Belvedere Kitchen Event

On September 12, Shan and Bethany Jenkins – owners of Jenkins Custom Homes – hosted a kitchen event at the Belvedere Community on Hamilton Pool Road. The event was well-attended and the response, overwhelming! Several of the attendees requested a copy of the seminar notes so here is an overview of what was discussed.

Good Kitchen Design

There are many facets to good kitchen design. At Jenkins, we have a copyrighted “Lifestyle Analysis” process for designing your home that starts by asking questions about how you plan to live in the spaces of your home and ends with a home designed around your personal lifestyle. Here is a modification of that system of design, brought to the scale of just the kitchen.

What Type Of Cook Are You?

No matter who is doing the cooking in the family, they definitely have a cooking style. Is it typically either the “quick and easy cook” or the “serious chef”. If you find yourself constantly trying out new recipes from the Food Network, you are probably the “serious chef”. The “serious chef” needs more appliances, solid-surface counters, and plenty of workspace; whereas, the “quick and easy cook” needs a kitchen that is functional but also easy to clean.

“Kitchen Behind The Kitchen”

The “kitchen behind the kitchen” – or the “back kitchen” as it is also known – is a popular trend right now. The “back kitchen” can be used for food preparation and can contain the mixer and blender, a refrigerator, a microwave, and even an oven so that even the most “serious chef” – or even those who prefer to “grab it and go” – can make a mess without worrying about the company seeing it. For those who prefer to have events catered, this is a great location for the caterers to set up their service.

Entertaining

Entertaining is multifaceted. First, ask yourself “How often do I entertain”? If it’s twice a year for your relatives, then you really only need to consider the re-sale value of the home when designing your space and not focus too much on the entertaining aspect. If you entertain once a month or so, you may want to give it a little more thought. For instance, when you entertain, is your cooking part of the evening’s entertainment or does the cooking take place before everyone arrives? Also, do you typically entertain indoors or outdoors – or both? The answers to these questions will help determine the size and shape of the island, the proximity to the outdoor kitchen, as well as the amount of space needed between the sink, refrigerator, and primary work space. It also may dictate that you really need two sinks and possibly two dishwashers. Ask yourself “How many guests will I have at once and what ages will they be?”. Think about where you might put a bartender if you have a really large party.

Livability

Another important question to ask yourself is “How many cooks are typically in our kitchen at once?”. Will you need one workspace or two? More and more families are cooking together, and that means you need more space, both in terms of workspace and work flow within the kitchen. Other questions you need to consider are “How many people would you like to seat at the bar or island?” and “Do you plan to have a separate breakfast table?”. Each situation is different, and only you know yours.

Vision

When planning your kitchen, you need to establish a style that leads you toward a particular end product. Zig Ziglar has said, “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” So ask yourself “What one keyword describes your vision for this space?”. Is it “inviting” or is it “clean” or maybe “Tuscan” or “commercial”? What type of sink and plumbing fixtures fit into your vision? Do you imagine a copper sink with copper plumbing fixtures? Or is does your vision include an undermount sink with sleek clean lines and stainless steel fixtures? Only you know how you want the kitchen to look, and defining that vision will help you determine the materials you will use, the stain or paint colors, and any “wow factors” that you may want to add. It all depends on that vision.

Appliances

We always recommend Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to our clients. They were recently chosen #1 by J.D. Power and Associates, plus we have found them to have the absolute best performance and look for the kitchens we design. However, choosing a cook top or range and refrigerator is just the beginning. Think through all the possibilities for kitchen appliances. For instance, the microwave – do you want a microwave drawer, or do you prefer the more traditional unit? Or consider the refrigerator – are you a Sam’s or Costco fanatic? Then, you may need the 48″ Sub-Zero. You can never have enough refrigerator space! Then there is the oven and cook top – do you want a double wall oven with a stand-alone cook top, or an all-in-one range unit? This decision is really just about your personal preference and not so much a performance issue, but it is a decision you must make nonetheless. Even something as minor as the ice maker deserves consideration. How much ice will you need for your parties? Is the ice maker in your Sub-Zero enough, or do you need more than that? Do you require wine refrigerator, and if so, is under-counter enough or will you need a full sized unit? Do you need one dishwasher or two? What about a warming drawer or pizza oven or perhaps a trash compactor? For even more options, see your local Kiva Kitchen & Bath representative.

Access And Flow

Do you want the kitchen to be the hub of your home? Do you want it to be open to the great room? Some people don’t want anyone walking in the front door to be able to see into the kitchen. Think about whether that is important to you. Others want the kitchen to be open to the great room and like people to feel invited to come into the kitchen right away. These are just a few of the things to consider in terms of access and flow.

Making It Yours

The bottom line is that when you design your kitchen, you will never regret the time and effort you spend making it yours. Your kitchen should reflect your family, your lifestyle and your vision. When it does, you will be living your dream.

Top 8 Design Considerations for Your Outdoor Living Space

There are many facets to good outdoor kitchen and living design. At Jenkins Custom Homes, we have a copyrighted “Lifestyle Analysis” process in which we ask questions about how our clients plan to live in the spaces of their home, including the outdoor spaces. Our design team then creates their unique home, complete with the outdoor kitchen. Here are some of the questions we ask our clients to help determine what they will need in the way of an outdoor living space.

