Home & Design Oct-Nov 2012

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VOLUME 8/ISSUE 5

OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER 2012

Style with a smile A designer brings snap, pop and happy color to a Golden Eagle home

Kitchen case studies Stand-out renovations in Betton Hills and Lafayette Oaks, plus a look at homeowners’ most-wanted in makeovers

The value of vines

These landscaping workhorses can grow on you

Appliances on ‘Ice’

The new premium finish may look familiar

Plus

Toys for cooks, artist and decorative painter Kelly Pettit and more

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Inspiring stories from local women who step forward to share the challenges they have faced, their triumphs and the core belief that we can help each other Available monthly at your local Publix, in select retail locations and select Tallahassee Democrat home delivery areas

Find us online! tallahassee.com/health

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Monthly features include our stories of local Tallahassee women and ... ESSENTIAL NUTRITION  BEST BODY  SMART FITNESS ALTERNATIVE HEALTH  EDITOR’S LETTER  AROUND TOWN

Tallahassee’s Your Health Magazine

9/24/2012 5:49:56 PM

October &November

4

COVER STORY

Decorating, a love story

Interior designer Nan Conway asked a Golden Eagle couple to trust her. Boy, they’re happy they did.

8

TRENDS

The ‘Ice’ age?

An old finish for appliances gets a new spin.

7

KITCHEN CASE STUDIES

Renovations gone right

We talk to local renovation experts and take an admiring look at two beautifully planned and executed kitchen makeovers.

18-26

GARDEN

Climb on up

The right vine may be a valuable addition to your landscape.

27

PROFILE

Best finish forward

Decorative painter Kelly Pettit can make most anything look better.

29

IN EVERY ISSUE

3 4

First Word Inspirations

ON THE COVER Textured wallpaper, judiciously used, adds a unique touch to Dan and Dara Kukla’s Golden Eagle dining room.

14

Cover photo by LONG’S PHOTOGRAPHY

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FIRST WORD FIRST WORD Volume 8, Issue 5

Published by the Tallahassee Democrat president and publisher

Patrick Dorsey editor & designer

Joni Branch contributing writers

Joni Branch Marina Brown Andy Lindstrom contributing photographers

Glenn Beil Mike Ewen Linda & Olyn Long Michael Schwarz

contact us editorial

Joni Branch 850.599.2255 jbranch@tallahassee.com advertising

Lisa Lazarus 850.599-2333 Home & Design Magazine is published six times a year by the Tallahassee Democrat at 277 N. Magnolia Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32301. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. Home & Design Magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork.

coming up Look for the next Home & Design on Dec. 5.

Both beautiful

and useful

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elcome to the annual form and function issue of Home & Design, when we focus our attention on things that are both beautiful and useful. If there was ever a room where form and function need to cozy up, it’s the kitchen, and you’ll find two standout renovations in these pages along with a look at the makeover options now available. While we’re talking kitchens, Inspirations offers a grab bag of tools and gadgets courtesy of the cook’s toy store called Brown’s Home Kitchen Center. In our featured home, Golden Eagle residents Dan and Dara Kukla gave Nan Conway of n.d. designs free rein. She repaid their trust and kept to their budget with a smartly designed, kid-resistant interior that’s a delight to the eye. Given that this issue covers October and November, I’d like to take a moment now to celebrate my own early Thanksgiving. I often say that the very best part of this job is the people I meet, and I want to express my sincere appreciation to those who contribute to this publication: the homeowners who let us into their houses and their lives; the designers, builders and craftspeople who offer expertise and ideas; the hardworking, creative photographers and writers; Tallahassee Democrat Features Editor Kati Schardl, who is nice enough to read my stories and say she likes them; the energetic representatives selling advertising; the advertisers whose support makes the magazine possible; and you, the reader, whose time and attention we always hope to reward. May you find what’s in these pages both beautiful and useful. And, again, thanks to you all.

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— Joni Branch, Editor Home & Design Magazine | October/November 2012

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NOW THAT’S A KNIFE The Shun Cutlery 5½-inch Premier Nakiri knife ($125) is made of Damascus steel, with visible hammer marks and striations. Call it very useful art.

Good kitchen tools are the very embodiment of form and function, the theme of this issue of Home & Design. (And, of course, they’re a lot of fun to find and collect.)

INSPIRATIONS

Photos BY MICHAEL SCHWARZ AND GLENN BEIL

NOT YOUR AVERAGE OIL CAN Store oil in style with the handsome, sculptural Tablecraft Products olive oil can ($19.95) at right. The rubbery silicone Blossom Trivet ($9.95), meanwhile, can be flopped down as a flat trivet, or folded up to stand and encircle a bottle or can. And the orange Norpro Scrubby ($4.95) liquid soap-dispensing brush, below, is just cute.

