Currently Viewing / 
Browse by topic
and/or by category
myTrends - your complete scrapbook of design ideas
|
Home
>
Farmhouse aesthetic
Farmhouse aesthetic from Kitchen Trends volume 2203
Large, open plan living areas that blur the lines between the kitchen, living, dining and outdoor spaces are often suited to rural locations. With nature so close and neighbors so far away, the emphasis can be on living free of the constraints imposed by privacy concerns.
When homeowners Ray and Dorothy Manzarek bought this farmhouse, the ground floor was divided into a dozen rooms. The first thing they asked architects Mary Dooley and Richard Osborn to do was to remove the doors and walls. In their place are now structural steel beams.
From the front entrance, it is now possible to see through the central stairway, across the room and out to French doors on the opposite side. This ensures that during the day, sun fills the room with an abundance of natural light, says Dooley.
"This area has a low ceiling, so the two-story staircase introduces the illusion of height, which transfers to other spaces."
Bleached oak flooring offers a sense of lightness that is balanced by the blue painted steel beams and the rich cherry wood cabinetry throughout the kitchen.
"We knew the cherry would continue to darken with age, and we thought this would provide a visual contrast to the pale oak flooring," says Dooley.
The expansive, four-sided island in the center of the kitchen is placed on steel pipe columns, so that it appears to be floating.
The metallic pipes are matched by the sculptural presence of the ventilation hood above the hob and the stainless steel appliances on the opposite wall. In addition, a stainless steel backsplash beside the sink wraps around the blue, steel-framed kitchen window.
For the countertops, the owners chose a distinctive black and white granite that is shot through with flecks of red.
"We liked the rich garnet accent which offered a burst of color in the clean black and white surface," says Ray Manzarek.
There is ample work space for meal preparation, using fresh homegrown produce. From the raised island counter, guests face south to enjoy a view of the vegetable patch.
This open plan living area, which includes the kitchen, has a light and airy ambience. A steel framed staircase has thin wire balustrades to enable a clear view from the front entrance to the outside area on the opposite side. Artwork on the second floor includes original film posters for iconic movies, such as Shanghai Express and Battleship Potemkin.
The island's shaker style cabinetry is made from cherry wood. The country theme is further enhanced by the rough edge of the wooden ledge used by those seated at the island.
The kitchen flows through to the dining room and living areas. The pale oak floor provides visual continuity between all three spaces.
The island's large granite countertop provides ample space for meal preparation.
In keeping with the design throughout the house, all openings, including windows, are framed with blue-painted steel.
Bifolding French doors can be opened out to ensure an open indoor-outdoor flow.
Credit List
Architects
:
Mary Dooley, AIA, MAD Architecture (Petuluma, CA), Richard Osborn, AIA, Osborn Design Group (Santa Rosa, CA)
Oven and dishwasher
:
Miele
Wood-burner stove
:
Rais
Stone countertop
:
Satler Natural Marble
Photography by Tim Maloney
|
