Smoke signals - this kitchen by Finne Architects is like a watchtower

Before remodeling, this kitchen was not only cut off from the dining room it was also cut off from the view.

With the house overlooking a spectacular forested river valley, it was a logical step to open it right up to maximize the view while providing a more spacious, open-plan interior, says architect Nils Finne of Finne Architects.

"The owners were eager to keep the farmhouse character of the house," he says. "Then, as we developed the design, we discovered that we could provide a modern, fresh interpretation of a farmhouse through the use of material, cabinetry and lighting."

To enlarge the space, a brick wall between the kitchen and dining room was removed, and the room was extended by cantilevering a new section 8ft beyond the original line of the house. The entire addition was ringed with windows.

"It is almost as though we have created our own version of a fire lookout," says Finne. "The design allows for a 20ft counter running the full length of the kitchen, with a return at one end. With so much cabinetry, we were also able to do away with overhead cabinets."

The piéce de resistance, however, is the long custom-designed island, which resembles a large freestanding table with reclaimed wood counters and blackened steel legs.

"We used long planks of reclaimed wood with a living edge the outside edge of the plank follows the bark line of the original tree. This provides a rich sense of texture and is a natural connection to the surroundings. A limestone insert, similar to the limestone on the perimeter cabinets, is another natural material."

A slight kink in the table at one end widens the circulation space, allowing an easy flow around the business end of the kitchen.

"We chose a very simple panel design for the light maple cabinets, so they effectively become a background element," says Finne.

Story by: Colleen Hawkes