For art's sake artistic license for kitchen remodel

The kitchen may be the heart of the home, but this doesn't mean it has to be the star of the show. In fact, with the move towards more open-plan living areas, the kitchen often needs to recede into the background.

In this new condominium, it was the art and antiques that needed to be the focus of attention, says interior designer Lisa Peck of Lilu Interiors.

"The owners moved from a large house and wanted to retain all their art and antique collection," Peck says. "They expressed a desire for a very sleek, modern background that wouldn't interfere with the collection, which really had to be the star."

Because the kitchen is an intrinsic part of the living area in the condominium, this also needed to form a backdrop.

"The kitchen had to be sleek and contemporary with neutral tones, but the owners didn't want it to be totally devoid of color," says Peck.

For this reason, a colorful tiled backsplash was introduced. Circles in red, purple, cool gray and warm gray complement the colors in the artwork. These shades also appear elsewhere in the home the large area rug beneath the dining table is bright red.

"It was important to have that pop of red repeated as a rhythm throughout the space," says Peck.

In contrast, the cabinetry in the kitchen is visually quiet. While the upper cabinets are in gray lacquer, the lower cabinets and pantry feature rift-cut ash. This has been stained so that the grain appears gray.

"The wood cabinets and the hardware have a warm look that helps make the whole space feel more comfortable than it would if all the cabinets were lacquered," says the designer. "The wood also works well with the antique furniture."

The kitchen forms a square, with most of the work areas enclosed within a U-shape a drinks area forms the fourth side of the square. An island in the center of the kitchen provides a workstation for food preparation, and a landing space for dishes. The island incorporates shelving for recipe books, and there are recycling bins concealed within the cabinetry.

Quartz countertops in Sterling Grey Luminoso were chosen to complement the cabinets.

"This quartz has a textural look with a little glimmer," says Peck. "We have added a touch of sparkle to the whole condo. For example, the puck lights above the kitchen peninsula have a crystal edging, and there is a beautiful crystal chandelier over the table."

A raised bar top helps to hide clutter and provides a casual dining area.

Story by: Trendsideas