Livability

How serious are you about grilling? How often will you be preparing meals outdoors? Would you like to be able to prepare the entire meal outside? With the variety of appliances available, this is entirely possible.

Appliances

We recommend Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to all our clients because they offer the greatest quality and selection.

Orientation

Where will the afternoon sun be in the summer and in each of the seasons? This is a critical component to orienting the outdoor kitchen, as you do NOT want the afternoon sun right in your eyes when you are grilling. Instead, you want to be standing in the shade with a ceiling fan above you. This will discourages insects from hanging around as well.

Cross-ventilation

Which way does the breeze blow? Grills produce a lot of heat and smoke so be sure you have good cross-ventilation.

Time Spent Outdoors

How much time will your family actually spend outside? Do you enjoy looking at the outdoors from the inside, or do you enjoy being outside? This will help you evaluate whether you need a TV or fireplace outside, or even possibly incorporate the entire outdoor experience into an indoor/outdoor game room. Or maybe you prefer a solution that allows for enjoyment of the outdoors when the weather is nice but utilizes a screen system that closes out the bugs and captures as much as 90% of the home’s air conditioned air when the screens are closed. In the photo to the left, you can just see a hint of the screen system in the slots within the columns, but otherwise can’t tell they are there.

Choose Your Style

What type of materials will you use? Is your primary objective longevity, or beauty, or perhaps functionality? Will you use stone and stucco, with stainless doors and drawers or marine grade lumber with African mahogany doors? We recommend a natural stone tile counter top for covered areas or solid surface counter top such as granite for open air outdoor kitchens.

Flow and Access

Think about the flow of traffic on a daily basis, when it is just your family at home. What shape works best? L-shape or U-shape? Or perhaps something more custom, like a cart you can roll out when you grill? A note about access from the kitchen: we find that a pass-through from the kitchen to the outdoor space really cuts down on the number of trips to and from the kitchen.

Entertaining

Finally, when you host a get-together, how many guests will you have in your home and what ages will they be? Think about where you might have a bartender if you have a really large party. Think about your sister-in-law who drinks too much…maybe you need a soft chair in the shade (near the bar) for her so she doesn’t fall and hurt herself. Each situation is different, and only you know your situation.

Resources:

• http://Blog.NewHouseBuilder.com
• http://www.NewHouseBuilder.com
• http://www.wolfappliance.com
• http://www.kivahome.com/

Thrill The Grill

Do you love cooking on the grill but are tired of the typical grilled fare? Are you planning a Memorial Day gathering but haven’t quite nailed down your menu?

Then, you are invited to join us for the Outdoor Cooking event of the season:

at the Rough Hollow Yacht Club & Marina Pavilion (MAP IT)

May 21st 4:00 – 6:00 P.M.

Be prepared to be entertained and informed by Sub-Zero & Wolf Executive Chef, GARTH BLACKBURN, as he presents his tips and techniques for grilling fabulous foods! Then, unlike watching it on TV, you will have the opportunity to taste what he has prepared. It will be an evening to remember!

The Custom Builder of the Year for the state of Texas, Jenkins Custom Homes, will speak briefly on designing the perfect outdoor kitchen, and you will have a unique opportunity for a sneak peak at their 2010 Parade Home under construction right now in Rough Hollow, immediately following the cooking event.

There will be a door prize by Sub-zero and Wolf.

Sponsored by:
Jenkins Custom Homes
Rough Hollow
Kiva Kitchen & Bath
Sub-Zero and Wolf

The Best In Luxury Appliances Joins The Best in Luxury Home Building

Perfected through seven decades of use in professional kitchens, Wolf appliances provides the ability to make any dish possible, while Sub-Zero, the innovative leaders in preservation, keeps foods fresher longer – all while consuming less power than a 100 watt light bulb.

You can experience both of these top-of-the-line appliances – hands on and in person – at either of their two Texas showrooms: one in Dallas and the other within walking distance of the Galleria Mall in Houston. These showrooms offer a variety of cooking classes, wine tastings, training seminars, as well as use and care classes. Just visit http://www.subzero-wolfsc.com/showrooms/ to see a copy of the current schedule, but note that the classes fill up 2-3 months in advance, so plan ahead!

Jenkins Custom Homes, the Best Custom Builder in Texas, has recently partnered with Sub-Zero/Wolf, the best in luxury appliances, giving Jenkins’ clients special attention as well as pricing. Jenkins clients will have the opportunity to experience private cooking demonstrations with Sub-Zero/Wolf Executive Chef, Garth Blackburn, on the same appliances that they have chosen for their new home. They will also have the opportunity for in-home use and care demonstrations by Sub-Zero/Wolf after they are in their new custom home. Jenkins Custom Homes strives to build partnerships with the best in the business in order to deliver the best possible product. That is just one of the reasons the Texas Association of Builders named Jenkins Custom Homes the “Custom Builder of the Year”, this year and in 2006. Jenkins & Sub-Zero/Wolf – a perfect partnership for today’s luxury client.

Watch the video taken in our office this week with Amy Kerr, Territory Manager for Sub-Zero/Wolf.