PHOTOS BY DAVID DIETRICH
STYLING BY STEVE PARKER
Upon entering the Eayres’ kitchen, you’re enveloped by a vista, framed by a row of large windows facing southeast. Mountains roll beyond, layer on layer of wooded land and sky. But when your eyes finally focus on the interior, it’s the cabinets that draw your attention. Sleek and linear, with flawlessly matched bamboo veneer, the matte finish has a soft, furniture-grade sheen, gently reflecting light from the windows and skylight. Somehow they echo the peace of the view. It all feels so natural.
Dean and Sue, the owners of this home in Reems Creek, approached Benbow and Associates Fine Cabinetry of Asheville to design their kitchen, largely because the company offers the bamboo cabinetry they sought. "This is our third new kitchen in eight years," Sue says, "and we wanted to do something different here, something more contemporary. Bamboo is a new look nowadays and is a renewable building material. Only a few companies in the area were offering it. The texture and caramelized color work perfectly for us."
"The Eayres knew clearly the things they preferred to have in their kitchen," says Diane Benbow, co-owner of the company. "That was helpful as we began the process of design." Designer April Hand worked directly with the couple and incorporated Sue’s requests beautifully.
The cabinetry was chosen from the company’s private label Blue Ridge Collection, and fitted with Blum motion drawers, which guarantee that an opened drawer will close itself when pushed to a certain point. The frameless cabinets have an elegant, linear look and contemporary profile. A warming drawer, pull-out spice rack, pull-out double trash drawer (one side for trash, the other for recyclables), side-by-side GE Monogram refrigerator/freezer and dishwasher are each paneled in bamboo to create a truly integrated appearance. The mellow tones are complemented by countertops of Juperana Tier granite, quarried in Namibia, South Africa, and supplied by Mountain Marble and Granite of Asheville.
Among the amenities, the warming drawer was a particular necessity for Sue. "I grew up in London where food is never served on cold plates," she says. To maintain the uncluttered line of the kitchen, the Eayers installed a hidden, downdraft Thermador vent system that quietly slides up when a little black button is pressed. "I had the same exhaust system in a previous kitchen and I liked that it was out of the way most of the time," Sue explains. "Also, when the grandchildren are around, it can help protect them from the cooking area if they are sitting at the bar."
One new item for Sue is the Thermador Hybrid Electric/Induction Cooktop with three induction zones and two electric radiants. A convenient drawer under the cooktop stores spatulas or large spoons needed when cooking. The kitchen is also furnished with a stacked double oven, deftly fitted at an angle.
Artwork, both practical and decorative, reflects the Eayres’ love of nature. A perfectly proportioned shelf above the double sink focuses the eye on a set of Emma Bridgewater mugs from England, each painted with a different British bird. Just beyond the kitchen workstation and bar, four Charles Harper prints pop with bright red cardinals on the soft blue walls of the dining area. A row of color photos of wildlife, taken by the Eayres on a visit to the Galapagos Islands, marches above the French doors that open to the deck.
Here, it’s the dining table that commands attention. Hand-carved and painted, the round table features flora and fauna of North Carolina. Carved along the edge of the table are phrases and thoughts composed by the Eayres. Having worked closely with the staff at New Morning Gallery to design the tabletop, the Eayres are duly proud of this very personal piece built by Sticks Furniture in Iowa. The four unique chairs of brushed metal and wood were custom made by Damian Velasquez in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Each wooden seat is stained a deep, rich color of red, green, yellow or purple.
Completing the arrangement is a built-in desk area. "This is where I keep cookbooks in the cabinets and recipes on the computer," Sue says. "Dean can work there, close by, while I’m in the kitchen. It’s also a good place to put serving dishes when we’re dining on the deck."
For the Eayres, great design, craftsmanship and technology have come together to create a space as serene as the landscape that surrounds them.