HAVE A BITE The Brownie Bite Panel Pan ($22.95), left, has 20 wells for baking perfectly square tasty treats. Commercial grade, it’s made in the USA by USA Pan with a nonstick silicone coating.

FLOWER POWER The Charles Viancin Sunflower Silicone Lid ($9.99) seals tight on all smooth rims – so tight, in fact, that you can pick up a bowl with the brown center. The lid can go in the refrigerator, freezer, microwave or conventional oven. A smaller lily-pad size is perfect for covering a drink outside or sealing a small dish (leftover egg whites or yolks?) for fridge storage or microwave cooking.

4 October/November 2012 | Home & Design Magazine

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TIME FOR PIE? The Endurance stainless steel Professional Pastry Blender ($7.95) is designed with slightly triangular blades meant to more easily cut, lift and blend flour and shortening.

SCOOPING PRETTY The Rainbow Wood Scoop ($12.95) by Norpro is handcrafted of hand-dyed, laminated wood. With a two-tablespoon capacity, it’s perfect for scooping coffee.

SPACING OUT? Maybe it’s time for tea. The two-piece Sili Gourmet Tea Ball ($9.95), with a base and a handled tea ball, looks like a friendly alien spaceship sent to Earth to help you make a cup of your favorite blend. The silicone base also can act as a spoon rest.

THE PEELER THAT POPS Act out a role from “West Side Story” with a vegetable peeler, below right, that acts like a switchblade knife. The business end of the Chef’n Freshforce Popout Peeler ($9.99) slides out with a satisfying “shink,” then snaps back in, all with the push of a button.

WHISK, WHISK Trudeau whisks ($16.95 each) come in colorful silicone that’s safe for nonstick surfaces and won’t scratch metal or plastic.

INSPIRE US Inspirations is always on the lookout for items to feature on these pages. If your store has something that seems right for us, please email jbranch@tallahassee.com with a photo or a suggestion.

source: All items pictured here and on Page 6 came

from Brown’s Home Kitchen Center, 2551 Capital Circle N.E., 385-5665, www.brownskitchen.com.

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MORE INSPIRATIONS, NEXT PAGE >>>

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INSPIRATIONS, FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

CHOP CHOP This Joseph Joseph folding chopping board ($15.99) has a soft-grip handle and no-slip feet. Pop the board flat to chop up those onions, then pop up its sides to slide all the bits into a pot.

GET A GRIP

SAVE THE CUP

The KitchenGrips oven mitt ($18.99) is heatresistant to 500 degrees and dishwashersafe.

The Red Cup Living reusable 18-oz. cup ($5.99) looks like the classic Solo disposable but is made of much heavier break-resistant plastic. This dishwasher-safe model is meant to be used again and again.

HOLD IT! Despite its diminutive size, the Architec Recipe Rock ($9.95) holds a letter-size printed page with aplomb. In fact, the Rock promises to hold up to eight pages of recipes – from magazines, the Internet or on note cards – via a magnet and shiny ball.

IT’S A GRIND Fast-grinding and adjustable, the Unicorn Magnum Plus Professional Peppermill ($45.95) gets top ratings from food pros.

Photos BY MICHAEL SCHWARZ AND GLENN BEIL

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TRENDS

For appliances, an ‘Ice’ age

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By Candice Grause

hirlpool has a new color for that high-end fridge. White. But that’s white as in “White Ice,” a new finish that pairs silvery hardware with the classic hue. The Ice Collection includes refrigerators, ranges, dishwashers, cooktops and microwaves that are sleek, chic and vaguely familiar. In fact, these striking appliances mirror the design aesthetic of electronics giant Apple with clean lines and mirrored glass. And like Apple products, Ice is available in both white and black. Could Ice put the freeze on that long-popular premium go-to, stainless steel? Mike Munroe, sales manager of Mays-Munroe of Tallahassee, has noticed a trend. “Stainless is still the bestselling color. However, not everyone is a fan. Some customers find it too industrial looking, and it's prone to showing fingerprints,” Mike says. “Allwhite kitchens started making a resurgence over a year ago. Not only are the appliances white, but also the cabinets and counters.” Mike has also seen a growing demand among consumers for better technology in appliances, and they are willing to pay for it. “Price is usually the driving decision maker,” he says. “However,

the appliances have to be aesthetically pleasing and have all of the modern conveniences.” The Ice Collection looks to accommodate that demand, boasting patented features with names such as TimeSavor, AquaLift, CleanRelease, MicroEdge and AccuBake to have you cleaning less and cooking more. For example, the range has a third heating element and automatic convection conversion that allows you to preheat 25 percent quicker and roast 30 percent faster, and the dishwasher claims a 35 percent better wash and has a top rack only option for smaller loads.

