Teakwood Bespoke Kitchens: Timeless and Tailor-Made for You

No matter how you slice it (or dice it) your kitchen is the emotional hearth of your home. It is where you negotiate with the morning, it is where the smell of piecrust transports you back to grandmother’s house, it is where you spend a rainy day with the kettle humming, it is where you get the welcome home kiss, and where you bond with your teary teenager over milk and cookies at 2am.  It is the only place in the house that gets cleaned more than once a day.  And, despite your best efforts to direct your party guests elsewhere—you can even try putting the bar poolside—they will always end up in your kitchen.

It is no wonder that just the mere mention of custom kitchen renovation makes us salivate over new professional-grade appliances, premium cabinetry, and natural stone countertops. However, Teakwood President Jim Sasko, points out, “it’s what we don’t see that perhaps adds the most value to a kitchen and poses the greatest challenge for homeowners in the design phase.”

Planning a kitchen with Teakwood is very much like getting measured for a designer gown or custom tailored suit. When you build a fireplace mantel or a timber-framed room, you are more or less following a formula.  “When we design a kitchen, we start new with every client and document their entire existing kitchen cabinet by cabinet and ask questions to find out how they move around and how they utilize space,” says Sasko. “Too often clients come in with a magazine clipping of someone else’s kitchen and try to force it into their home.” Teakwood’s bespoke kitchens celebrate you.

Getting around a well-designed kitchen should feel like a smooth dance: you lead, the kitchen responds. The cooking triangle concept no longer makes sense in the modern kitchen: “we focus on creating ample workspace around dedicated task zones like a prep sink, food storage, a clean up area, a computer space, or a range top,” comments Eva Andersen, Teakwood’s award-winning kitchen designer. “No awkward bending or reaching allowed,” says Eva, “we consider our client’s height and handedness when designing a kitchen.” Teakwood retrofits your cabinet corners with the latest by Hafele: Magic Corner, or LeMans Corner gliding pull-outs maximize accessible storage space.  A time saving appliance will not save you time if it is not conveniently located.

Homeowners will often spend hours of time considering six shades of white paint and give little attention to less visible design details like sink depth, organizational systems, LED task lighting, steps to the walk in pantry, breathability, and flow from kitchen to other rooms.  “If you get it right, you will never think about it again, but overlook these details, and you will step on your own feet while you kick yourself daily,” Sasko offers with a smile. Teakwood clients get the whole package: a stunning kitchen with all the right dance moves.

Longevity should also drive kitchen design according to Sasko.  Will you want a built-in espresso maker and juicing station in ten years or will there be another lifestyle appliance that catches your eye? A kitchen that is over-designed around a fad or even the specific needs of young children or teenagers can reduce the lifespan and perhaps the resale value of your kitchen.  How will you age in your kitchen? Can your kitchen work for a grandparent who joins the family in a few years? Though we specialize in tailoring kitchens to individuals, a kitchen can become too specific.  We allow room for you and your family to evolve gracefully.

Admittedly, the idea of a kitchen “trend” is somewhat of an oxymoron—we don’t change our kitchens with the season or even annually like we do decorative pillows. Still, whether your style is Cottage, Rustic, Contemporary, Arts and Crafts or Industrial Chic, you don’t want to miss out on the latest kitchen stunner, custom drawer insert, or time saver.

Andersen highlights the family command center as an example. “Mobile devices and wireless laptops have made the stationary kitchen desk a thing of the past. Families want a fully integrated area for filing, a drop zone for keys and mail, and a universal charging station.”  Sensomatic hands free waste and recycle pull-outs work with the nudge of your hip and many plumbing lines offer touch-less faucets for sanitary food preparation. “Our clients have sophisticated tastes,” notes Andersen.   Teakwood’s premium cabinet line, QCCI offers discerning home owners luxury options such as all walnut interiors for cabinets and drawers or high end, hand rubbed oil finish.

The kitchen is one of the most expensive rooms in your house to remodel, and for good reason. At the end of your project, the soapstone counter tops, the kitchen island, the wine refrigerator, the Miele and Wolf appliances, the Calcutta marble countertops, the lantern pendants, the fireclay sink, the Hansgrohe fixtures, the open shelving, the Signature Custom Cabinets, the polished nickel hardware, and the tile backsplash have work to do.  They have a job like a fine leather shoe: gotta’ wow, gotta’ work.  A successful kitchen project boasts aesthetically pleasing design, smooth function, and long lasting durability.

Go ahead, set up the bar in the kitchen, it’s time to celebrate.