Details Matter?

[peter halle]

So I saw an article about Mark Wahlberg's new home in Florida which sold for $37M fully furnished. The previous owner had redone a lot of it including the kitchen cabinets and at least the kitchen islands. I looked at the cabinets and blinked. For that price level and the probable cost for the renovations in the cabinet, couldn't they have matched the grain on the cabinets? Or am I just too picky?

Peter

 

[luvmytoolz]

Maybe it's just me and I have no appreciation for true quality workmanship, but it looks like they made the rest of the room so gaudy to distract from the mis-matched veeners.

For far less money I'd be expecting the fridge doors to be fitted with veneered panels. And is it a thing now that all the join seams on the flooring line up across them instead of being staggered?

 

[Crazyraceguy]

That is exactly the kind of thing I always took pride in, with the work I did. In the commercial world, this misalignment generally acceptable, especially with laminate (where it may not be possible to acquire materials of adequate length)
At this level of home though, I would absolutely demand it. There is definitely an increased cost involved. The purchasing department has to order materials that are capable, of course. Then the fabricator has to follow through, along with the final installers. It all takes more time and effort, along with mis-cuts being devastating. On a home in the millions, this should be a non-issue.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Off topic but, are they growing lettuce in the ceiling!

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Maybe it's just me and I have no appreciation for true quality workmanship, but it looks like they made the rest of the room so gaudy to distract from the mis-matched veeners.

For far less money I'd be expecting the fridge doors to be fitted with veneered panels. And is it a thing now that all the join seams on the flooring line up across them instead of being staggered?

I totally agree, this is waaay too much. The wall/doors alone would be a lot, even as a feature wall, but combining it with the doors on the islands? nope. Then have woodgrain flooring? bigger nope.
I would rather see the soffit and toe kick area having the grain run horizontally, skip the flooring entirely, going to something in a solid color. This would then not fight with the countertops.

 

[onocoffee]

I guess money doesn't buy taste?

 

[peter halle]

Off topic but, are they growing lettuce in the ceiling!

Here is the link. I did not watch the video yet.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/17/mark-wahlberg-mansion-florida.html

 

[peter halle]

I guess money doesn't buy taste?

...unless that is a bitter green growing in the ceiling...

 

[luvmytoolz]

Maybe I'm old school, but I've always thought if I had the funds to build whatever I wanted, it would be along the lines of a modernised version of the Greene and Greene Arts and Crafts style bungalows.

To me the blend of wood, ceramic and paint along with the amazing joinery and inlay work is just perfection. In Oz because most of the population lives closer to the coast, housing is now extremely high density, and they're building these horribly garish concrete boxes that just look disgusting, not at all inviting let alone a "home".

 

[tjbnwi]

If we can’t get or the customer does not want to pay for customer panels we go with horizontal grain.

 

[luvmytoolz]

@tjbnwi Very nice work!

 

[tjbnwi]

@tjbnwi Very nice work!

Thank you.

Tom

 

[Cheese]

That horizontal grain is so much more soothing than the mismatched vertical grain.

Unfortunately, the world provides a palette of so much money casually available to spend on such horrific home designs and decorating choices. If some of these folks had to graduate from finishing school before they were allowed to own a home...they'd never own a home.

 

[Cheese]

This may be the original article that Peter was referring to. It's interesting that someone just paid $6 million for a 2.5 acre dirt lot in the development. It's also interesting that none of the other bespoke furniture appears to have the grain matched. The wood has all been highly polished but it doesn't appear to be matched.

To answer @Michael Kellough that's faux vegetation in the ceiling...that should be easy to clean.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/17/mark-wahlberg-mansion-florida.html

I actually much prefer the before version of the kitchen.

 

[nclemmons]

I saw that video last week. Way over the top throughout the home. Not a soothing place to relax from my perspective... All about 'show.' And the real estate agent generated over $100M in sales with that one house. Welcome to crazy...

 

[rmhinden]

I actually much prefer the before version of the kitchen.

That was my reaction as well. The detailing around the new (?) wall ovens is done very badly. The wood doesn't match at all.

Though the extremely large cabinet doors in the original kitchen are pretty strange as well. Too large to open normally, maybe they slide L & R.

 

[hdv]

I looked at the cabinets and blinked. For that price level and the probable cost for the renovations in the cabinet, couldn't they have matched the grain on the cabinets? Or am I just too picky?

It does draw the eye, no? For me it was also the first thing that immediately bothered me when I looked at that photo. Much of what the other guys wrote absolutely is valid, but this really stands out. It almost hurst...

 

[hdv]

Off topic but, are they growing lettuce in the ceiling!

Ha! I had to look twice to understand what you were getting at.

 

[luvmytoolz]

To answer @Michael Kellough that's faux vegetation in the ceiling...that should be easy to clean.

I actually much prefer the before version of the kitchen.

The before one is so much better!

That faux vegetation definitely wouldn't fly down here in Oz though, it would become a spiders paradise here in no time.

Scary stuff!

 

[peter halle]

The before one is so much better!

That faux vegetation definitely wouldn't fly down here in Oz though, it would become a spiders paradise here in no time.

Scary stuff!

I thought you guys kept them as pets to scare off all the other Australian critters that find humans tasty.