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Home & Design Magazine | October/November 2012

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Modern love

COVER STORY

This decorating match was made in designer heaven

Photos by Long’s Photography 339-5799, www.longsphotography.com Staging by Nan Conway, n.d. designs

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On this page, the Kuklas’ formal living room is a cheerful, sophisticated mix of color and pattern. Designer Nan Conway enlisted decorative painter Kelly Pettit to do the three-panel artwork that ties the room together, and talked the Kuklas into recovering an existing chair with brightly colored fabric. The room’s golden walls play off the warm gray of the family room, seen at right and on the two previous pages. At lower right, note that the staircase’s many spindles are painted a wall color to blend in with the living room.

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Story by Joni Branch

ara Kukla stands smack in the middle of her superbly decorated house and says to the woman responsible, “Nan, we love you.” Interior designer Nan Conway of n.d. designs loves the Kuklas – Dara, husband Dan and little Jackson – too. As she puts it, “In all my years of this business, I have never dealt with such nice people.” And the Golden Eagle house, set on Lower Dianne Lake, loves anyone who walks in. Contemporary but in no way cold, its interior is a carefully balanced play of cheerful color, texture and pattern. Throughout, the space is highly personalized with family photos and one-of-a-kind objects that were crafted or customized for Dara and Dan. It’s all plain happy, and if houses had auras, the Kuklas’ would give off a rosy glow. “In my opinion, it’s so beautiful … but it’s so homey,” Dara says. “It feels like my home.” In the beginning, there was some trepidation. This is a second Golden Eagle address for the Kuklas. Both Dan, 45, and Dara, 43, are in sales, with her working parttime at home while caring for 3-year-old Jackson. They bought the house in the fall of 2011 in a sort of swap with another couple in the gated community. “They were downsizing. We wanted a bit more house and a pool,” Dara explains. She quickly realized, however, that the larger space would require special decorating expertise. “It was so open. I didn’t know how to tie it all together.” Through referral, Dara found Nan. The two women walked through the >>> place before the sale closed so that

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Sources & Services

Nan Conway and n.d. designs masterminded the new look of the Kukla home. To learn more about n.d., call 3838165 or go to www.nddesignstlh.com. Others involved with the project included Kelly Pettit of Finishes by Kelly, 9331703, who refinished furniture and painted the three-panel living room artwork. (To read more about Kelly, turn to Page 29.) Tile for the fireplace and kitchen came from Brian Barnard’s Flooring America, 2731 Capital Circle N. E., 2734373. Wall colors were provided by Porter Paints.

9/24/2012 5:57:45 PM

The formal dining room just off the entry is sophisticated and fun. A high-end wallpaper, sparingly used on one wall, adds texture and helps draw the space together. The Kuklas’ existing furniture was reused, but customized with touches such as decorative metal medallions on the chairs.

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the homeowner could get an idea of what the designer had in mind. Dara heard “custom this, custom that. I was petrified.” Afraid that n.d.’s services would be too expensive and that the couple were in over their heads, Dara wrestled with the decision, then returned to Nan expecting a referral elsewhere. “I’m not sure I’m the right client for you,” she recalls saying. “I don’t have a whole lot of money.” To her surprise, Nan was unfazed. “I can do that. That’s me.” The first step in a design project is getting acquainted. “We have to learn our clients,” Nan explains. During initial interviews, “you sit there and you listen to the personality.” Then the job is translating that individual’s style – no matter what that style might be – into an appealing and functional space. “I have so many personalities inside me,” Nan says. “It’s just as inviting to do a traditional home” as a more modern one. From talking with Dara, the designer learned that the homeowner “likes clean, straight lines” and “loves color and excitement.” The color orange “just vibrates her,” and she was in tune with a modern look. The couple are also very much focused on family and home. As Nan says, “They live in their house.” With a small child on the premises, that can mean serious wear and tear in the space of 3,702 heated and cooled square feet. >>>

In the kitchen, new glass tile was installed over the existing backsplash, and the kitchen dining table was refinished by Kelly Pettit to work with the space, which also got new lighting. The kitchen is open to the family room. At left, Nan decorated Dara’s office at the front of the house to integrate with the homeowner’s wild animalpattern desk. Dara works at home, and says she’s happy to spend time in this lively room. Above at left, a decorative cabinet placed at an angle adds a little punch to one corner of the family room.

