The client’s passion for cooking, especially Italian dishes he remembers his grandmother making, guided this renovation
The clients wanted a functional kitchen that was pretty with a nod to their classic French style. The end result: The perfect balancing act of working chef’s kitchen but in a true traditional style.
Featured on the cover of the August 2023 issue of Traditional Home.
Function threads through each area, brilliantly concealed by the pretty.
In the cooking area, Calacatta Oro marble slabs flank the 60-inch La Cornue range and give the illusion of a to-the-ceiling backsplash. The panels slide open, revealing shelves that keep cooking supplies close at hand.
The main island houses a 4-foot-long chef’s sink, with a marble drop-down on the front that hides the industrialness. In the prep area, a thick butcher-block top on a secondary island convenient to a refrigerator incporates a buil-in knife block.
The starting point was removing interior walls to enable a larger footprint, perfect for distinct areas for cooking, prepping, and eating.
White oak used for the island bases and for doors on built-in pantries and the refrigerator introduces a warm counterpoint to the sleek marble. In a custom stain, the wood takes on the look of aged pine, lending old-world character that’s not too fussy. Touches of brass in hardware, faucets, a pot rack, and a shelving unit make everything look more softer.
Mirrored inserts that reflect the room’s key materials and diamond-shaped millwork lend fine detailing.
In the eating area, cremone bolts lend extra presence to the tall buil-in cabinet. The mirrored inserts have the effect of glass minus the transparency that dictates keeping contents prim and proper. A brass tubular-style pot rack and shelving, both from Palmer Industries, keeps pans and supplies at the ready.
An understated stainless-steel and brass range hood, with a design that cues the soffit millwork, blends into the room.
The kitchen’s new function and inviting style has given the clients a venue where they have the tools and space to invite people into their home, to cook, dine, and enjoy.
