GOLD
Multipurpose Marvel
Cindy McCarley
Cindy McCarley Designs
Santa Rose Beach, FL
While most of today’s kitchens are designed to be multifunctional, the term took on a whole new meaning for Cindy McCarley of Cindy McCarley Designs when she took on the task of designing her own personal kitchen. A limited budget and a modest size of 247 square feet posed challenges for McCarley, who needed to create a room that would act as a sample kitchen for clients, function for her personal aging-in-place needs and work in an open floor plan.
McCarley situated the kitchen in an open layout, centered between the front porch/living room and the dining room/back porch. This would allow her to have crowds on both sides as well as seated at the island while entertaining.
Since the designer uses the room as her “test” kitchen, she wanted to incorporate elements that would enable her to better help her clients. For example, she installed honed Carrera marble countertops, since she finds that many of her clients want them but are afraid of them. This allows them to see how they look over time.
Since this is also her “aging-in-place” home, McCarley incorporated items that would work with this concept. A walk-in pantry provides easy accessibility, and it includes a Samsung microwave installed at an ideal height for easy access.
One wall of cabinets – custom inset Shaker and slab from Grimes Custom Cabinets in white with Anthropologie Russo hardware – stores other necessary items. The wall also houses a 36″ paneled French Door and Freezer, as well as a 30″ Double Wall Oven and induction cooktop, all from Jenn-Air. The backsplash tile is Meridian Veil Blend Mosaic from Oceanside Tile.
Above the cooktop is McCarley’s showpiece – a custom range hood she designed, complete with Zephyr insert. Pecky cypress on top and regular cypress at the bottom are treated with a pickled finish.
Across from the cabinet wall is a large asymmetrical island in gray with a small bookcase at one end for cookbooks. A Kohler 36″ Whitehaven Apron Front Sink is paired with Delta Faucet’s Trinsic Pull Down Touch Faucet in Champagne Bronze with coordinating touch soap dispenser. A 24″ Trifecta Dishwasher is also featured here, next to an undercounter wine refrigerator, both from Jenn-Air.
SILVER
Mastering Mid-Century
Lauren Tolles
Maison Birmingham
Birmingham, MI
As if updating the kitchen in this authentic Mid-Century Modern home while maintaining its original character wasn’t challenging enough, Lauren Tolles of Maison Birmingham also needed to make an open-floor plan work within the space.
Balancing new materials and tones with an abundance of existing wood elements also tested her design and architectural skills.
Removing walls between the kitchen, dining room and living room to create an open area to house the 360-sq.-ft. kitchen presented an immediate challenge, when it was noted that some areas of the original tongue and groove ceiling had aged much differently than the rest of the ceiling. Rather than stain the areas and cause them to age differently, Tolles opted to apply oil to darken the wood so that it will all continue to age at the same pace.
To brighten the space, custom cabinetry in White Matte Lacquer from Artcraft Kitchens was used beneath a bank of windows as well as on the island. Caesarstone Pure White quartz tops both the cabinets and the island. The Miele dishwasher, Kallista Soltiere sink and Newport Brass East Linear faucet in Satin Brass sit below the window wall, which provides a spectacular view of the outdoor greenery.
Across in the island, an oiled walnut butcherblock from Grothouse provides an area for chopping and prepping food. Next to it, a Wolf gas range with downdraft offers ample cooking space.
Tolles notes that keeping the island and perimeter base cabinet finishes the same made the space feel more open, and presented the opportunity to create a dark focal wall for the refrigerator and pantry.
Indeed, a perpendicular wall, finished in custom Anthracite Matte Lacquer cabinets from Artcraft Kitchens, provides a striking yet subtle contrast with the white and wood. The wall incorporates pantry storage with microwave, as well as a Sub-Zero refrigerator. Colonial Bronze Edge Pulls are featured on all the cabinetry.
BRONZE
Century-Old Haven
Aileen Brown
Paragon Kitchens
Guelph, Ontario
Old world charm quickly turned to old world challenges with this kitchen remodel, according to Aileen Brown of Paragon Kitchens. The 1850s home had been through several renovations through the years, and the overall effect was a hodgepodge of DIY elements, she explains.
Items associated with century-old homes, such as drafts, old plumbing, questionable wiring, uneven heating and poor lighting were all evident here. The approximately 300-sq.-ft. space was tight and inefficient for the clients, who wanted a warm and friendly kitchen to entertain in that would be modern yet still fit into the style of the home.
Since the footprint was remaining the same, planning accessible storage was a challenge. A pantry area, finished in Miralis Fenix NTM in White Lace, was recessed into the side wall to provide storage, alongside a recessed wall oven from Gaggenau.
Along the back wall and throughout the rest of the space, Miralis European Laminate cabinetry in Silverwood adds a clean yet slightly aged wood aesthetic, with plenty of drawers for storage. Hettich Brema handles and Cambria quartz countertops in bright Torquay continue the streamlined look.
The back wall also features a hood above the Gaggenau induction cooktop centered in the wall, with Gaggenau refrigerator on the far left. To provide symmetry with a plumbing stack to the left of the hood that had to be incorporated into the design, Brown added floating shelves to the right.
Floating shelves were also repeated above the peninsula, which needed to be anchored to the wall due to the placement of an existing HVAC duct. Shallow base cabinets here provide storage for seasonal items and enough room for seating. Wine storage and extra storage drawers are located below the shelves.
On the reverse side of the peninsula, full-height base cabinets hold glassware and provide an anchor for the Blanco Quatrus R15 stainless steel apron-front sink and Luxart industrial-style pull-down faucet. A Gaggenau dishwasher adds efficiency to the space.