Transitional space

Sometimes a traditional kitchen is required to complement a classic-look home, despite the fact that an edgy, modern ambiance would more accurately reflect the owner's personality. Paying close attention to subtle elements, such as a type of wood grain, can help draw the two styles together.

This solid, spacious kitchen forms part of an expansive, traditional ranch house. However, while the house is built largely in classic style to suit the neighborhood, the owner asked designer Kimberly Warren to ensure the open-plan kitchen had an underlying sense of modernity.

"The kitchen is generous in scale, following the proportions of the giant ceiling beams overhead," says Warren. "The owner is a frequent entertainer and the available space enabled me to design the kitchen with distinct areas of operation, so that two people can work in the space at the same time."

Warren says the owner's kitchen in his previous home had been strongly contemporary. She was asked to bring a modern, masculine touch to this kitchen while still retaining the traditional elements expected in a home of this style.

"This was partly achieved through addressing the cabinetry door styles," says the designer. "I chose the strong look of a Shaker door style that had an applied molding around the inside center panel. While the Shaker door created a crisp, masculine feel, the semi-ornate, classic detailing of the applied molding helped soften the overall look."

The choice of the wood itself also played a part in creating this transitional appeal, says the owner.

"Oak or maple would also have worked here," he says. "But cherry absorbs stain in a different way to those woods, leaving its grain less prominent and resulting in a more sleek, clean aesthetic."

While choice of materials helps blur the line between design styles, it also creates a sense of coziness within the kitchen's large operating area.

"To give some idea of its large proportions the kitchen accommodates wheelchair access to all work areas," says Warren. "However, material commonalities draw the space together visually.

"For example, warm cherry tones connect the perimeter island and wall cabinets, while the charcoal-stained maple cabinetry connects the breakfast room wet bar cabinetry with the central island."

In addition, the rear-wall work surface and perimeter island's lower surfaces are in cream-hued granite. Contrasting this, the central island's countertop, the perimeter island's raised bar top and the breakfast-area wet bar are all in jet-black granite.

Story by: Charles Moxham