Clean lines

With all the products available these days to make your kitchen look good, the fundamental truth remains a kitchen is first and foremost a functional space.

When looking to remodel, a priority for the owners of this kitchen was that the space lost none of its functionality, says Geoff Prentiss AIA, principal of Prentiss Architects.

"As it turned out, we were able to increase the functionality of the space by addressing a major flaw in the previous design.

"The stairway leading down to the laundry and guest suite originally ran in the opposite direction. This meant you had to come into the kitchen and walk around the island to access the stairs, or walk through the kitchen to get to the front door."

Prentiss says re-orienting the stairs has not only improved the flow, but has also added an element of separation to the kitchen and an adjoining home office.

"The kitchen is now an entity on its own, but overlooks the activity in the other rooms, so maintains a connection. For the home office, there is now the privacy that you would expect."

A neutral material palette emphasizes the views from the abundant windows, yet the overall look is not cold.

"The owners wanted a visually light kitchen, but not in a mass-produced way, so we used a mix of sycamore and French aspen for the cabinetry. Using the grain on the horizontal creates visual interest and the two woods, while both light, still contrast nicely," says Prentiss.

Although the original ceiling was flat, space was borrowed from the attic to create a gabled ceiling and this, combined with sleek, contemporary fittings and fixtures, augments the feeling of lightness, Prentiss says.

"From the slimline soapstone counters to the flat-panel Vierti light switches, everything was selected to contribute to the sense of space."

Story by: Trendsideas