The ‘visions’ that Artistic Visions Cabinetry, an expert custom cabinet shop, brings to life for their clients are nothing short of masterful, but the guiding force that shapes this Mayer-based company’s character is where the real beauty lies. In 1983, when founded by lifelong Victoria resident Charlie Leuthner and his business partner Tom Sohns, Artistic Visions Cabinetry was built with the mission of “keeping old-world craftsmanship alive through work of exceptional quality and beauty.” Six years ago, when brothers Matt and Tyrone Stenzel purchased it, they were determined to carry on the legacy. “What I love most about the cabinet shop is we have great people working here. They take pride in their work and want to make the homeowner happy with the final product,” Matt shares. And so, when you hire this group of professional craftsmen for your custom cabinetry project, you’ll check all the boxes: a rich history of passion and drive, impeccable work, and a trustworthy team committed to excellence.
We took a step inside the dynamic world of Artistic Visions Cabinetry with Matt Stenzel to gain valuable insight into what goes on behind their (beautifully customized) doors and how they can help you execute the project of your dreams.
What are the current trends in cabinetry?
We still see quite a bit of white-painted cabinets even though the national trends are going away from this. We’re seeing two-tone painted or a combination of painted and natural finished cabinets, and white oak is probably the most requested wood material. Interestingly, we had a couple of projects recently that incorporated wicker panels! As for cabinet design, we still see a lot of face frame and frameless, or Euro-style, and I’m seeing more inset framed cabinets in the recent home shows than in years past. They’re the hardest to make, but they’re beautiful and are my personal favorite.
What are some examples of the customization that you offer?
We are a full custom cabinet shop. We make our own doors and dovetail drawers in-house, allowing us complete control over quality. One of our unique specialties is our capability to make curved pieces. We’ve made some unique and great-looking range hoods, center islands, and bar valences in the past year or so that have curved elements in them.
What design features can help with optimizing storage space?
There are so many good options to optimize your cabinet space. Spice racks can be displayed in a horizontal pull-out drawer, vertically in an upper cabinet pull-out, or on the back side of a hinged door. The best option will depend on the rest of your cabinet space. One of the most innovative features I’ve seen recently is a solution for the blind storage space on an inside corner. It’s much better than a lazy Susan because it fills the cabinet more fully. The shop made a Murphy bed for my home with full-size drawers on each end and a middle panel that folds down to a desk. This way, it functions as a home office in addition to being another bed in the house. A single piece of cabinetry that serves multiple purposes optimizes your entire living space.
How can a potential customer best prepare for a meeting with your team?
Come with pictures of what you like! The internet and home magazines have a wealth of ideas and photos of design elements. It’s also helpful for us to know the approximate size of the rooms, including ceiling height, or to see a blueprint/floorplan. We can also meet at your home and get measurements while there. Early in the meeting process, share your budget expectations so we can head in the right direction for the best design to meet your budget. (Tip: The cost of the projects you see on HGTV or other shows on TV are not for custom cabinets.)
What would you tell someone looking to update, replace, or install cabinets in their home?
Get help! You can work with an interior designer to help you define your style or search through pictures on the internet or in magazines to find a look you love. Then, we can guide you on the best combination of cost, quality, and design to make your “Artistic Visions” a reality.
Learn more: https://www.avcabinets.com/