House Beautiful: Design Trends & Products for Your Home

By Julie Milton | May 2024

The Plumbing Place

We love this store. It feels special as soon as you enter the doors. It’s 6,000 sq. ft. of the most extensive and beautiful kitchen, bath, hardware, and other special home products that will make you ooh and aah and want to change everything in your house.  

Owner John Smithman brings the latest trends to his store every year. His picks for this year are the cottage/beachy style of the Savannah vanity by James Martin Vanities; the Groovy luxury bath fixtures by Franz Viegener; and the Rupert back-to-wall freestanding tub by Oceania. 

60” SAVANNAH JAMES MARTIN VANITY

Brimming with charm and shutter-style doors, this vanity is perfect if you love a cottage/beachy feel.  This elegant hand-crafted piece has a whitewashed driftwood finish, pewter drawer and door pulls, shelves for storage, and five drawers with the bottom center draw being double height for taller items.  Soft close hinges and brushed aluminum line drawers complete this beauty that shouts, “Hello Florida West Coast!”

“GROOVY” LUXURY BATH FIXTURES

Franz Viegener is known for its finely crafted award-winning sculptural faucets.  Its new Groovy faucet line is named for its deep grooves and aesthetically pleasing curves. The Groovy collection is a model of the brand’s expertise in precision engineering and streamlined design.  It pushes the boundaries of luxury bathroom fittings, injecting a chic and sophisticated sense of style into your luxury bath. Plus, the name is groovy!

OCEANIA BACK-TO-WALL TUB

Oceania’s freestanding tubs are made of the finest materials with an emphasis on durability and aesthetics.  So, what’s new in freestanding tubs?  Oceania’s Rupert tub is unique because there is no space between the back wall and the tub.  When a freestanding tub is placed away from the wall, it creates a space behind the tub that is hard to clean and wastes a bit of room.  While it appears freestanding, this tub closes off that space and provides a ledge for the tub fixtures and for wine glasses, candles, and more. 

BOCCHI NUOVA PRO FARMHOUSE SINK

Designed for easy retrofitting, the Bocchi Nuova Farmhouse short apron, super smooth surface sink fits on standard cabinets, so customizing your existing cabinets is not necessary.  The unique face also hides imperfections in cuts on cabinet faces. Its design offers a workstation, the ledges on the front and rear of the sink accommodate accessories including a cutting board, roller mat and colander.

Rugs As Art

This store is a Sarasota treasure.  It is an award-winning “superstore” with area rugs of all types, sizes, and prices plus many cool home décor products gloriously displayed in 20,000 square feet of showroom space.  Please, don’t buy your rugs sight unseen. The Murse Family at Rugs as Art can get you anything you want at the best prices. Their professional and courteous staff is among the most knowledgeable and friendly in town, and you’ll be glad you ventured in. We asked Jesse Murse to tell us what’s hot this year.  He was most excited about a new line of vintage inspired rugs, a new modern rug line, and one of the store’s unique home décor items.

VINTAGE STUNNER

Inspired by timeless vintage rugs, this patent pending collection recreates a vintage aesthetic and variable-pile texture using a newly invented craft process. Motifs are woven with individual threads to create the intricate design, including white cotton threads that mimic a vintage rug’s authentic wear patterns. The result is a stunning area rug with an uncanny resemblance to an antique textile. These rugs are made of polypropylene, polyester, and wool for thicker, variable texture and soft blended pile. This collection is OEKO-TEX certified, ensuring its materials don’t contain harmful substances.

MODERN BEAUTY

Is modern more your taste? Influenced by the avant-garde cubism art movement, this abstract design takes form in soft geometric shapes juxtaposed with deeply saturated hues for an exciting color-block effect. Hand-knotted in luxurious silk and wool by skilled artisans, this work of art brings a sense of elegance and sophistication to any decor.

FEEL GOOD ART

In Japan, the crane is a symbol of both longevity and fortune. Cranes are one of the most popular origami creations, and they are a symbol for recovery, messages of peace and hope in Japan.  This calming work is one of several interesting home décor pieces you can find at Rugs As Art. It is a 48” X 48” acrylic shadowbox work with folded paper cranes that will work beautifully with many coastal home designs.

Florida Design Works

For over five decades, Design Works has been a leader in kitchen and bath products and home building or remodeling projects including tile, flooring, natural stone, custom cabinetry, and countertops. Their team works with homeowners, as well as builders, designers, architects, or contractors to personalize spaces that offer sophisticated functionality, contemporary trends, and the latest styles.

WOOD-LOOK PORCELAIN FLOORING

Wood-look porcelain tile flooring has become an increasingly popular choice for interior designers and homeowners alike. Blending the timeless charm of hardwood with the durability of porcelain, this flooring option offers a range of benefits that contribute to its widespread appeal.

SMART STORAGE

Designers are prioritizing intelligent storage solutions to declutter and organize kitchen spaces efficiently. From pull-out pantry shelves to customized drawer dividers, every inch of the kitchen is optimized for usability. Embracing a minimalist aesthetic, homeowners are investing in concealed storage options with customized cabinetry that seamlessly blend into the overall design, ensuring a sleek and clutter-free cooking haven.

Mullet’s Appliance

Mullet’s Appliance is yet another deeply rooted Sarasota business that we love. With over 50 years of hard work and expertise in premium appliances, Mullet’s has built a strong reputation for excellence with homeowners, builders, designers, and architects throughout the greater Sarasota area. Today, the third generation is taking care of business. Scott Mullet and Kelby Hochstetler employ nearly 50 friends and neighbors in two locations—Sarasota’s original Clark Road headquarters and the showroom on Trade Center Way in Naples.  So, what products are hot trends for 2024 and beyond?  Here are their picks.

MIELE BUILT-IN COFFEE MAKER

There’s nothing like the aroma of freshly brewed morning coffee. This Miele built-in beauty features a large touch display with proximity sensor, individual coffee enjoyment with three bean containers for different flavor options, a fully automatic descale and cleaning feature, a cup sensor feature to pour the right amount into your cup, and the ability to brew two cups with one touch at the same time.  This premium appliance provides a true taste sensation and will make having your first morning cup something you can’t live without.

SUB-ZERO 48” CLASSIC FRENCH DOOR

The Sub-Zero Group of top alliances includes Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove and Mullet’s Appliances is your local source for all three brands. These products are known for unmatched value, superior craftsmanship, innovative features, and timeless design.  This 48” Classic French Door Sub-Zero refrigerator has tons of innovative features including a “Split Climate: intelligent cooling system that keeps food fresher for longer; an LED lighting system that fully illuminates the interior; a “max ice mode” to temporarily increase ice production; lots of expandable and adjustable shelf options; a night mode light option; plus its Wi-Fi enabled for convenient remote access using the Sub-Zero owner’s app. We love the look and its many options, so if you’re looking for a change, take a drive to Mullet’s and check it out!

Eurotech Cabinetry

Celebrating its 40th year in business, Eurotech Cabinetry is a premier cabinet purveyor in Sarasota. Their expansive showroom displays many different types of cabinetry, from contemporary to transitional to traditional.

CONVENIENT CABINETRY

One style that’s been trending is a bright, white kitchen with a 1” thick recessed panel door style finished in white paint.  Pictured here, this kitchen is trimmed at the top with Natural Wenge Wood display cabinetry. Sub-Zero/Wolf appliances also help make this a great working kitchen. The appliance garage conveniently hides the countertop appliances for not only a sleek look, but efficiency too. Attached to the kitchen is a custom bar with a Wenge Wood veneer countertop with a radiused solid Wenge Wood front edge.