Realtors like to use the terminology “Gourmet Kitchen” in their marketing, but what qualifies for a kitchen to be a gourmet kitchen?
This question was recently posted on the popular real estate site Trulia.com. A bevy of real estate pros chimed in with their opinions ranging from high-end appliances to openness to granite countertops. One agent suggested that a gourmet kitchen would be where Chef Wolfgang Puck or Chef Emeril Lagasse cook something like Foie gras with mustard seeds and green onions in duck sauce. It seems, for the most part, that gourmet kitchen has become advertising fluff that doesn’t mean what it once did, like a spa bath. If you’ve been shopping for a home in Tampa, you’ve probably noticed terminology like this.
Ask a builder like our own Kevin Robles and you will find that a true gourmet kitchen will include commercial-grade cooking and refrigeration appliances, cutting surface for preparing food, counter space, ample storage space, and a kitchen design that flows. While our new homes have fabulous kitchens as a standard feature, most of our house floor plans can accommodate a true gourmet kitchen.
What is a Gourmet Kitchen for Domain Homes?
Not every kitchen needs to be professional-grade with stainless steel countertops, gas ranges, and a double oven. At Domain Homes, our gourmet kitchens are meant to elevate the look and feel of your kitchen. Gourmet kitchens are an option buyer’s can choose in their design appointment when they purchase a Domain Homes house and vary in cost depending on the plan.
We offer granite countertops in our kitchens as a standard feature, which is a natural stone. Our buyers get to personalize their granite from a number of styles, colors, and edges. Granite is not only gorgeous in the kitchen but it’s also one of the best surfaces for serious cooking. It won’t burn or scratch like other surfaces and it’s easy to clean. It also elevates the style, efficiency, and function of your kitchen. One of our popular gourmet options is to upgrade to a different countertop material: quartz countertops.
Our gourmet kitchens include a wall oven and microwave, glass cooktop, hood vent, soft close drawers, cabinets, pull out shelving, trash can pullout, crown molding, 42″ cabinets, and a refrigerator panel. You can also upgrade to a Farmhouse kitchen sink, which is not included in the gourmet kitchen package, and for our wine enthusiasts, you can even add a wine cooler.
New Homes in Tampa
So do you need a gourmet kitchen? Really a gourmet kitchen by today’s standards is a kitchen that focuses on the love of food and gourmet cooking surrounded by family and friends. It’s a kitchen that meets the needs of the home chef and reflects his or her style.
Some elements to consider include appliances, counters, floors, and sinks. The kitchen floors in our new Tampa Bay homes are traditionally ceramic tile. We offer a standard 16-inch square tile and a 20 inch upgraded tile. Sometimes our clients prefer the contemporary look of wood floors in the kitchen. Since we offer a commercial-grade manufactured hardwood, it should look beautiful for years to come.
To see some awesome kitchens, like us on Facebook. We like to post pics of our homes under construction and people always like our kitchens. If you or someone you know is in the market for a new home, we would love to talk to you. Give us a call at 813-413-4154.