Home & Design Magazine | October/November 2012

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“Everything that Nan picked out … that was totally taken into consideration,” Dara says. The designer kept budget firmly in mind, too, avoiding structural renovation, limiting new purchases and re-using the Kuklas’ existing furnishings wherever possible. “We refinished, we repainted, we re-did.” “She probably reused 85 percent of what I had before,” Dara says. Furniture was recovered by upholsterers or repainted by artist and craftswoman Kelly Pettit of Finishes by Kelly. When a big wall in the Kuklas’ living room needed a focal point, the designer sidestepped a major art purchase by drafting Kelly to paint a whimsical tree on three wood panels. Traditional gold-framed mirrors from the master bath were moved upstairs to the guest bath vanities and got a totally new look and feel, with one mirror painted teal and the other redone in a deep magenta, an extra-saturated version of Porter

Paints’ “Hearts Desire.” A dining room side table went from espresso to a lighter, more visually interesting finish. New tile for the kitchen backsplash went over the existing stuff. In the guest bedrooms, custom pillows mingle with the ready-made. In the master bath and dining room, highend textural wallpapers are used sparingly but to great effect. Nan is a master at orchestrating the look of a room, and at a certain point after trust was established, the Kuklas let her go. “We established confidence early on,” Dan says. “She was very easy to work with.” The wisdom of the their choice was confirmed the day of the first big “reveal.” Dara and Dan had watched paint go up in the main downstairs rooms – formal living, dining, family room and kitchen. They had watched furniture go out. “If you remove everything, the paint is a little scary,” Dara says. >>> Then came installation day, when

Colors in the upstairs guest bedrooms bounce off colors in the main rooms on the first floor. Nan and Kelly cooked up the living room arrangement above, which uses artificial foliage painted in the Kuklas’ colors in a vase that Kelly painted silver. There’s more creative painting in the guest rooms’ shared Jack and Jill bathrooms, where ornate mirrors from the master bath were repainted in teal and magenta. The shared shower/toilet room gets a stripe with both colors.

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The Boys Town adventure

Nan made news in July when she took time out from her regular residential and commercial work to throw her creative energies into a charitable project, the makeover of a Boys Town North Florida group home for girls. That transformation was completed in four days with the help of a whole team, including J. R. Barnard and Chris Barnard of Flooring America, John Lilley of Home Renovations and Shutters, Joe DiMarco of Visual Perfections, Carol Hoover of Carol’s Critters, Kelly Pettit, Miss Ruby of Ruby’s Décor, Home Depot and Sears. Boys Town North Florida, which serves children and families throughout this area, always needs donations and volunteers. To learn more, go to www. boystown.org/north-florida.

Home & Design Magazine | October/November 2012

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In Dara and Dan’s bedroom and master bath, the palette shifts to soothing blues and taupes that echo colors in the main rooms. At right, Dan, Jackson and Dara share a chair.

3-D magic

How a designer like Nan Conway does what she does may be a mystery, but what she does is plain to see. Looking at her work, even a casual observer can get good ideas. Texture and pattern: Nan mixes it up to create a vibrant yet harmonious whole. Surfaces play against one another, with woven grass, smooth leather, soft fabrics and shiny metal in one room. There are matte surfaces and reflective surfaces. Striped or otherwise patterned fabrics play against plain. Space: Look up, down or sideways at the Kuklas’ and you’ll find something to engage and delight the eye. Spaces are fully realized, with careful attention to both the horizontal and the vertical. Color: Shades are echoed and

subtly repeated throughout the house. Nan will tell you that she never uses a paint color straight off the card. She asks Porter Paints to increase or decrease saturation of each formulation, specifying percentages to call for, say, one color at 50 percent strength and another at 150 percent. And, of course, color can do tricks. In the main living space, the many spindles on the staircase were painted a wall color to make them less apparent. In the formal living room, the wall behind the big three-panel artwork is painted in wide, subtle horizontal stripes to break up the surface and frame the art. Symmetry and balance: Careful attention to the placement of every element in a room brings it all together. A low table plays off a high shelf, a decorative object visually balances a plant, an ottoman balances the fireplace.

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Nan always wants clients out of the house. The family left at 8:30 a.m. and returned around 5 p.m. to find all the pieces suddenly and stunningly in place. Thanks to the n.d. elves, pictures were hung, rugs laid, objects placed, re-worked and new furnishings all arranged. As the Kuklas tell it, to say that they were happy is an understatement. Dara describes being astonished that this beautiful place was hers, and recalls that for days later she would find herself wandering around to look and think, ‘Is this my house?’ After that, the couple let Nan loose on the bedrooms and baths. Today only a few pieces are not yet in place – benches for the guest bedrooms, a family-room console table, new chairs for the kitchen table – and a few details are being worked out. Dara and Nan recently discussed cutting glare while preserving the view in the master bedroom, where a big bay window overlooks the lake. Nan suggested a wallpaper with soft texture in the cove above the window, to soften reflection. And instead of hanging sheers, they will have the windows tinted in a color that enhances the scene while reducing the light bouncing in. Dara nods – it’ll work. The homeowner says to the designer, “I love your brain.�

