From Mediterranean to Minimalist style homes, one of the hottest trends in home design right now is the tasteful addition of beautiful, ornamental ironwork.

If you’ve been pursuing the TLK Luxury Custom Homes articles, you’ll already by aware that luxury upgrades and tasteful renovations can vastly increase the value of your existing property. Upgrading your counter tops and light fixtures in baths and kitchens is a game changer, obviously, but have you considered what a game changer replacing those tired wooden staircase balusters with classically designed iron or polished steel or gleaming brass would be?

One designer was recently overheard to tell his clients that “Decorative and ornamental ironwork conveys diverse stylistic aesthetics, from ornate Classical and Baroque styles of balconies evoking European chateaus and cathedrals to the fabulous early 20th Century Art Nouveau ironwork and its flowing, organic design inspirations.”

Stunning contemporary wrought iron art adds not only aesthetic value, but it rightly has perceived strength and stability. Doesn’t an ornate wrought iron gate or fence make a property look more luxurious and more valuable as you drive through a neighborhood?

You may be thinking… Iron!?! That heavy black metal stuff?

Relax, iron accents can be light and lacy or it can be grand and imposing, depending on the unique design elements your decorator suggests to embody your personal style preferences.

Metals are all the rage and TLK Luxury Custom Homes will guide you through the seemingly endless options that would be perfect for your home.

Open concept living has become all the rage over the past few years, but as wonderful as these modern innovations are, did we really think this through?

When the whole family is over and the den is filled with cousins, kids, toys and football, it’s wonderful to remain a part of the fun from inside your busy kitchen. Bravo! Excellent idea.

What happens when more formal entertaining is required? Do you really want your pots and pans shoved in the face of your company’s CEO all during dinner? Will the committee chairman be impressed with your exotic display of dirty dishes?.

What  if we created a custom Butler’s Pantry between your fabulous, open-plan kitchen and your elegantly laid, formal dining room. We can’t claim to have invented the Butler’s Pantry, but we do believe it could support your informal daily lifestyle, while preserving the elegance of special occasions.

Butler’s Pantries were popular in the magnificent houses at the turn of the19th century when the likes of “Lord and Lady Grantham” entertained with lavish dinners and soirées. Kitchens back then were steamy, noisy places filled with cooks, cleaners and servers that no guest was ever allowed to see. The Butler was the ring master of this circus and kept things flowing beautifully from oven to table. Everything he needed to make this magic happen was kept in the Butler’s Pantry. The crystal, the silver cutlery, fine china and exquisite table linens were kept there, under the watchful eye of the family’s butler. Some very expensive, opened bottles of wine were also kept in the Butler’s Pantry.

Today’s Butler’s Pantries re-imagine these transitional spaces. Modern homeowners demand designs that have it all. Think functionality meets trendy style, with timeless beauty.

This clutter-free and organized Butler’s Pantry will save you time and alleviate “pre-event” stress because everything you need is in one place and is instantly available at your fingertips. If you’re handing over the cooking to a caterer, the chef may actually kiss you for providing him with a Butler’s Pantry!

Your custom, luxury Butler’s Pantry can serve as a staging area for meal preparation that gobbles up copious amounts of counter space and cabinetry. It can serve as your drinks station with room for wine bottles and tea pitchers.

Did we mention all of the additional storage that a well-designed Butler’s Pantry has to offer? There are some kitchen appliances that are never used except for formal-ish dinners, so just stick them in the Butler’s Pantry cabinets.

Why not add an additional micro-wave oven, or small refrigerator to your Butler’s Pantry? You could even add warming drawers and ice makers to your Butler's Pantry, and the addition of a second sink is practically a “must have” in your luxury custom Butler’s Pantry.

TLK Custom Luxury Homes can help you design a dream Butler’s Pantry. We will help you coordinate cabinetry and counter tops to compliment the style of the rest of your house. We can add elements that echo the character of your home and help you choose lighting and fixtures that make your Butler’s Pantry look stylishly modern or lavishly extravagant, and all points in between.

When your neighbor brags about their recent trip to Europe, just say, “that’s nice dear, but have you seen my Butler’s Pantry!”