When these clients first came to me, they were very particular about certain characteristics they wanted to see in their space. They had spent a lot of time thinking about what to do with these plans, and I was honored when they selected me to help transform their vision into a reality!
A few of the "must-haves" of this space, were brought to my attention right from the start. First and foremost, they needed to have custom refrigerator panels to match their cabinetry, as well as a visually pleasing grid above their Sub-Zero refrigerator to allow for ventilation. To solve this situation we used a cabinet front, voided the doors, and installed single bead molding horizontally to allow the air to flow through, without sacrificing the upscale style in this space.
The next thing we had to consider was the depth of the pop-up downdraft ventilation unit behind the cooktop, the blower unit below, and the storage issue that their existing blower system was creating. The solution to this was to increase the depth of the base cabinet to 27" deep, and run the duct work needed for the blower underneath the toe kick, and re-vent it to the exterior wall of the home. This allowed for more efficient cabinet storage. It also gave them a larger cooking surface, since there was no longer a need for the downdraft system to be part of the cooktop unit.
Now, for the custom features of this space! This kitchen would not have the same visual appeal without them. There are several things definitely worth mentioning! I will start with the decorative end panels on all exposed ends of this kitchen, upgraded toe kick molding, and decorative legs on the island. These are all great ways to upgrade a kitchen, and give it a "furniture" look.
These custom Schuler cabinets feature the "Eagle Rock, Sable Glaze" wood stain on Maple. It is a cool brown finish with a hand-rubbed antique glaze. It features beautiful variation, and creates that rustic-modern look that this client desired.
Next is the leathered "Taj Mahal" Quartzite stone countertop with a 4cm built up edge profile. Notice how the open base cabinet with the radius shelves features the countertop material as well. The veining, variation, and silky appearance of this specific stone is just breathtaking. On that note, these pictures do not do the countertops justice. They are absolutely AMAZING!
Now, I do need to elaborate a bit on the term "Quartzite". If you think you've heard of this type of material before, you may be thinking of something else. It is easy to mistake this material for "Quartz", but it is completely different. Quartzite is a naturally occurring metaphoric rock. It is created when sandstone is subjected to extreme heat and pressure caused by tectonic plate movement. These slabs are mined from the earth's crust and cut into slabs, just like Granite. The similar sounding countertop "Quartz" is 93% natural, crushed, and then mixed with resins and binders to seal the slabs throughout. Quartz is a much more commonly used product, and though it has great performance in a kitchen environment, you can not create the same natural variation with Quartz, since it is a man-made product.
I could go on and on about the features of this kitchen! It is definitely one of my favorites. The brushed nickel "Restoration Hardware" style hanging pendants, stainless steel apron sink, side coffee bar, cabinet pulls.... they are all amazing.
Thank you again for choosing me as your Kitchen Designer!
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