Model Home Offers Casually Elegant Design

By John Filippelli

While this may sound like a riddle, it was actually the design challenge facing Wes Norton of Mary Esther, FL-based Cabinet Solutions, Inc. as he began work on a new model home here for custom home builders C-D Jones & Co., Inc. Working within what he termed a "confining layout," Norton needed to create a cohesive look throughout the home, including the kitchen and master bathroom, using distinctive cabinetry and accessories. By creating a design theme that he describes as traditional, or "casual elegance," Norton was able to create a consistent, yet unique, flow throughout the home. 

Balanced blend
Concerned about the darkness of the cherry wood cabinets in a kitchen with no natural light, Norton set out to find a solution.

LesCare Patriot door style cabinetry with a honey stain and white glaze filled the bill, while maple fluted fillers and crown moulding in white ivory finish were used between the cabinets and as accents surrounding them to create a lighter look. "Even the light rail below and the crown moulding above was done in the light ivory maple. We also went with the cherry wood rope moulding, which showed it off well," Norton notes.

While the builders requested that all appliances within the 15'x19' kitchen be stainless steel, they also wanted to incorporate a traditional door into the design. Norton used a Sub-Zero built-in refrigerator, complete with laser-cut stainless steel inserts on the decorator panel to help blend the stainless steel with the cabinet doors. The inserts were also used above the GE Professional 48" stainless steel range with Pro Hood. Norton also hitched the laser cut inserts up to the door and put cherry wood panels behind it, which broke up the cherry wood the clients would see on the door panels.

With regard to the traditional door, Norton notes, "We needed a way to blend the contemporary look of stainless steel with the traditional door style that had been chosen." To achieve this, he included stainless steel "scroll work" in the door panels of the refrigerator, which were provided by Heritage Finishes, Inc.

A GE stainless steel dishwasher and wine chiller add functionality to the space. In addition, the Pro Hood was blended with antique pewter hardware to enhance its effect on the design theme.

According to Norton, these design tactics created a balance of wood and stainless steel around the room.

The countertops feature Champagne DuPont Corian solid surfacing, specifically chosen to blend with the cherry wood and stainless steel. Blue Maranachi granite is featured on the island, which Norton notes, "has a lot of gray and silver, which allowed it to transition with the stainless steel."

To accommodate the island, "We followed the layout of the kitchen and gave ourselves an equal perimeter all the way around it," Norton states. "On the angle part, the most obvious choice was to either do a cabinet with doors or create an open area where a chair can be added." Norton notes that this situation offers flexibility for a large family, as members can watch television or talk to the person cooking.

A small cabinet for spices on the back side of the island provides added convenience for the cook.

To address lighting concerns, the basic outline of the island was traced, and a box in the exact shape was placed on the ceiling above it. Using the crown moulding from the cabinet, Norton then built a lightbox and added fluorescent fixtures.

Storage was also key to this design. Norton used large drawer cabinets with several 24" drawer basins with full-extension guides. This created plenty of room for pots, pans and large cooking items, while accommodating the clients' request for large drawer cabinets.

On the opposite side of the room, two large pantries offer storage for canned goods. There is also a large cabinet for pots and pans.Master bath