No mistake about it, when you want to improve the appearance, functionality, comfort, and overall aesthetics of one of the most important rooms in your house, you don’t have time to do the job twice. Our kitchen design team wants to help you avoid common mistakes and be sure that the job gets done right the first time. We sincerely believe that the cooking, dining, socializing, and living that occur in kitchens are vitally important. When it comes to updating the heart of the home, there are a few common traps that unsuspecting homeowners often fall into.

Overusing the space: Some experts will advise you not to waste storage space and to make the most of every square inch from floor to ceiling. While it certainly is essential to have room for all of your cooking tools, it is possible to overwhelm this room with overboard storage cabinets. This is also true when it comes to choosing island size. Most experts agree that islands should be a minimum of 2 x 4 feet, but unless your room is greater than 8 x 12 feet overall, you may be better off without. In short, leave yourself some space to breathe (and move) while balancing storage with aesthetics.

Not enough light: Never settle for poor or subtle lighting in your kitchen. Design teams can help you maximize natural light from existing or future windows and make recommendations for overhead, recessed, and other types of light fixtures. It is vitally important to be able to see well while cooking and entertaining. Brighter is better.

DIY: While many homeowners are empowered by the recent do-it-yourself trends, it is possible to waste valuable time and money by trying to cut corners. Invest in expert kitchen design services and enjoy exponential rewards with a final product that is well-planned and expertly executed.

The people of Sarasota have spoken! Eurotech Cabinetry has won the Readers’ Choice Award for “Best Cabinet Company” for the third time since 2006! We are excited to once again be selected as the best cabinet makers in the Sarasota area. We supply nothing but the highest quality materials and best craftsmanship to ensure that the cabinets in your home or office remain strong and beautiful.

The quality of our work has shown in past years being selected as finalist for “Best Cabinet Company” in 2004, 2005, 2009, and 2010, while winning first place in 2006 and 2007. Our hard work once again paid off in 2012. We also won first prize for other awards in 2012 including the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s “Small Kitchen Category” and HGTV “People’s Pick.” Overall, we have received 28 design awards in the last two decades. Many of these awards can be read about at http://www.heraldtribune.com.

What distinguishes us from the rest is our commitment to quality. Both our workmanship and materials are of the highest quality that North America can supply. None of our products come from overseas and almost 85% of our materials come from the United States. We are proud to serve Sarasota and will continue working hard to make our customers happy.

Representing Eurotech Cabinetry, an industry leader in Sarasota kitchen remodeling since 1984, Tracy Scalzo entered the NBKA 2012 Design Competition, which drew nearly 500 entries from all over North America. The NBKA awarded Tracy Scalzo’s design with first place for the Small Kitchen Category–but she wasn’t done yet. Her design then went on to win the competition’s “Best Before and After” award and HGTV’s “People’s Pick” honor for the best of 2012. As CMKBD at Eurotech for the last 22 years, Scalzo has won several national awards, and enjoyed success due to her attentiveness to clients’ aesthetic goals and exceptional creativity.

The design began as a remodeling job with several difficult constrictions. First, the kitchen was already what most would consider “designer”. Second, the space was small. Third, the building’s support columns and plumbing lines could not be moved.

So, how did she get around those problems? By viewing them as opportunities. In the end, every inch of space was utilized. Even a few extra inches were taken from an adjacent wall, which allowed a stacked microwave, oven, and warming drawer. Appliances were arranged to facilitate “food flow,” and the refrigerator, sometimes an unfortunate eyesore, was seamlessly integrated by using a similar stain to the cabinetry and floor.

As an “open kitchen,” Scalzo’s design provides contact with adjacent rooms and allows the room to breathe, despite its size. For the prospective remodeler, let it be known that the kitchen can be the focal point of any home.

Tracy Scalzo continues to be one of the most creative minds behind Eurotech Cabinetry, this Sarasota kitchen remodeling company has been in business for 24 years at the same location, been published 54 times in local and national publications, and won the Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s “Reader’s Choice Award” for the last six years. David Asher, owner, and his son Eric Asher have also received past design awards for their creative cabinet designs.

This site has a wonderful new feature – before and after pictures that show you what this company can do to your kitchen. These pictures show such a dramatic improvement that you can’t even tell it’s the same room. You may find yourself clicking back and forth several times thinking it’s a mistake!

It’s no mistake. The company has added this feature so that you can see exactly what they do. Here’s how it works:

The site shows a photograph of a drab, ordinary but not-too-bad kitchen and dining room. When you click on either arrow at the bottom of the image, it shows the same room after they’ve gotten ahold of it. The changes that have occurred are just incredible. Clicking on the arrows further shows you more detailed parts of the room so you can see more.

While this is a fun feature that you can spend hours looking at, it has a more important function. By showing the exact work they can do, it helps you visualize a similar transformation in your house. This gallery gets you thinking about what you can do.

It also shows you the quality of their work. It truly is outstanding. It’s like they’re offering their portfolio to show you that they do top-notch work. After looking at this gallery, you know that this is a company you can trust with your renovation.

