Make sure your kitchen fits seamlessly with the rest of your home. A good entertaining space should have a look that's consistent with the overall design, so use finishings, colors, and other elements that compliment the rest of the space.
Shane Michael Pavonetti, an Austin-based architect and contractor, and his wife, Holly, built their eco-friendly home on a lean budget of $175,000. The cedar siding used on the exterior reappears throughout the house. Keen on recycling the wood, the couple added shelving to their kitchen as well.
Pros: Concrete countertops are durable, resistant to heat, and can be less expensive than natural stone, especially when completed as a DIY project.
Cons: Concrete must be sealed before being used; otherwise, its porous nature means that it will stain very easily.
Organization is critical in keeping the Tatami House’s minimalist vibe intact. Shoko keeps the kitchen drawers tidy.
The renovation of a 2,000-square-foot property updates a century-old design for a family of four. "We placed the kitchen at the center of the house to link with the dining room and the outdoor space," Moreau says. In the kitchen, a Wolf oven brings out the silver details in Coit’s Bianco Cararra backsplash and island. Hee bar stools by Hay are lined under the island.
The large, naturally lit kitchen is the heart of the house. Messmate-clad cupboards and huge expanses of glass dominate the space where Angelucci uses the sink, Gorman works at the kitchen island, and Pepa and Hazel look on. Play in the courtyard between the kitchen and garage is easily supervised and enclosed from the alley behind the house.
KITCHEN LETTERS $35-$60
Kitchen Letters are letters in the mail from chefs–connecting foodies and chefs around the country. Letters have been penned by Marisa McClellan of Food in Jars, Phoebe Lapine of Feed Me Phoebe, John Beaver of Oaktown Spice Shop, Diana Hardeman of MilkMade Ice Cream, and Agatha + Erin of Ovenly. Rumor has it the line up for 2014 includes Evan Kleiman of Good Food on NPR (KCRW), Dominique Ansel and Mast Brothers (plus a bunch more). The letters are stuffed with anecdotes, tips + tricks, and a seasonal, simple recipe, and sent out twice a month.
In the bedroom, an open closet with built-in shelving leads to the master bathroom. Thinking of all the loft's components as part of a whole was critical to the renovation. "The space is clean and simple, but that is only possible because of the attention paid to eliminating visual clutter that often comes from typical detailing," Breitner says. "The HVAC, floor outlets, door detailing, wall reveal base, recessed glazing channel, and radiator covers could look like clutter. We integrated it into the architecture." Photo by Frank Oudeman.
Olivia's bedroom.
The bedroom opens directly into the master bathroom to complete the open feel.