AR Homes® Design Inspiration

Led by owner and president Mike Schoenfeld, who has been in the industry for 35 years, cabinet designers Janel Asplund and Megan Pape are wizards at fulfilling a client’s wants and needs to deliver cabinetry designs that are as beautiful as they are practical.

The cabinet design and selection process for each home begins early, with a detailed review of the customized contract plans and cabinet specifications for the specific AR Homes® luxury home chosen by the client. The cabinet designers then collaborate with the AR Homes® project management team, AR Homes® interior designers and the clients to develop cabinet plans and select cabinet finishes and cabinet accessories that maximize both the function of the space and its visual appeal.

“Whenever clients come in with an idea of what they’re looking for, we’re very respectful of their opinions,” adds Janel. “This is typically not the first-time home for our clients, and we want to make sure they’re happy in the end.”

Beyond cabinet style, texture and colors — open versus closed storage, painted or stained finishes, inset or full overlay cabinets, drawer banks or door style, and hardware choices — practical considerations are taken into account in design recommendations, such as a cabinet material’s subtle variations in color, texture and markings as well as its long-term reaction to variations in light or humidity.Although Janel and Megan are involved in cabinetry fulfillment for bathrooms, office spaces, wet bars and even closets, the kitchen is typically the focal point of the cabinetry design work.

“The kitchen is the room where everybody gathers,” Megan notes. “And in all AR Homes there is an open floor plan, so it’s an inviting layout to work with and showcase.”

“Many of our clients are choosing to put more cabinets in free space and using every inch of space for cabinetry, even on the sides of the island, which has evolved from a work space to a multifunctional area,” she adds.

While the clean lines and neutral appearance of white, Shaker-style cabinetry continue to have enduring appeal, “Trends have changed and design styles are evolving, depending on the price level of the home being purchased,” Mike says. “Many AR Homes clients are choosing to go with a more contemporary style due, in large part, to the style of homes the company builds.”

Transitional designs that combine elements of both traditional and modern styles are growing in popularity with AR Homes® homeowners, as are national trends such as woodgrain tones to provide warmth and texture and two-tone color palettes to provide contrast.“The majority of our clients are choosing to go with two tones in the kitchen, with the island one color and the main perimeter another, and they’re actually using a lot of the textured faux wood as well as a more contemporary style…high-gloss finishes, floating cabinets, and so forth.” Megan notes.

“We’re mixing high-gloss acrylics and matt acrylic finishes with textured laminates,” Mike adds. “These are trends that are very popular in South Florida and are moving up into North Florida as well.”

Janel and Megan acknowledge that “every project is different,” with seemingly endless product selections and design options at their fingertips.

At the end of the day, however, the end goal remains the same: to fulfill the client’s vision by creating a space in which form and function sublimely co-exist.