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Give it a twist from Kitchen Trends volume 2505
Building a new home provides an ideal opportunity to tailor the kitchen design to suit your exact requirements. For this project, it was a case of bigger is better, says designer Kirsti Wolfe.
"The house was designed for my own parents, and when it came to the kitchen, we just kept adding more space," she says. "Everybody always wants to be in the kitchen, so it needed to be a large, welcoming area with several workstations, rather than just one work triangle."
The kitchen design also reflects a theme that exists throughout the house – walls are positioned at a 15° angle to the main axis. Wolfe says the angled planes add architectural interest, and can be seen in the tiled floor, which lines up with the tiled entrance.
Key work areas are positioned around the perimeter of the room, while a secondary food preparation area is provided by a large island with a sink.
Solid mahogany cabinets were specified for their enduring, sophisticated appeal. These include a bank of cabinets along one wall. To balance the cabinets, the designer dressed the pantry to resemble the Sub-Zero refrigerator – it features a similar door and hardware. Minimal overhead cabinets retain the room's light feel.
To keep guests out of the main work areas, an additional island with bar stools was placed at the entrance to the kitchen. This island has a strong sculptural presence, thanks to a half-wall that appears to slice through the cabinetry.
"This half-wall follows the line of the main walls and helps to define the kitchen within the overall open-plan living area – both visually and psychologically," says Wolfe. "The granite countertop wraps around the half-wall, reinforcing the idea of the island as an art piece."
A large suspended ceiling directly above the two islands further defines their role – a similar soffit highlights the dining table, creating additional visual interest.
A semi-transparent metallic curtain is another device that helps separate the kitchen – it can be drawn from a wet bar area across the front of the kitchen.
This spacious kitchen was designed to accommodate a family that loves to entertain. Workstations are positioned around the perimeter and rear island. The sculptural front island doubles as a buffet and casual eating area.
An asymmetrical hood was custom designed to add visual interest to the rear wall. Similarly, the large slab of spandrel glass that forms the backsplash enlivens the space – it reflects a view of the golf course through the dining room.
The pantry at left was designed to mimic the Sub-Zero refrigerator at right.
The kitchen was designed so more than one person could work at a time. Stainless steel countertops line the main food preparation area, while the islands feature dark granite, which incorporates brown chips and specks of fools' gold that catch the light. The dining room beyond the kitchen features a similar suspended ceiling, which enhances the visual connection.
A semi-transparent metallic curtain can be pulled to screen the kitchen from the dining and living areas. Designer Kirsti Wolfe says the warm nickel color of the curtain determined the overall tones of the kitchen surfaces.
A separate wet bar is positioned just outside the kitchen, beside the metallic curtain screen. As there is an exposed steel support column next to the bar, the end of the cabinet features a tambour door, which conceals the liquor cabinet. The wet bar also provides a wine refrigerator and a sink. Stemware is conveniently stored in display shelving above the bar.
Credit List
Interior and kitchen designer
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Kirsti Wolfe NKBA, Kirsti Wolfe Designs (Bend, OR)
General contractor
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Greg Vendrame
Flooring
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Concrete Grey Storm tile from Ann Sacks Tile
Countertops
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Antique Brown polished granite from Classique Marble and Granite; stainless steel from Bend Heating & Sheetmetal
Sink and faucets
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Franke
Backsplash
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Spandrel slab glass from Bend Glass & Mirror
Oven, microwave and cooktop
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Wolf
Sink and faucets
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Franke
Wet bar countertop
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Mesquite-end grain wood
Wine refrigerator
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Sub-Zero
Wet bar sink
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Kohler
Wet bar faucet
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Dornbracht
Story by Colleen Hawkes
Photography by Simone Paddock
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