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KITCHEN CASE STUDIES

Recipes for renovation Cooking up a great kitchen makeover doesn’t have to cost a fortune

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By Andy Lindstrom

ou don’t have to spend a fortune to bring your fusty old kitchen into the 21st century. Whether you’re working with one of Tallahassee’s custom kitchen centers or a big-box design service like Home Depot or Lowe’s, there’s a whole world of affordable upgrades that can help transform any outof-fashion cooking area into a showcase of the latest in kitchen trends. Let’s start with the cabinetry. Thirty years ago, said Susan Grabowski, president of family-owned Tallahassee Kitchen Center on East Park Avenue, local kitchens were limited to either natural oak, pine or painted white cabinets. Today’s choices run the gamut from “just about every wood species you can think of,” she said, including mahogany, maple, cherry, rustic or clear alder, even a painted finish or refaced surface in dozens of styles, colors and accessory options. “And they don’t have to cost a fortune,” Grabowski said. “I’ve done small galley kitchens for less than $10,000 with cabinets that could compete with prices at the home centers. Of course, there are some on the high side that could compete with the Taj Mahal.” For the truly frugal, design supervisor Kristin Thompson at Home Depot said that modestly priced kits are available to renew the faded finish on even the most timeworn cabinets. Almost as budget friendly, a wood-like vinyl product called Thermofoil – rated one of the least expensive cabinetry finishes on the market – has become increasingly popular as technology makes its adhesive features more reliable. Finally, new cabinet doors on the original box run from as low as $12 to $25 a square foot. “For the budgetwise, your cost is often equal or less to go with completely new cabinets,” said design consultant Lance Conley with Kitch-Encounters on Capital Circle N.E. “But your best bang for the money comes with countertops.” To replace Tallahassee’s typical Formica countertops of years past, he said, “You can spend $6,000 for quartz or $5,100 for granite. Or you can go with our new HD series laminate with bevel edges and a drop-in sink for as little as $1,500 that looks and feels just as good as the most expensive stone.” Recent advances in laminate technology have erased the once-telltale black lines dividing segments, Conley said. They’ve also made it almost impossible to distinguish the finished surface from far pricier stone products. And while such products might lack the same long-term durability, “Some people just can’t afford granite or quartz,” he said. “So much depends on your budget.” Despite the price, Kristin Thompson at Home Depot said that her customers still list real stone countertops – about $41 a square foot including installation – among their favorite kitchen upgrades. Other popular choices include new hardware (brushed and satin nickel at $3 to $10 a handle), replacement cabinet doors ($12 to $25 a square foot), new sinks and faucets ($250 to $500 high end) and backsplash options ($6 to $20 a square foot for tile). “Options are big with our clients, and they don’t have to cost a lot of money,” said designer Jay Garcia at Kitch-Encounters. “What they’re looking for in a makeover

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To see two completed makeovers, turn to Page 20 and Page 24.

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561-1122 at The Tallahassee Kitchen Center, 634 E. Park Ave. Lance Conley and Jay Garcia can be reached at Kitch-Encounters, 2740 Capital Circle NE. Their number is 386-6555.

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Kristin Thompson’s number at Home Depot, 3200 Capital Circle NE, is 4222777, ext. 156.

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Home & Design Magazine | October/November 2012

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KITCHEN KITCHENCASE CASESTUDIES STUDIES

Good looks meant to last Eddie Lueken and Mitch Ross get a kitchen that can stand up to them

E

ddie Lueken says the question about anything that went into her made-over kitchen was always, “Is it Eddie-proof?” A nurse who worked 30 years in her field before returning to school for a master of fine arts in creative nonfiction writing, Eddie grins. She and husband Dr. Mitch Ross, a critical care pediatrician, knew they would renovate the circa 1980 kitchen of their Lafayette Oaks home when they bought the place in 2008. The house had been meticulously maintained by its previous owners, Mag Lab pioneer Dr. Hans Schneider-Muntau and wife Annie, but the kitchen was just dated, with oddly high counters, a 27-inch oven and an ancient, dial-controlled microwave that Eddie promptly broke. From the beginning, she was looking for durability. Flame-resistance was a plus. “I cook and I’m good at starting kitchen fires,” Eddie says, noting that a number of her dishtowels have suffered fiery fates. “Mitch and I both … we really live and we really make a mess and we’re hard on things.” When the couple decided to go ahead with a renovation last year, they went to a contractor who came highly recommended >>> by neighbors, Joe Kane. They’re glad Story by Joni Branch After photos by Michael Schwarz Before photo courtesy of Joe Kane Staging by Missy Gunnels Flowers

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CONTACTS n Joe Kane Construction Co., 251-6432, jmkane242@aol.com n Woodlane Cabinet Co, 562-0491, www.woodlanecabinetco.com

The long bar is made of dead-head cypress, while the working-height counter is Cambria quartz in the Bellingham pattern. Less noticeable features such as lighting also make a big difference in the space. “In all honesty the lighting is amazing,” Eddie says. Builder Joe Kane managed to hang a “cloud light” that she had dragged away from a nightmare renovation in Phoenix, Ariz., after workers there were unable to place it. The “cloud” is suspended above the bar.

