Contemporary café-style wood kitchen

With its pared-back concrete table top supported by a single stainless steel post, this casual dining area lends a relaxed café ambiance to the family kitchen

Contemporary café style wood kitchen - Contemporary café cabinetry, countertop, cuisine classique, interior design, kitchen, room, white

Contemporary dining area - Contemporary dining area - dining room, home, interior design, living room, property, real estate, room, table, window, white

Contemporary café style wood kitchen - Contemporary café cabinetry, countertop, cuisine classique, floor, flooring, interior design, kitchen, wood flooring, white

Lifestyle factors drive the design of most kitchens today, and they were especially significant for this home.

Architect James LaRue says the house, on a country lot outside of Austin, epitomizes the hill country contemporary style.

"This is a single-level home with lots of wood, stone and glass. It wraps around a private courtyard patio with a pool, which is overlooked by the kitchen and family living area."

In keeping with the laid-back nature of the architecture, the kitchen occupies a prime position in the large, open-plan family living area.

"Because this is such a large space, there was room to place the cooktop on a large island, which the owners requested," says LaRue. "We were also able to create a cafe-style concrete table top with bar stools to provide a very social seating area that can be used as a breakfast bar. Or it can be a place for guests to perch with a drink while the owners work in the kitchen.

"The concrete table is supported by stainless steel legs, with just a single post reaching to the floor. This helps to keep the look light and ensures the island does not look too monolithic."

To maintain consistency with the material palette, the cabinets are in wood. Interior designer Paula Ables chose a pecan stain over a rustic gray stain, which provides a point of difference and allows the grain of the wood to show through. The color and the Shaker-Craftsman style of the doors and drawers both help to keep the look warm and inviting, despite the contemporary treatment.

Countertops in Mojave White granite ensure the kitchen is light and bright.

"We also added a band of decorative stone mosaics to the limestone backsplash," says Ables. "The soft gold, brown and white tones are repeated elsewhere in the house.

"To enliven the flooring, we specified travertine tiles in Siena Blend and Giallo, a mix of two different colors of stone, one light and one dark. We cut the tiles to different lengths and created a random pattern that is unique to this kitchen."

Appliances are all in stainless steel. They include a large, custom range hood designed by the architect and interior designer. The size and shape of the hood were determined by the need to provide visual balance in the room.

A butler's pantry, between the internal entry and the kitchen, helps to reduce clutter in the kitchen.

Other special features include a wood, glass and steel shelving unit designed by LaRue, which complements the exposed steel structural elements.