Expression of confidence

It would be easy to think that working within a standard floor plan limits creativity, but for some designers, it is this challenge that spurs them to imaginative achievement.

This kitchen is one of four rooms on the ground floor of a new single-family home. A standard city lot dictated a townhouse layout a long, narrow shape, windows at the front and rear, and solid side walls. This made it essential to create a sense of spaciousness and maximize natural light.

Owner Kristin Ellwein-Jaman wanted a European look that would complement the comfortable, but more formal, style of the living and dining rooms at the front of the house. Designers Mick De Giulio and Susan Skilton, of de Giulio kitchen design, worked with her to create a kitchen which reflects design principles of the BeauxArts Collection as designed by Mick De Giulio for SieMatic.

"BeauxArts combines materials, form, and function in a harmonious blend of styles. It balances classicism with modern elements and personal touches," says De Giulio.

This kitchen begins with the large, rough stone arch which links it to the family room, bringing to mind the interior of an old stone house in rural France or Italy. The curve of the ceiling in the kitchen reinforces this impression, as do the archways to the dining and living rooms.

"The curved ceiling helps define the space," says Skilton. "It gives the kitchen a more human scale, and contrasts with the coffered ceiling in the family room. The different treatments reflect the differing functions of the spaces."

Symmetry in the pairs of archways introduces a classical note, sustained in the design and placement of cabinetry, the island, and the twin light fixtures above it. The kitchen can be seen from other areas, so the fittings were designed to resemble furniture.

The mix of materials used includes a matte lacquer finish on the cabinetry, and statuary classic marble countertops. Linen inserts in the upper cabinet doors screen the objects inside for a clean, uncluttered appearance. Ebonized walnut cupboards and shelves provide an accent, with the dark color adding visual warmth.

The design is a sympathetic and dynamic backdrop for the owner's extensive collection of antique and modern pieces.