“I don’t paint landscapes when I’m here because I can’t compete with the natural beauty,” says Yael.
Nikki and her mom can enjoy one another's company in the kitchen after a short walk across the garden.
The kitchen underwent the most dramatic change, being relocated to the back of the house adjacent to the living room. White Oak floors and casework and new Kolbe windows warm up the space. The pendant light is from Design Within Reach, and the bar stools are custom from Sean Woolsey.
Adding storage under the new stair maximizes the kitchen's footprint. Hemlock wood on the stair was stained to complement the casework. The faucet is from Brizo and the green backsplash tile is Heath.
Lee Buchanan of Lee Build created a screen of white ash slats beside the kitchen as well as the entry. "The stairs are beautifully integrated into the kitchen so the kids and I are always talking and someone is always sitting on the bottom steps,
The kitchen cabinets have also been cleverly designed by 4 S Architecture to combine a luxury appearance with cost-effective construction. The carcasses were sourced from DIY Kitchens and delivered preassembled, which cut down on labor costs. While the white cabinet doors are also from DIY Kitchens, the cherry veneered doors are bespoke. “We worked with as many off-the-shelf products as we could to minimise cost and added a few bespoke items to elevate the scheme,” explains architect Julia Hamson.
Caroline found the backsplash tile at Los Azulejos in Tecate, MX, while she was on a scouting trip for work. She texted Joel a photo: “He was like, ‘I don’t know, it looks a little terrazzo-y,’” says Caroline with a laugh. “But it turned out to be subtle enough.” The team actually had to install the backsplash twice because the first time, the red grout stained the tile surface. Joel and Caroline drove back to Mexico to purchase a second batch, with which they used white grout.
Studio Becker Xu streamlined the kitchen by building all of the appliances into the millwork. The budget-friendly countertops are a Formica solid surface.
Quartz countertops and two-by-eight-inch subway tile with tan grout (on the backsplash) complement the tone of the birch cabinetry and ash shelves in the kitchen.