Kitchen

pattern chair / painting - exterior similar / countertop / cabinets

Low-VOC finishes on the walnut cabinets help improve the home’s indoor air quality. "Our suggestion is always to use water-based rather than oil-based or petroleum finishes," Britt says. Quartz countertops and a ceramic-tile backsplash continue the focus on natural materials.

Don't dismiss the kitchen as a modern day parlor. Sarrah Khan of Agencie Architecture & Engineering says, “ Kitchens are modern parlor rooms. In today’s homes, kitchens serve a double function of both cooking and entertaining zones.”

“Guests are received and welcomed in the kitchen,” she adds. “As everyone knows, no matter how small a kitchen happens to be, people always end up hanging out in there during parties.”

“Sometimes this means considering what is hidden away as much as what’s visible,” he adds. “With counter space at a premium, valuable space can be saved by designating an enclosed area to tuck away those space-sucking counter-top appliances and gadgets.”

Modern kitchen includes triple-bay sink, gas range, and hidden storage.

In the kitchen, the countertops are Absolute Black wire-brushed granite from Walker Zanger, the cooktop and hoods are from Viking, the dishwashers are Miele, and the serious coffee setup (Mel is the former CEO of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf) includes an espresso machine from La Marzocco and grinders by Mazzer. Bradley designed the cherrywood veneer cabinetry, which was made and installed by Marmol Radziner, with a custom piece by Alaco Ladder Company.

A mix of walnut veneer and solid walnut in the kitchen (like custom solid walnut handles) is paired with white quartzite countertop and backsplash.

After: By knocking out a wall and building a new island, the kitchen flows more cohesively into the living room and dining room. The

New custom walnut cabinetry syncs with the rest of the built-ins throughout the home, to create a pleasing rhythm in the open plan. The backsplash is Heath Ceramics tile, and the counter is Pental Quartz. Open shelves at the rear overlook a cozy den, and allow sightlines out the new windows at the front of the home.

In the kitchen, Eames chairs flank a custom dining table, and the pendant is by Wever & Ducré.

In the kitchen, the couple kept the original cabinets and "beautiful, custom-rolled stainless-steel counters,” says Christine. They updated the island counter, flooring, and backsplash, adding Foro marble, Concrete Collaborative tiles, and Cle tile, respectively.

"I often choose finishes that allow the natural texture to show through, and finishes that emphasize the cathedrals and burls of the graining,

A special finish brings out the grain in the kitchen's walnut cabinetry.

"The kitchen is pretty small, so we were inspired by Japanese design where everything is highly organized,