “We also see a lot of arched [cabinets]. So, when we start a project, we may start looking at some cabinet doors with arches that can work into it. Therefore, I suggest a glazed finish because it gives you the antique look that is so important to this design style.”