Behind the scenes kitchen by Studio Becker

Many new kitchens forge a link with the outdoors, but the designer of this project took the idea one step further.

The owner's Sunseeker yacht, which is moored at a dock just below the house, provided the inspiration for the design, most notably the material and color palette.

Designer Roar Vaernes of Studio Becker San Francisco says the high-gloss blue lacquered walls are reminiscent of the sleek hull of the yacht; the white walls recall the deck and cabin; and the island in the kitchen echoes the yacht's dark cherry interior.

"The kitchen replicates what you see when you turn 180° and look out the window," says Vaernes.

And just like a yacht, there is a wealth of novel storage solutions hidden from sight. For example, the long, blue lacquered wall conceals five doors. The door on the far left leads from the entry. Next to this is a door to a wine cellar, followed by two integrated refrigerator doors, and finally a door to the walk-in pantry.

The white wall also hides doors one to a powder room and one to a server room beneath the stairs.

"To maintain the flush look of the blue walls, all the doors are spring loaded, so they open at a touch, and automatically close again behind you," says the designer.

Technology also features in the bifolding overhead wall cabinets, which are electrically operated. And the island features Studio Becker's Concealed Elevation System (CES). Small appliances in the CES are stored beneath the counter when not in use, and can be raised automatically when required. To further enhance the sleek lines of the island, the faucet beside the prep sink is also hidden and raised when needed.

Vaernes says the ripple effect of the lacquered white and cherry cabinetry makes a strong textural contrast to the blue wall, but polished chrome trim keeps the look very crisp.

"On the island, we added a highly polished stainless steel trim to protect the edge of the glass top this is etched in a sea-green shade that matches the backsplash. We also introduced an aluminum toekick with a reflective high-gloss chrome finish that makes the island appear to float above the floor."

Functionality was another key driver for the design. The cooktop is positioned on the same countertop as the main sink so there is no need to transfer pans across the kitchen. This countertop features stainless steel in the Quadro pattern, which hides any scratch marks.

Vaernes says the kitchen incorporates a variety of drawer systems from Studio Becker, which include cassettes for bone china and stemware.

Story by: Colleen Hawkes