Elite Cabinets | Riverside Condo | Tulsa

Near downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, a condo on the 16^th floor of a 1962 high-rise building underwent a complete makeover to meet the modern design vision of homeowners Bob and Joy Frame. The 2,700 square foot residence is ideally located along the Arkansas River with breathtaking floor-to-ceiling window views of Tulsa’s new and acclaimed urban park, “The Gathering Place.” While the location is perfect, the interior was in need of an update.

The Frames enlisted the help of architect Rick Winn from TWO Architecture in Tulsa to renovate their condo so it would match their desired light and airy look. “Since the property was last updated in 1986, an early decision was to gut the space and start over with a new, more contemporary design including an open floor plan to maximize the living areas,” Winn says.

Working with a blank slate, the couple had endless design opportunities, but the Frame’s most important priority was having plenty of space. “Since we enjoy entertaining and getting together with friends, we wanted a good-sized living area and dining room, a big guest room and other areas for entertainment,” the homeowners say. “We also wanted a big closet and an office/music room.”

Winn helped the couple look for cabinets that would provide both an exposed, spacious style and ample storage. He introduced the Frames to the Tulsa cabinet manufacturer Elite Cabinets. “I was familiar with the type and style of cabinets produced by Brandon Massey at Elite Cabinets,” says Winn. “The homeowners showed me images of cabinetry from various periodicals, and I knew Elite would have the capabilities to meet the needs of this project.”

The couple traveled to the company’s showroom, where they fell in love with REHAU cabinet doors. After taking samples home, they chose the matte collection for their kitchen cabinets. To match the aesthetic of the kitchen, they used the same surface for the lower cabinets at their bar, which is supplemented with doors so the couple can choose to display or cover the area as they wish.

Made from a nanotech matte material, the collection is simultaneously soft-to-the-touch and durable with a thermal-healing surface that is fingerprint- and scratch-resistant, making it ideal for kitchens.

“I love the elegant matte look” says Massey. “It provides a warm, modern feel that isn’t as stark and sterile as high-gloss surfaces.”

Massey, who has been using REHAU surfaces since he was introduced to them at KBIS in 2015, adds, “I also like the durability of the collection and its anti-fingerprint surface. The laser edgebanding is phenomenal­­­­ – it gives a European feel to the cabinets.”

The design and durability of the matte surface also pleased the homeowners. “What we like best about it is that it’s very functional,” they explain. “It also looks wonderful all the time. When you see the kitchen, the matte surface makes our wall of beautiful cabinets look almost like artwork. It works so well in the kitchen.”

While matte was a practical choice for the kitchen and bar, the Frames wanted to be bolder with their bathroom cabinets, going for a surface that added a “zing” and a “pop of something different” to the room. This led them to choose shiny, attention-calling cabinets in Gray from the RAUVISO radiant high-gloss PET collection.

RAUVISIO radiant is offered as individual matching components or as finished cut-to-size pressed boards. It is perfectly matched with REHAU LaserEdge technology, resulting in the appearance of a totally seamless unit without visible joints.

The couple also decided to go with RAUVISIO radiant for the island cabinets in the master closet, which is one of Joy Frame’s favorite features of the renovation. “RAUVISIO radiant gives you the best of both worlds since it’s pretty and functional,” she explains. “It’s every woman’s dream. Everyone who walks in and sees the island is like ‘oh wow!’”

After seeing everything come together, the Frames were “blown away.” The beauty and functionality of the newly renovated space was exactly what they had wanted when the remodeling began.

As they reflect on the renovation process, the homeowners emphasize how much they love their brand new cabinets and their appreciation for the work done by Massey. “Brandon and Elite were the best part of the remodel,” they say. “The process took a year and we went over budget, but everything turned out so great. We love the cabinets and the bar area they made; it’s so unique.”

The couple can now enjoy the views of downtown Tulsa in a space that matches the beauty and charm of their neighborhood.