Wednesday, June 2, 2004

Turn your home into a vacation retreat

Who doesn’t yearn for that relaxed feeling that comes with the warmer climate, the casual lifestyles and the bright, open interiors of the islands? A growing trend in home design, from Maine to Michigan, is rooms inspired by these sunny spots in the hopes that it will make our homes breezy, colorful and restful and more vacation-like.

This direction may have stemmed from the staggering rate at which Americans are investing in second homes, already at 7 million, only 3 million shy of what was projected for 2010. But with or without that second home, homeowners are creating island oasis-style spaces, by using pattern, color and architectural details that mimic the places they dream about.

Lampshades featuring Birds of Paradise, draperies displaying parrots and lush island greenery as well as richly-stained Hemingway-esque furniture in teak, mahogany, bamboo and rattan are hot, in living rooms, bedrooms, even the kitchen.

Pennsylvania custom cabinetmakers Plain & Fancy have embraced this itch for the isles with their latest kitchen inspiration Island Airs. By introducing details like louvered doors, a lime green stain and dark finishes into the kitchen, the company was able to infuse that laid-back, festive attitude into the space.

Vince Achey, vice president of Plain & Fancy Custom Cabinetry, said, “Rarely do people get away more than a few times per year, even if they do own a vacation property. The majority of our time is spent in our primary residences with family and friends. It makes perfect sense to bring things we love about vacation into our homes: beautiful colors and relaxed, casual styles. We chose the island theme for this kitchen because we've noticed it popping up in other rooms in the home. Why not the kitchen?”

Plantation-style louvered doors front a floor-to-ceiling pantry. Rattan panels, set off by “Gecko” hardware, are inset into a freestanding armoire, stained in Fennel Frost, a sunny, warm-weather color. Perpendicular to this is a hardworking cooktop and storage island that mirrors the Fennel finish, to complement the armoire. Plain & Fancy used a dark stain on cherry and walnut for the wall cabinetry and “prep and serve” island.

Recognizing informal meals are more island-like, and generally the way people prefer to entertain today, the kitchen has good flow, with outdoor access to the left and overlooking a living space to the right. Note the blind with tropical print fabric on the door, a detail that reinforces the theme.

Overall, this style trend is another evolution in our desire to make home as comfortable and comforting as possible. We all deserve to use our homes as a tool to recharge. Infusing a bit of the Islands in our décor helps us do that.

For more information about bringing the islands into your kitchen, contact Plain & Fancy at (800) 447-9006 or visit www.plainfancycabinetry.com.

— ARA Content