Nichols & Comito Colorado Springs, Colo. The hearth room—a kitchen that includes a sitting area big enough for a sofa and a few armchairs—is an important trend in Nichols & Comito’s Colorado market, says Debbie Comito. While everyone ends up in the kitchen at most gatherings, they’re actually comfortable in this type of kitchen, which may be why nearly all the builder’s clients want a beverage cooler there. (Often, Comito says, they ask for beverage coolers in the bar and the master suite as well.)
Such central kitchens require the full decorative treatment, with elaborate tilework back-splashes combined with granite countertops. “The natural look is what everyone is looking for,” Comito asserts, so more and more the granite is honed. The company has even done a few concrete countertops. It has also begun using 9-inch-wide heart pine flooring that is distressed and rubbed with tung oil for a rich, natural finish. Shiny chrome faucetry is out in this market, replaced with pewter or oil-rubbed bronze because they suit the dominant Old World look and resist water spotting. “The only time we use chrome is in contemporary kitchens,” she says.
Master baths are tricked out with decorative tile, crystal chandelier lighting, and furniture-grade cabinetry. Separate his-and-hers water closets are practically standard. Approximately 80 percent of Nichols & Comito clients opt for a steam shower, which probably reflects the dry Colorado climate. All of the builder’s clients want big showers and many ask for soaking tubs in the bath, including Kohler’s big-ticket Sok tub, with the tub filler in the ceiling above.
