The Tour of Kitchens
Nothing Says Home Like a Well-Appointed Kitchen
For more than a decade, the Coral Gables Community Foundation has put on an annual Tour of Kitchens in the city. These kitchens are the pride of their owners, and each year they generously invite strangers to come inside their homes to view and enjoy these spaces. The event is by ticket only, and the funds raised provide a major infusion of donations for the Foundation’s scholarship fund.
This year, because of the pandemic, the foundation will not be providing a tour. “It’s our second largest fundraiser of the year, but in these times of Covid it’s impossible to host what has historically been an 800-person event,” says Mary Snow, executive director of the Foundation.
The Tour of Kitchens was originated 11 years ago by a volunteer team that included past foundation chairs Jeannett Slesnick and Mary Young, along with kitchen committee members Patricia Blanco and Herbert Brito (all are still on the committee). “The kitchen is the center point for gathering in every home, and the trends that are evolving in kitchen designs are something that people want to see,” says Snow. “And it has become more than a view of the kitchen, with the tours involving main living areas.”
In homage to past tours, and with an eye toward next year, we present two of the top kitchens from each of the past three years, followed by a couple of variations of the kitchens of tomorrow.
2018 Tour of Kitchens
The Modern Townhouse Kitchen
European oak flooring enhances the grey-quartz island in this kitchen at the Torre home on Valencia Avenue. “I like the clean airiness,” says Venny Torre, whose kitchen duties mostly involve consuming the culinary wizardry of wife Coco Torre. Miele side-by-side fridge-freezer; Stosa Cucine cabinetry.
Italian Village Heritage
This kitchen of Sidney and Monique Lazard on Altara Avenue enjoys the rich heritage of a 1925 home built by three-time presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan. The vibe here is Italian farmhouse, with hand-carved woodwork and a stone-topped island. Bosch dishwasher; Sub-Zero fridge; Wolf cooktops.
2019 Tour of Kitchens
Cocoplum Designer
Owner Patricia de Anda, herself an interior designer, played a big role in the renovation of this kitchen at her home on Mira Flores Avenue in Cocoplum. “The kitchen is all wrapped up in molding,” she says. “Everything was custom-made.” Special point of pride: the island, which contains a built-in stove.
Vintage Kitchen
This retro kitchen is the center of the guest house of the Bolduc family on Granada Boulevard. Its matching electric blue stove and oven, complimented by a blue and white tile backsplash, take you back to an era when life was just a little simpler. “It just makes me happy,” Stacy Bolduc says of the kitchen.
2020 Tour of Kitchens
Breakfast For All The Relatives
The kitchen of the Thornburg family on Orduna Drive is dominated by two functional islands– one, a 16-footer, is for food preparation and eating, while the other, an 11-footer, is for food plating and buffet services. Cabinets by KasaMia Interiors; Kingston Brass fixtures; Sub-Zero fridges; Bosch dishwashers; Wolf range.
On The Waterway
Situated on the Gables Waterway home of Julio and Myriam Ramirez, the kitchen was renovated by architect Aramis Alvarez to maximize the views and remove barriers to other areas in the house. European white oak flooring, cabinets made from the same. Sub-Zero fridge; New- port Brass fixtures; Wolf oven and stove; Miele.
Kitchens of Tomorrow
Villa Valencia
At mid-rise Villa Valencia (on Valencia Avenue, of course), the condominium residences boast gourmet eat-in kitchens with quartz countertops, custom European cabinetry, Brizo and Delta fixtures, and state-of-the-art Sub-Zero and Wolf appliance suites that include a steam oven, convection oven, range, hood, microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator and under-counter wine cooler. In addition, all feature the Delos DARWINTM Home Wellness Intelligence network, which improves water quality and taste by filtering out impurities, and which improves air quality by monitoring for – and filtering out – allergens and pollutants. For those who wish to gather outside instead of inside, there is an outdoor option complete with full kitchen and bar.
Studiobecker
This kitchen of the future was designed and installed by StudioBecker, with all components custom-made in Germany. The high-gloss lacquered island has an “appliance elevator” that disappears with the push of a button (or app). “This client likes to see everything clean,” says Frank Rosell, managing partner for StudioBecker Coral Gables. “This allows them to have a clean surface all the time.” All the appliances are by Miele, including a steam oven and a speed oven. The magnetic induction stove top (with an acrylic composite hood) only heats metal and will never burn your hand. Also noteworthy: The balcony grill and the floor-to-ceiling wine “cellar.” Photos by Dana Hoff.