Home & Design Magazine | October/November 2012

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“It is more fun to cook in,” Eddie says of the new kitchen, and she’s happy to have space dedicated to storing and chilling wine.

they did. “It was the most painless renovation I’ve ever been through,” Eddie says, explaining that Joe’s careful preparation made the work go quickly and well. The process stood in bright contrast to the 18-month ordeal the couple endured years ago while renovating a kitchen in Phoenix, Ariz. In Tallahassee, work began in September 2011 and was completed in October 2011. Joe “finished up earlier than deadline and on budget,” Eddie emphasizes. “I call Joe Kane the genius, the miracle worker.” Planning the makeover was a cooperative effort between Eddie, Mitch, Joe, the experts at Woodlane Cabinet Co. and Missy Gunnels, a floral stylist and Joe’s fiancée. Joe says they looked initially at re-using existing cabinets, but decided on a full renovation after considering cost versus payoff. “It always takes more time to plan than it does to do the renovation,” he notes. As for the look of the space, Eddie knew she liked “very modern, simple things.” Deciding a cabinet style “was done in five minutes” at Woodlane. She chose the charcoal glaze finish and, as a contrasting element, metal doors with frosted glass. Renovation essentials included an above-stove fan and hood to replace an

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Eddie and Mitch’s contemporary home has an open plan, with the kitchen overlooking the main living area and a dining area to the right. Ron Rabon of Decorate It Now gave advice on paint and furniture arrangement in the living room. Dog Beck, meanwhile, approves of the rug.

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existing down-draft unit, a gas stove, a bigger oven, “counter space I can reach” and better lighting. “We’re serious wine drinkers,” she adds, so the couple also wanted “lots of places for wine.” Now the finished space has it all: the range hood, a six-burner gas stove, a builtin coffeemaker, yards of working counter space. The fridge, which looks like one giant premium commercial unit, is actually a more affordable installation accomplished with a Kenmore freezer, a Kenmore fridge and a matching trim kit ordered from Sears.

For wine, there is a wine fridge and a built-in rack. For relaxing with a glass of it, there’s a long, beautiful bar made of deadhead cypress dredged from a local river. The couple picked the slab in person after Mitch tracked down the Bruner Lumber Company, www.floridabackwatercypress. com. “That makes the counter kind of special,” Eddie says. Dings and more character will come with time. “We will beat it up, and it will look even better.” The lower, stove-height working counter, meanwhile, is topped with scorchresistant quartz.

Mitch and Eddie knew when they bought the Lafayette Oaks house that they would renovate the kitchen, which was showing its age.

Home & Design Magazine | October/November 2012

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KITCHEN CASE STUDIES

Thinking outside the ‘L’ Sally and Peter Butzin enjoy a more usable, beautiful space

Before the renovation, an L-shaped counter cut the room in half, and storage space was limited.

W

hen Sally and Peter Butzin bought their Betton Hills home in 1979, the kitchen was a plus. The house had been built in 1976, and everything in the room was nearly new. “We thought it was wonderful at the time,” Sally recalls. “It seemed very upscale,” with a snazzy L-shaped counter and space for bar stools. Thirty years on, the glow was gone. “It was a very small kitchen,” Sally says. “It was cramped. It was cluttered.” In all their years in the house, the couple had steadily improved it, renovating and adding on. “We both started our businesses out of this house. We raised our children here. This house has evolved,” she says. The Butzins are now retired – he from information technology businesses and she as an educator and founder of the Institute for School Innovation. >>> But aside from a “mini-makeover” that had added

Story by Joni Branch After photos courtesy of Designers Choice Cabinetry Before photos courtesy of Jay Garcia

The renovated kitchen is bright and roomy, with tons of storage. Instead of that limiting ‘L,’ there is an island perfectly sized for the space. The cinnamon-stained maple cabinets are from Designers Choice Cabinetry, and the door style is called Chaddington. The countertops are Cambria quartz in Somerset. The backsplash tile is tumbled Travertine supplied by Florida Tile.