One word of warning though – You can get stuck on this site forever looking at different rooms! They’ve got a lot to look at here, so get a cup of coffee and get comfy.

Sarasota Cabinets

BILL TARPLEY: PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR

Bill Tarpley has worked for EuroTech Cabinetry, Inc. as a custom cabinet and furniture builder. His knowledge, skills and attitude are second to none. Bill is  shop supervisor. Under his leadership, Bill has taken our products to even higher levels of quality and sophistication.

INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION IN 2005
Back in 2005, we were entered into the National Kitchen and Bath Association 2005 International Design Competition as a finalist. Our entry was chosen from a field of 417 entries.

EUROTECH  COMMERCIALS
Over the past several years we have also showed a new generation of television commercials introducing our products. The commercials aired on Comcast stations such as CNN, CNBC, FOOD, HGTV, and FXNC. They were featured alongside programs such as Larry King Live, Fox and Friends, Kudlow & Cramer, House Hunters, and Emeril, as well as others. If you have see them in the past, please give us a call and tell us what you thought of them.

PAST FEATURES IN PUBLICATIONS
Eurotech was published  in three past Florida Magazines. Designer Jim Judsen’s work was showcased in Florida Design Magazine in the Downtown Sarasota Residence of Interior Designer Annie Esforms. Designer Tracey Scalzo’s work was displayed in a six page spread in Home & Design Magazine featuring a Long Boat Key condominium, which was fully redesigned and renovated by Interior Designer Anne Folsom Smith. And, our 1st place awardwinning kitchen from the 2004 NKBA International Design Competition was published again, this time in the October Issue of Sarasota Magazine.

Sarasota Cabinetry

Legends Bay: A Lookback

Several years ago we were selected to supply cabinetry for Gibraltar Homes at Legends Bay. This was a Ruben-Holland development at the IMG Academies and Golf and Country Club in Southwest Bradenton.

Gibraltar’s two Model Villas were started with two large Waterfront Homes following after. Free standing Villas are approximately 2,500 square feet for a one-story and the two story units are about 3,200 square feet. The two Waterfront Model Homes were built to 5,500 and 6,400 square feet respectively.

We were very excited about being part of this project. It is a very unique and beautiful setting, private and secluded, yet close to all that Sarasota has to offer. The Sales Gallery is located at 4350 El Conquistador Parkway in Bradenton or visit the website at www.legendsbay.com. Gibraltar Homes phone number is 366-1002.

Sarasota Cabinets

LOCAL CABINET COMPANY WINS
3 Design Awards

By MARSHAFOTTLER
The powder bath, a man’s closet/dressing room/bath area, and the living room of opulent 17,000-square-foot home on the south end of Longboat Key picked up des awards  at the 2007 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) in Las Vegas.

The glamorous rooms are among 44 North American prize winners that were selected from 565 entries — a record number for the annual National Kitchen & Bath Association (NBKA) Design Competition that year. The Sarasota designers responsible for the winning rooms are Tracey Scalzo, of EuroTech Cabinetry, and Fabiola Softas, ASID, of Anne Folsom Smith Interior Design.

The powder bath earned an honorable mention; the man’s closet/dressing room/bath area was awarded third place in the nation. The living room, which measures 46 by 26 feet, earned the second-place award.

The competition spanned 11 categories, including various kitchen and bath groupings, as well as showrooms, non-residential spaces, and a class simply called “other rooms” — in this case, the Longboat Key house’s living room that includes a gaming area and bar. EuroTech Cabinetry entered the rooms in the Las Vegas show, and Scalzo, who has been with EuroTech for 18 years, was in Nevada to receive the accolades.

“To be selected from such a large field is really an honor,” said David Asher, owner of EuroTech. “This Longboat Key home is the largest and most comprehensive project we’ve ever done. All the cabinetry was custom designed, some of it crafted here in Sarasota. It was a massive undertaking.”

Asher, whose company has won “five or six” first-place awards in the competition in recent years, said the judges seem to be favoring contemporary designs. This house, with references to a 15th-century Venetian pallazzo, is traditionally styled.

“One of the things that may have made it more difficult for us this year is that contemporary has come back real strong,” said Asher.

The home took five years from start to finish and is owned by a retired couple from the Midwest who are visited often by their five grown children and their grandchildren. Clifford Scholz was the architect; Collingwood Construction Group, the builder.

European Marble supplied interior stone for counters and flooring, and Sarasota based artist Virginia Hoffman designed hand-blown, etched and stained-glass doors for the baths, kitchen cabinetry, shower enclosures and dressing rooms. Trompe l’oeil paint treatments throughout the four-story home is the work of Grand Illusions.

“Yes, it’s a big house, but everything has a comfortable and homey feel,” said Softas, the interior designer, who has done four other residential projects for this family over the past 10 years. “This isn’t a hotel, and all of us on the project kept in mind that this is a family home to be enjoyed by three generations. So for the furniture, I used lots of cozy leather and chenille for comfort, along with some damask for elegance. All of the furniture was custom designed for the spaces, and the homeowners chose a neutral color palette with the central color being sand, because we wanted to reference the outdoors and the beach. For accents, we used black, gold and some of the jewel tones. We also introduced color with inlays of glass and stone on the counters and floors.”

