Black Oak Homes is well known for creating stunning traditional designs. Still, clients have been requesting a more comprehensive range of design options. So when invited to participate in the Parade of Homes, owner Akeem Seriki took the opportunity to unveil this modern chic, move-in ready home in Colorado Springs.
Most of the designs by Black Oak Homes are open-concept, but openness is the primary consideration in this kitchen. Designed for entertaining large groups, the kitchen, living room, and dining area flow seamlessly into each other around the large island.
The island is topped with a 16' X 14' slab of black pearl granite with a non-beveled edge and curved corners. Supply chain issues made sourcing such a large piece of granite difficult. One of the main challenges of this build was getting the piece into the house because it wouldn't fit through the front door. It had to be brought in through the basement walk-out, and up the stairs, no easy feat!
While the island is the centerpiece of the design, this L-shaped kitchen contains another less noticeable but equally impressive feature. A full walk-in pantry is cleverly hidden among the Italian-made black peral cabinets, invisible unless you know where to look. This allows commonly used items to be stored out of sight while still being easily accessible.
A complete set of Autograph Edition ZLINE luxury appliances provides functionality to this kitchen. This package has a stainless steel finish and champagne-bronze accent knobs and handles that add elegant style. Akeem picked ZLINE for this project because the brand complements the modern aesthetic.
The 36-inch gas rangetop has six Italian-made sealed brass burners with an impressive range of cooking power, from 1,000-18,000 BTUs. The brass burners naturally form a patina and deeper brass hue over time. The patina protects the burners from corrosion and ensures that the burners will withstand even the highest temperatures. The heavy-duty cast iron grates provide a stable surface for oversized cookware. The one-piece scratch-resistant porcelain cooktop makes it easy to clean up spills.
Above the rangetop is a range hood with matching bronze accents and LED lighting for ample illumination of the cooking surface.
It has four fan speeds and, at the highest speed, efficiently moves large amounts of air away from the cooking area. The stainless steel filters are removable and dishwasher-safe for convenience.
The dishwasher features DuraWash Technology for superior cleaning performance. The "auto" cycle automatically detects the proper water temperature and pressure needed for each load. The speed wash cycle can wash an entire load of dishes in 50 minutes, which is perfect for busy families and people who like to entertain frequently. Adjustable racks for any size dish and sanitize, high temperature, and extra dry settings mean that this dishwasher is versatile enough to handle any living situation.
Since this kitchen is designed for entertaining, a double wall oven is a must-have appliance perfect for cooking multiple dishes simultaneously.
The upper oven has convection bake, roast, convection broil, and proof modes. A built-in temperature probe ensures every dish comes out perfectly while telescoping racks make removing heavy dishes easy.
While this kitchen style differs from many that Black Oak has previously designed, the care and passion Akeem and his team put forth remain consistent.
"Our mission is to provide exceptional craftsmanship, extraordinary collaboration, and innovation within the building industry. We are passionate about our product, and our solutions exceed expectations. Our homes are built with quality materials and superior craftsmanship, so they stand the test of time. Black Oak has formed tremendous bonds with some of the most gifted contractors around, thereby creating an advantage over our competitors. Creating these bonds has enabled us to continue providing an exceptional product with extremely competitive build times. Over the years, we have spent countless hours listening to the desires of families to create unique and personal homes." Akeem explains.
This design won the HBA Parade of Homes People's Choice award and is the second design by Black Oak to win the prize.
No wonder this home has already been sold, and all signs indicate that Black Oak isn't slowing down any time soon.