Mick De Giulio designed his first kitchen when he was 19. The experience was so gratifying that 22 years later he’s still at it. Since 1984, he’s headed de Giulio kitchen design, which has become one of Chicago’s most prestigious kitchen design studios. As De Giulio’s reputation has grown, so has his passion for his profession. He says that kitchen design is “always changing and evolving with so many advances in products and technology. What more could you ask for in a business?”
De Giulio has built his business by following his design instincts. His philosophy is to seek “design-driven ideas rather than business-driven ones.” It’s an approach that generates top-quality kitchens, elated clients, and a growing company—De Giulio will open a third showroom in the Chicago area this year and has clients throughout the country. CUSTOM HOME recently caught up with De Giulio for a conversation about the elements of good kitchen design and the trends he thinks will shape tomorrow’s top-of-the-line kitchens.
For De Giulio, it all begins with the client. “The principles of functionality are constants no matter what,” he says, “yet each kitchen is an individual study.” Practical details like comfortable counter heights and left-handedness are obviously important, but De Giulio also digs for less obvious information about his clients. He wants to know about their entertaining habits, where they’ve traveled, how the family members interact, and their favorite piece of furniture, possessions, and place. “Kitchens are more driven by personality than by architecture,” says De Giulio. “Our greatest compliment is when a friend of the clients walks in and says this kitchen looks just like them.”
Like the best custom home professionals, De Giulio measures the success of his projects as much by the process as by the finished product. The design process, he believes, instills that first bit of “karma” into a kitchen. “It’s important to how they’ll live in the space for the next 20 years,” he explains. “If it’s a bad experience, people won’t enjoy the space as much, even if the end result is wonderful.”
Of course, kitchen design is as much about materials as it is about connecting with a homeowner’s spirit. “We want our clients to enjoy their kitchens as much in 15 years as they do the day it’s done,” De Giulio says, “so you have to think about how long the materials will last and how they will age.” He favors natural materials—stone, wood, plaster, metal—because they are easier to live with over time. “It’s kind of like the difference between a leather briefcase versus a vinyl one; the leather one will just get better.”
Color is an important kitchen ingredient, but De Giulio is careful not to oversea-son his designs with it. For permanent elements like backsplashes, countertops, and cabinets, he favors classic neutral, natural hues that will have a long life. But for walls and window treatments, “we’ll be more daring and have a little more fun.” He likes deep, strong colors here, often from colorist Donald Kaufmann’s line of paint.
As far as trends in kitchen style go, De Giulio thinks that right now “it’s like women’s fashion: Almost anything goes.” If there is any trend, he says, it’s that of personality-driven design. In de Giulio’s recent projects, clients have asked for everything from sleek Modernist to French Country. One overriding theme he has observed, however, is a desire for simplicity. “People seem to want a calm and serene space,” he says.
Maybe that’s because people are spending more time in the kitchen. There is one other idea that dominates kitchen design today: The kitchen has become more and more a living space. “It’s different from 10 or 20 years ago,” he observes. “People really want a place to hang out in.” His clients are asking for more comfortable seating areas and eating areas, fireplaces, library shelving, and desks. Now the living and dining rooms are playing a secondary role to the kitchen.
The central role of the kitchen and increased globalization have spurred a demand for better materials and appliances for this room. Pressure from European producers who’ve entered the U.S. market, especially German and Italian companies, De Giulio says, has caused the entire kitchen industry to upgrade its offerings. “They are constantly introducing new finishes, laminate and cabinet technology, and colors.” The same has happened with appliances, which today are more integrated and energy-efficient, and, as a result, quieter. “Now it’s a more global situation,” he adds, “and great ideas come from everywhere.”
As for the future, De Giulio thinks we will be seeing technology infiltrate the kitchen more. “Companies are talking about appliances that are self-diagnostic or integrated into the home’s computer system.” He thinks homeowners soon could be using voice-activated appliances.
But that will just make the warmth and comfort of a well-designed kitchen that much more important. And De Giulio’s talent for translating the client’s personality into a custom kitchen will have even greater value. “In the end it’s all about making people happy,” he says. “That’s the most gratifying part.”