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CONTACTS n Kitch-Encounters, 2740 Capital Circle N.E.,

386-6555, http://kitch-encounters.com

n Suzi Brock, kitchen and bath designer, 222-

2642, suzibrock@embarqmail.com n Designers Choice Cabinetry, www. dccabinetry.com

Home & Design Magazine | October/November 2012

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a new countertop and track lighting 10 or 12 years ago, the kitchen remained largely the same. That L-shaped counter bisected the room, separating the kitchen from a “formalish” dining area and stopping traffic. “The more we entertained,” Sally says, “the smaller the kitchen seemed.” With their two daughters grown and gone, they considered downsizing to a newer place. In the end, “it really made sense to stay right here and upgrade,” she explains. “We enjoy cooking and food. … We wanted to have a nice gourmet kitchen.” Peter worked out an initial renovation plan about three years ago, then on friends’ recommendations sought advice from kitchen and bathroom designer Suzi Brock, whom the couple credit as being a great help with the practical layout of the room. “She did the functional design,” Peter says. To make all those plans a reality, they went to Kitch-Encounters and Jay Garcia. “Like Suzi, he had a lot of good recommendations,” Peter notes. Jay finalized the design, specified materials and saw the project to completion. The Butzins were so pleased with his work that Peter submitted a testimonial to Kitch-Encounters that reads in part: “Jay was great to work with. He is very experienced, both as a planner and project manager, but also as a woodworker and cabinet maker. He knows materials and products better than anyone I have encountered.” The actual work took about three months. The finished kitchen is contemporary and open, with storage galore. The formal dining room that used to share its space has moved to an added room, leaving more space for the kitchen, which now has a dining nook. Gone is the L-shaped counter that chopped the room in half. Instead a big island runs lengthwise of the space. Traffic isn’t choked, but flows. “It’s very functional as well as beautiful,” Sally says. “It’s just so much more spacious than what I had those many years.” She also has the bells and whistles – the Cambria quartz countertop, a convection/microwave combo inset above an in-wall oven, a gas cooktop, a premium fridge – but one of this self-confessed neat

Before the makeover, below, there was space for what Peter terms a “formalish” dining room past the L-shaped counter. Now there’s still space for a dining nook, and the formal dining room is located in a previously constructed addition. The Butzins’ kitchen project was a total makeover involving structural, electrical and plumbing work, and took about three months.

freak’s favorite features is also one of the humblest. Sally cheerfully demonstrates, sliding out the under-counter garbage containers that replaced a free-standing can. Peter recalls he heard Sally say “I love my kitchen” every day for six months after the renovation. Now he only hears that about once a week, but there’s no doubt that the glow’s still on.

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GARDEN

The value of vines Kudzu and poison ivy aside, twining plants can be quite helpful

A

By Andy Lindstrom

sk the average Tallahassee homeowner about vines in the garden, and one of the first no-no plants that comes to mind is kudzu. Gobbling up an annual 150,000 Deep South acres a year, this notoriously prolific perennial from the pea family has become practically a synonym for runaway infestation. Surprisingly, considering its well-deserved reputation for smothering to death anything under its hairy leaves, kudzu got its start in this country as a quick and easy solution to soil erosion. After that plan proved a real bummer, vines in general took a big hit as welcome additions to the landscape. Which is something of a bad rap, say a number of local gardening experts. While some vines such as kudzu and poison ivy (just to name a pair of evil twins) might not be right for your little Eden, many of the clingy plants with the twining stems serve nicely as fence or wall screens, groundcover for problem areas or simply for the beauty of their often spectacular foliage and flowers. “Certain vines are fairly popular for very specific needs,” said outdoor manager John Kane at Tallahassee Nurseries on Thomasville Road. “But there are drawbacks. It’s not just kudzu that can be very aggressive. You have to know what you’re dealing with.” That being said, Kane and others helped compile a short checklist of vines worth adding to Tallahassee gardens, along with some better not started. Climbing roses, by the way, are not vines but can be trained to grow up an arbor or trellis. For pretty flowers in vertical locations, there is also the popular clematis or one of the showier selections detailed here.

Groundcovers Asiatic jasmine – The most common local groundcover, it overpowers most weeds but rarely produces a flower. “Pretty aggressive stuff, it can take over small plantings,” warns Stephen Fisher of Fisher Landscape Design & Consultation in Gadsden County. “But with a barrier in the ground and by collecting the seeds before they sprout, you can keep it under control.” English ivy – Along with creeper fig, it makes a good groundcover but also climbs well and can take out a tree if left unchecked. Shady areas are best, even under trees where other plants can’t grow. Ajuga – While not technically a vine, this widely grown groundcover is great in rock gardens, along borders or anywhere else you might want a mat of glossy leaves and tiny flowers.

