Designing the Kitchen with Bentwood Luxury Kitchens

33 years ago Bentwood Luxury Kitchens was born out of the need to have custom, high-quality cabinetry. Today they have more than 100 employees and work with over 80 design dealers around the country. For the Mountain Lane Show House (MLSH), Laura worked with Ellis Designs in Basalt, CO on her design goals and specifications for the house.

Our team took a trip to Lancaster, TX, outside of Dallas, to visit the Bentwood warehouse and factory. While we were there, the Mountain Lane Show House's cabinetry was in the final stages of finishing and we were able to see Laura's custom sections!

hARMONI CABINENTS BY BENTWOOD LUXURY KITCHENS. PHOTO FROM WWW.harmonikitchens.COM.

A CONVERSATION WITH BENTWOOD LUXURY KITCHENS

Laura U Design Collective: Your dedication and love of cabinetry is contagious! Bentwood's philosophy is to create kitchens that feel comfortable in their environment. While we were there, you told us your goal is to create products, with care, that you would want to use in your own home. Can you tell us how your philosophy guides your craft and product?

Bentwood Luxury Kitchens: Great question! I think it’s as simple as this, when we started the business, we purposely named our company Bentwood “Kitchens”, not Bentwood “Cabinets”. We felt like the name “Kitchens” made it more personal. And we DO take it personally… most people are in their kitchens every day. We want them to feel good about their kitchen and glad to be there. So… we build kitchens, not cabinets!

LUDC: Laura selected the Harmoni line for MLSH. This innovative product was created 15 years ago and is now one of your best selling products. Can you tell us what makes the Harmoni line stand out?

B: First, Harmoni, is the same quality product as Bentwood, built in the same factory by the same people, but limited to Frameless design only. Second, Harmoni shares many of the same popular door and finish options as Bentwood, but does not allow any customization of the finish. Third, because the ordering system is structured, the lead time is about 4 weeks less than Bentwood. And last, the customer saves 20%... for the same level of quality!

LUDC: While we were at Bentwood, we were able to see your process - from just lumber to completed cabinets. Can you talk to use about your process and how it is custom for each homeowner?

B: “Custom” means keeping an open mind. It is a big part of Bentwood’s DNA. It’s what we do every day. It’s how everyone is trained. With Harmoni, the ability to create a “custom” kitchen is still there. A good kitchen designer is still able to do most anything that a client would want or need.

LUDC: Laura selected a few different styles and finishes for MLSH. Can you walk us through her selections?

B: The Elegante door is a transitional/contemporary door style. It looks fantastic in both stain or paint. I think that my favorite combination is Plain Slice White Oak/Sandstone, but it looks equally as nice in other stains and paint. The colors that Laura picked are a perfect complement to the mountain surroundings… timeless!

LAura’s finish selections.

LUDC: Bentwood focuses on how the cabinets are utilized in the real world. You think about the end users and how they live. What are some examples of this that set you apart from other manufacturers?

B: As a high end kitchen manufacturer, it is our responsibility to provide well designed cabinetry to the Kitchen Design community. It’s imperative to keep our eyes and ears open to new and better ways to do things. We offer rounder corners on the bottoms of the drawer sides to be safe for kids and grandkids, we pre-finish the door center panel edges so there is no expansion or shrinking in humidity, we hand paint the inside the cabinets to match the exterior - just to name a few. We have a group of dealers that constantly push us to the next level of “custom”. You never know when one of their ideas might become our next best seller!

LUDC: All the finishing of your product is hand done, from sanding to painting to staining. Why is this so important?

B: There are a number of good finishing systems in the market today. We will consider implementing an automated finishing system when the technology becomes more advanced. But, as good as machines are today, when a high quality finish is desired, nothing works better than a qualified person with good hands and good eyes. A machine cannot “feel” the difference between a good and a bad finish.

LUDC: We saw some gorgeous custom furniture pieces while we were visiting. Tell us about the other products you produce and also the other lines you have.

B: Bentwood, unlike Harmoni, is a completely “customizable” line. Fine furniture pieces are usually made in standard sizes. Many pieces can be worked into the kitchen, but in some situations the limitation of size creates a roadblock for the designer. We are often asked to fabricate something special for the kitchen or bath that is not a part of our standard offering. First, our engineers will look at the feasibility of producing the piece. Then, we put together a quote, discuss the additional lead time needed to produce the piece, and let the customer decide if it will work within their plan. As a result, we have done some amazing “one off” pieces in the last 30 plus years!

LUDC: Do you have any advice for people wanting to install custom cabinetry into their home? What is the one thing you recommend to all homeowners?

B: Just like a Harmoni kitchen will cost more, a qualified installer will cost more, too. THE CORRECT INSTALLER IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE NEW KITCHEN YOU’VE ORDERED. Your General Contractor should have some names of installers with whom he/she has a previous history. Be sure to see some of their finished work. The proof is in the details. We build high quality kitchens, so make sure that you pick an installer that understands how to fit the kitchen to the space. Plumb, level and square!

The MLSH kitchen in-progress featuring HArmoni cabinets by Bentwood luxury kitchens.

LUDC: Anything else you would like to share?

B: We would like to give special accolades to Ellis Design in Basalt, CO. They are a perfect example of a qualified Harmoni dealer. They were able to take the information provided by the Laura U Design Collective, create a design, order, and then install a beautiful kitchen. The outcome is breathtaking!

Take your time, get involved and have fun! Your new kitchen is a big investment, so make sure it works for you!

LUDC: How can someone get in contact with you?

B: Go to harmonikitchens.com for more details, contact information, and a Dealer Locator!