High-Tech Home Showcases 'Next Generation' of Products

Open spaces and display areas were incorporated into the wall cabinets, and at one end of the wall of cabinets was a zone that was specified to accommodate a laptop computer. "This is one of the elements that we're working with a lot in kitchens these days, and we did it specifically in this home to take advantage of the available technology," White details. "It was a small area that provides a message center."

Also taking advantage of the available technology today was the range of appliances used throughout the space. Located between the two areas was a wide range of kitchen appliances that offer a number of technological extras.

A KitchenAid refrigerator with stainless steel doors sat in the corner along the side wall, located next to the double wall oven from TMIO, LLC. The ConnectIo Intelligent Oven features a Professional Series cooking system, built-in refrigeration and TMIO control technology. Food placed into the oven stays refrigerated until a pre-programmed cook time, or cooking can be started via the Internet or cell phone.

Also featured in the room was a freestanding range from Siemens Home Appliances, which was angled in the corner to accommodate the open floor plan, a Siemens microwave located above it, and a dishwasher, also from Siemens.

The DG155 Convection Steam Oven, as well as the Plate Warmer, both from Miele, cooks and warms through the use of convection, forced air heating. "It's a great item for healthy eating and cooking," states White.

The high-tech vibe of the house lent itself to contemporary design elements, according to White. He chose to use Merillat's Shaker door style in a lighter, warm wood tone for the kitchen cabinets because they can be transitioned easily to a more contemporary look {"depending on how you decorate with hardware, colors and other elements that go into the space," he comments.

The cabinets were all functional storage, with drawers and roll out shelves, White adds. Topping off the Merillat cabinets were deep-toned Zodiaq quartz countertops from DuPont.

The kitchen layout also included an island "because it created a nice flow in and around the kitchen," comments White. "If somebody was busy working in the main cooking area, someone else could come through the laundry room and bypass that work area without interrupting the cook."

The island incorporated a Miele KM320G four-burner gas cooktop, set in a Corian countertop in Beige Fieldstone.

The counter featured a freeform shape on one end, which was created as a gathering space. "That also made it a very convenient layout for serving buffet style at parties and for entertaining," notes White. The island was topped by a Miele DA230 island hood.

Bath Accessibility

White also designed the master bath, which featured multiple access "in keeping with today’s desires for master suites," he notes. The bath was accessible from the bedroom and the closet, and was even accessible from the kitchen area.

"To accommodate the large whirlpool bath from Aquatic Industries, we bumped out the bathroom wall where the windows were," White acknowledges. "This gave us more room inside the bathroom by pushing the tub into that bump out."

He adds that the bump out actually worked out to be a nice complementary architectural element, because that side of the house had similar bump outs at the front of the home and the back master bedroom. "It enabled us to get a corner shower [from Aqua Glass] in there," he reports.

"Angles in the bathroom often create more visual interest, as well as better flow and feeling of space," he reports, "so we positioned the Tessera In-Wall Toilet System from Geberit in the corner against that little angled wall. And, the toilet had a concealed tank built into the wall, so it was really clean looking."

The toilet was nestled between two vanity cabinets, so it had its own little niche, he adds. "It enabled us to separate the twin vanities, allowing each spouse to have their own space. It's more desirable than just one long counter with two sinks in it."

The vanities were from Merillat in the same Shaker style door as the kitchen, though they featured more details and traditional touches. The cream color with spice red toned accents complemented the red countertops from Corian and tile work featured throughout the room. The sinks were paired with e-Flow faucets from Delta Faucet Co., which feature a high-arc spout, temperature control knob and high-temperature limit stop, which reduces the risk of scalding.