The powder room on the first floor features Old World European styling with cherry cabinetry, onyx counters, fancy moldings and a marble floor. The room is divided into two spaces; the first has a double vanity and a chaise lounge for relaxing. The inner room includes another vanity area and an enclosed toilet room. The trompe l’oeil-painted wall treatment replicates draped fabric.

The husband’s dressing room, closet and bath is worked in lustrous mahogany with ornate fluted columns and a vanity area that is 14 feet long. The gray/white granite floors have marble inlays in a purple hue. The marble walk-in shower has a clear view of the Gulf of Mexico, with doors designed by Hoffman.

The multi-purpose living room is the gathering place for three generations of family. The south wall is a granite-top bar with two under-counter dishwashers and refrigerators, as well as an icemaker, two wine coolers, and lighted shelves for glassware. The north wall houses the entertainment unit and is ornamented with columns, some of which open to store DVDs. Agaming area is another defined area in the space. The 608-square-foot coffered ceiling includes an original painting. The cabinetry throughout the room is maple with a glaze-and-crackle finish.

EuroTech has won 13 NKBAdesign awards in the past 14 years; Scalzo has been
recognized in this particular kitchen-bath competition seven times since 1993.

The National Kitchen & Bath Association Design Competition focuses national attention on talented designers who specialize in kitchen and bathroom installations. Over a three-day period, a panel of certified designers judge entries based on safe, functional use of space; innovative design solutions; professional presentation; and overall aesthetics. ?

Sarasota kitchen

2005 NKBA DESIGN COMPETITION
LARGE KITCHEN
The design challenges from a layout point of view were working within the existing footprint and using the existing hood and island and stainless steel counter top. The sinks, hood and cooktop placement were firmly established so my approach was to get the desk area out of the middle of the kitchen and move the refrigerator closer to the sinks. By switching these two areas, the desk is now adjacent to the entry from the garage and allows for a message area as you enter the house. The addition of some floating shelves and differing cabinet heights added interest to this end of the kitchen. We also included some file drawers to help minimize the countertop clutter. The refrigerator is now within steps of both sinks allowing a more functional flow between appliances.

Adding to the emphasis on design, the tall elements are installed slightly higher than the wall cabinets, giving movement to this large kitchen while avoiding the monotony of just filling the walls with cabinetry.

With guidance from the interior designer, the owners input, and the cabinetry knowledge and experience of a kitchen specialist, a great union of form and function was created; a space that is enjoyable to both live and work in. The input of all team members meshed for a great design experience and a wonderful end result – a new kitchen was born.

POWDER ROOM

What dichotomy in a statement, a spa retreat in an office, especially in a cabinetry design studio. That was the goal we wanted to achieve when this bathroom project was initiated. The room needed to serve a multitude of purposes, a bathroom for staff, a public bathroom for clients, a design statement powder room display with handicap accessibility– a tall order for such a small room.

The existing handicap water closet and safety bar needed to stay. With that said, I knew I wanted a relaxing space for all of us to enjoy. Selection of materials and finishes were the primary approach. Afromosia wood was selected because of its similarity to teak without the oily properties to affect the finish maintenance. Selecting a dull matt finish for the wood set the stage for other finishes. A pre-finished natural bamboo floor enhanced the warmth of the afromosia and gave lead to using natural bamboo poured into a resin as the inserts in cabinetry doors. I wanted the walls to be soft without a lot of pattern but some texture. Our faux finisher provided us with a wonderfully subtle Venetian plaster as a backdrop to the soothing finishes selected.

SHOWROOM DISPLAY

In an effort to pick up on the growing popularity of Asian-inspired design, it was decided to work toward a minimalist approach with more organic materials. The curved wall remains as the backdrop for a low bank of overlay drawers and a tall storage unit that grounds three “floating” shelves. The shelves are illuminated for display items and staggered to allow a T.V. lift to rise out of the dresser at the touch of a button.

The opposite wall is a collection of simple shapes with inset doors and drawers that are interestingly arranged around a storage headboard and platform bed, striking a balance between storage and “negative space”. The hard edges of the simple boxes and countertops are counter-balances by the soft curves of the shelves and radiused end panels.

SMALL KITCHEN

The owners of this typical, plain-Jane claustrophobic condo kitchen were eager to open up the space and take advantage of beautiful Gulffront views. They were also enthralled by all the classic accoutrements offered by a well-known premium cabinet company. Confined to a relatively small footprint, the designers had to deal with mechanical issues
in lowered ceilings and a drain stack for the building that couldn’t be touched. Perhaps most challenging was packing so much style into such a small area while maintaining a functional working space.

The color and material selections, inset door-style, solid surface countertop details and hardware selections further enhance the feeling of timeless elegance that the homeowners wanted. No longer a dated, functional closet, the kitchen is now a fabulous focal point in this resort getaway, almost as mesmerizing as the distant sunset.