Climbers and screens Virginia creeper – While most gardeners in Tallahassee root it out as a weed, this five-fingered perennial (often confused with three-leaved poison ivy) is actually great cover for small animals. Its ber>>> ries are a food source for many birds. Native Home & Design Magazine | October/November 2012

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and fast-growing, it works well to cover rock piles, stumps and other eyesores. Not so good is the tendency of its little fingers to damage brick walls. No, it’s not poisonous, although some people might react to its sap. Confederate jasmine – Popular for its clusters of small, white, fragrant flowers, this vine is fully capable of twining its way around lampposts, through chainlink fences and up the trunks of trees and trellises. Despite the name, it’s a native of China and not even a true jasmine. Blue sky vine – Fast growing and gorgeous, with long chains of large, trumpetshaped flowers that bloom year-round. Will cover a chain-link or wood fence in a single summer. Popular as a mailbox plant. Trumpet vine – Ultra-easy to grow and a quick climber up to 30 feet, it’s both native and informal, good for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies, and a quick cover for walls and fences.

Bad boys/bad choice 7'

Japanese honeysuckle – More fragrant than some other honeysuckles, but an invasive species. With few natural enemies, it often out-competes native plants and can even kill shrubs and small trees. Not sold in several local nurseries. Chinese wisteria – Despite its beautiful lavender blooms, very aggressive and can take over a natural area. The native wisteria is considered a far safer choice. Less invasive, it also blooms faster. Poison ivy – “Leaves of three, let it be,� is the old Scout saying. Along with poison oak and sumac, the oil found in all parts of this woody climber can cause a rather painful skin rash. Kudzu – Plant scientists still hold hope for this noxious Japanese import, sometimes called “the vegetable form of cancer,� as animal feed, weaving material, even a remedy for hangovers. It is also considered a possible source of ethanol. Vinca minor – Fungal problems are the big drawback for this popular groundcover. Also called periwinkle or creeping myrtle and heavily advertised in gardening magazines, it’s more at home in less humid climes.

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PROFILE

Kelly Pettit

Finishes by Kelly

L

et’s face it, Kelly Pettit, owner of Kelly’s Finishes LLC, looks at things differently than most of us. She doesn’t see a stained Formica kitchen counter; she envisions it with a luminous copper finish. She doesn’t see dull walls and popcorn ceilings; she pictures them with rustic Italian troweling or glistening metallic layering. And then she makes it happen. Working with the likes of designers Nan Conway, Laura Bryant, and Mindy Hester, surface magician Kelly changes weary cabinets from boring to eye-popping, creates wall-sized murals and, a la Michelangelo, can artistically plaster ceilings her work from scaffoldKelly Pettit did several ing high above projects for the Kukla a dining room home featured in this table. issue, including refinishing The diminuthe dining room side table on the cover and painting tive Kelly sees the whimsical tree on herself as an arPage 10. tisan, “not really an artist,” she says. “But my work is not from the hobby shop or home-improvement store either.” Traveling to workshops and conferences all over the country, Kelly is constantly acquiring new techniques and exploring new products. In fact a wall-sized cabinet in her doll-house-like workshop is devoted to professional products like: “Lusters”, “Crackles”, “Activators”, “Plasters”, and “Wax”. “These are all water-based, very high-end products, some costing as much as $100 a gallon,” she says. “But the results are worth it.” One of her techniques involves attaching a cut-out stencil to a surface, plastering over it, then pulling away the stencil, to give a bas-relief texture of animal skin, bamboo shoots or even brick. Kelly then colors, stains, and highlights the surface

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for dimension and depth. The Manors at Midtown Fifth Avenue Tap Room has an entire wall surfaced as alligator skin. Covering a damaged table top with tissue paper and paints, then adding shiny brass-head nails, turns a throw-me-out into what appears to be an elegant leathertopped heirloom. Kelly even tackles cushions! “For my own house I found nearly destroyed chairs at Goodwill — ones that originally sold for $400. I paid $30.

Finish trends

The latest in faux finishes and fancy surfaces is all about sparkle. While troweled swirls are still sought after, metallics are the newest thing: n Silver leaf applied to ceilings n Glass beads and even crystals embedded in textured surfaces n Iridescent paints n Busy, reflective ceilings coupled with subdued walls.

CONTACT Call Kelly Pettit of Finishes by Kelly at 933-1703.

Then I stained the rattan and painted the cushions.” Painted? “I used a latex base, and then painted the fabric white. You just need to know what is possible.” Relaxing in the rustic “Boston Pub” she and her husband created from a basement space, Kelly is amidst a hectic mélange of renewed, repurposed, and resurfaced ideas. Wood walls have become brick, cabinet doors turned into wall sconces, and even a wig holder is now a plaster-like vase. “Anything can be painted or plastered,” she laughs, “whether your dream takes you to a Tuscan villa, a palace from Arabian Nights, even to a 17th century American inn.” Story by Marina Brown Photos by Mike Ewen

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