Homeowners Mike and Sharon High were drawn to Snaidero’s modern, cutting-edge appeal — a fact that doesn’t surprise designer Mark Shigei. “Snaidero is an Italian company, and so much new design comes from Italy,” he says.

When Mike and Sharon High decided to renovate the downstairs kitchen in their home in the Hillcrest area of Kailua, they gathered inspiration like many homeowners: by flipping through magazines. The couple searched the pages of Hawaii Home + Remodeling until they zeroed in on the distinct style of Snaidero Hawaii’s Mark Shigei. Later, a trip to Gentry Pacific Design Center brought them into the Snaidero showroom. “We walked by his store and thought the style of his work would be a good fit for the house. We went in and [months later] here’s the finished product,” Mike says.

The Highs were looking for someone to take their 1980s kitchen into the next century. “The old kitchen just wasn’t our style,” Mike says. Shigei laughs when he recalls the kitchen’s old white-lacquer cabinetry. In addition to a finish update, the couple wanted a more functional kitchen and all-around better use of space, especially when it came to storage.

Shigei chose a clear coating for the stainless-steel cabinetry and appliances, including the Kuppersbusch fully integrated dishwasher (above). The finish wards off fingerprints for easy maintenance.

Shigei got to work addressing the Highs’ wish list. To replace the white-laquer cabinetry, he suggested a stainless-steel finish with a clear coating to ward off fingerprints. “Stainless can be a constant battle, but this stays perfect,” Mike says. Though the new kitchen design features fewer cabinets than the old, the new cabinets maximize the space, resulting in more storage than the Highs had before renovating.
Other cabinetry features include two undercounter magic corners and two backlit upper cabinets that flank the refrigerator. An accomplished cook and entertainer, Mike loves their garage-door opening mechanism (see photo above). “When you’re cooking you can roll up the doors and grab anything you need off of the shelves,” he says.

In addition to cabinetry, Shigei added a Sub-Zero/Wolf refrigerator, fully integrated Kuppersbusch dishwasher, a Wolf oven and a microwave. “The previous kitchen had no oven and no microwave,” says Mike. The new appliances constitute top-of-the-line upgrades. However, the most impressive upgrade of all has to be the 36" Wolf induction cooktop and companion Faber vent hood. “We didn’t want a vent hood to stick out while we’re cooking,” says Mike. To that end, Shigei suggested an angled, stationery vent installed on a slant. The vent’s interesting shape makes it the centerpiece of this modern kitchen — and keeps it out of the way.

“I’ve done several of these already,” says Shigei. “They give a kitchen a sleek look.” The hood begins venting at the push of a button and comes with a remote control.

For the countertop, the Highs chose three large slabs of labradorite granite. The stone features a random pattern and dark colors, with metallic blues and greens sprinkled throughout. Sharon, who loves anything blue, appreciates that the colors glint when overhead lights shine down on the counter.
Though most of the kitchen’s existing footprint remained intact, Mike, a contractor by trade, implemented a few important structural changes. “I rewired some of the lighting and moved two soffit lights to either side of the vent hood,” he says. He also replaced old bezels in existing can lights with new ones.
Mike also gave input when it came to the bar top. “We wanted a raised glass top, but I didn’t want visible hardware,” says Mike. So Shigei worked to find just the right bolts to attach the bar top. They blend right in with the glass surface.

As a contractor, Mike’s not only happy with his new kitchen — he’s thrilled with Shigei's jobsite thoroughness. “Mark did a great job doing all the detailed up-front work. He took measurements, came back over with designs for review and followed up on changes to drawings,” he says. “He made sure everything was right. I was surprised when Mark showed up to install the cabinetry himself!”
Shigei says his hands-on approach and attention to detail are just part of the job. “It’s the only way I know how to do it,” he says.