Here comes the sun
Early mornings see this kitchen flooded with natural light, so the designer chose rich, warm colors to soak it up
When you wake up and head to the kitchen for that first cup of coffee, you'll certainly want to step into an inviting, comfortable space.
The owners of this kitchen were faced with stark white cabinetry in the mornings, as their southeast-facing kitchen was flooded with sun. The other problem was the layout. They were continually bumping into their kitchen bar stools, which were right in front of the door. So when they asked Tobin Mansfield of SieMatic Atlanta to design a new kitchen, an improved layout was high on their wish list.
Mansfield reversed the U-shaped cabinetry, extended the countertops, introduced two work zones and placed the bar stools out of the way. He then moved the refrigerator from the vertical column to the left of the sink, and installed a stack of Miele appliances in its place.
"The refrigerator is the appliance that's used most often, so I moved it to relate to its zone better. After I'd flipped the kitchen and made it work functionally, I looked at choices of wood for the cabinetry."
The mid-tone wooden floor was already in place, so Mansfield chose a veneer that wouldn't compete with it. He also wanted a strong color that would absorb some of the morning sun. The solution was a truffle-brown pine a chocolate-brown hue with a hand-brushed veneer and horizontal grain.
"This wood could work in either a contemporary or more classic kitchen. The owners wanted a contemporary look, so we stacked stainless steel appliances in the wall column, incorporated handle-less and recessed handles on the cabinets and used stainless steel toe kicks," he says.
Frosted-glass upper cabinets add interest and lighten the space, says Mansfield. The creamy gold limestone of the countertops and backsplash brightens the room further. SieMatic's finishing process adds resilience to the flamed, textured limestone.
The ceiling beams, another existing element of the kitchen, are deliberately echoed in a matching veneer surround on the perimeter cabinetry.
"We wanted to play off the architecture, so the furniture would become an integrated part of the aesthetic," he says. "We think of ourselves as kitchen architects rather than cabinetmakers, and we design an installation to complement the room, the home and the owners' lifestyle."
For details, contact SieMatic Atlanta, 3050 Peachtree Road NW, Suite 145, Atlanta GA 30305. Phone (404) 567 5320.
Website: www.siematic-atlanta.com.
Email: t.mansfield@siematic.com.
Story by: Trendsideas
Home kitchen bathroom commercial design
