Chicago Tribune • Saturday, July 29, 2006

Some seek touch of the Continent in trendy condos

From tile to appliances to kitchen cabinets, there are many ways, to add a European flair to your new borne.

The European touch is capturing the hearts of city buyers-or at least builders trying to market to the trendy urban set. Many new condominium buildings are touting every-thing from European tile to cabinets; sinks and faucets.

Depending on the development and price range, the builder might offer high-end German kitchen cabinets or more moderately priced American cabinets with an edgy European look. This translates to a sleek, contemporary style, with flat panel cabinet doors and minimal detailing.

"The kitchen cabinet is the most obvious aspect of this, but it does lead into other finishes," said David Brininstool, a principal with the architectural firm of Brininstool + Lynch LLC.

Other kitchen products, such as appliances, faucets and sinks, might be imported from Europe or selected from an American company that offers models with European styling.

In each development, the proportion of true European products will vary based on their perceived quality, the price range of the buyer, and the styling.

In some city developments, glass tile and slate floors are being used to blend in with the European mode, Brininstool said. "We use products that are rich but are clean. They are not minimalistic, but they work as an entire package."

In the Chicago market, builders are looking for building features that will stand out from those offered by their competition.

When buying high-end European cabinetry, home buyers can expect to spend $60,000 to $80,000 or more. These cabinets often are from Germany and are admired for their sleek design and functionality.

"Kitchens in Germany are like their automobiles," said Dave Karlson owner, of Karlson Kitchens in Evanston. "It's all about fine engineering."

Among the-sophisticated features are cabinets with drawer closing mechanisms that gently glide and hinges that allow doors to be opened at any angle.

"There are many American companies that do a great job, but the appearance of their products is different," Karlson said. "The Europeans are known for cleaner, sleeker

things.

Many European cabinets feature unique veneers and stains that set them apart. A German manufacturer might take an exotic wood with heavy graining, add a dark stain and build the cabinets so the graining lines up when all the cabinets are assembled.

Outstanding engineering also is seen in European appliances.

At 10 East Delaware, a 35-story condominium building by The Prime Group Inc., German products, including Miele dishwashers and Poggenpohl kitchen cabinets, are among the offerings.

Homes are priced from $460,000 to $2.3 million. The development also features stone, granite and wood from Italy.

Not all European appliances are hot sellers, however, because they often sized for smaller European kitchens.

At R+D659, a project at Randolph and Desplaines Streets designed by Brininstool +Lynch, American appliances are standard fare.

Italian cabinetry is offered in the kitchen, however.

European faucets appear to be an easier sell with many homeowners.

"It's not uncommon for people to spend $600 to $800 for a kitchen faucet from Germany," Karlson said.

While there are many well-made American faucets in lower price ranges, "the better-built ones are going to stand the test of time," he said,

All this sleek engineering coming out of Europe is based on years and years of tradition. "The Europeans have dealt with two things we haven't had to deal with-less space, so they have to be more creative, and the portability of the kitchen, "Brininstool said.

In many cases, the European kitchen is not a "fixed asset" as it is in this country. The cabinets are installed on wall cleats that make disassembling them easier.

Instead of leaving the cabinets on the walls when they move, many Europeans remove them from their specially designed wall mountings and take them to their new residence.

Such portability prompts architects and designers in this country to start looking at the kitchen layout in a different light

"It starts to affect how you can order the space." Brininstool said. "You can move cabinets around and just think a little differently."

In this country, real estate agents maintain that kitchens sell homes.

Remove the kitchen cabinets and take them with you? Wouldn't that shake up the American housing market?