Kitchen

Along Victoria’s Surf Coast, a minimalist timber dwellingcombines Scandinavian charm with the laid-back vibes of a New Zealand bach.

The kitchen is a compact galley layout that includes the washer and dryer.

Kitchen from Dining Room with pantry wall on right

Kitchen with window to the sunporch

“We chose a gray veined marble (Vermont Royal Danby, from ABC Worldwide) for the kitchen counter,” Barker says. “We found bleached walnut floors from Madera to tie the parlor floor together.”

The updated kitchen features an Elite Tile backsplash, white quartz countertops, and new plumbing and lighting.

A view into the airy, light-filled kitchen of 51 Nebraska by Todd Davis Architecture. The updated midcentury home pays homage to its roots.

“The Dacor appliances aren’t just beautiful, they’re technologically advanced, too,” describes Meelena. “One of my favorite features in the refrigerator is the camera. I really love the idea of being at the grocery store and not having to call Joel to ask what’s in stock. Now, I can just go to my smartphone, pull it up, and a little camera will show me what we have.”

To complement the sleek, clean aesthetic of the kitchen, Joel and Meelena heavily relied on Dacor for appliances. “One of the great things about working with Dacor is how they transform really high-quality kitchen equipment into casework, and as an architect, that’s really exciting,” Joel adds.

On top of seamlessly blending into the design of the room, “one of the great things about the microwave/oven is that it has over 150 preset cooking settings, so you can do all these things like “healthy fry” and dehydrate your food, which I’m excited to start testing out,” Meelena adds.

For over a decade, Joel and Meelena Turkel of Turkel Design have been “continually evolving the notion of what a home should be—maximizing flexibility and energy efficiency using engineered materials in thoughtfully designed, sustainably conceived living environments.” Here is a look inside their latest project, the Axiom Desert House, which will soon be their own family abode.

Wooden carved out a cozy sitting area by the back window. The walls are painted with Farrow + Ball's Great White. The chime on the wall is from The Tienda at Hotel San Cristobal in Baja California. The backsplash features glazed Moroccan zellige tiles from Cle.

Floor-to-ceiling cabinets add ample storage space and also help hide any mess.

A linear modern light fixture by AlexAllen Studio hangs above the center island. Black Windsor counter stools from Target complete the center island’s breakfast bar. The shiny brass faucet and shelf brackets are both from Rejuvenation. The beautiful glazed Moroccan zellige tiles are from Cle, and the countertops are Ceasarstone.

Instead of adding counter space on both sides of the kitchen, Wooden opted for floor-to-ceiling cabinets, which provide ample storage space and help keep the kitchen tidy. A center island provides additional storage, prep space, and a breakfast bar. At the back, a classic black panel window and patio door lead to the family's outdoor space while bringing much-needed natural light into the formerly dark kitchen.

A custom walnut slab bar counter and shelf, along with a hex tile backsplash, add pops of texture and depth to an otherwise clean and monochrome palette.

Kitchen finishes include a black, porcelain tile backsplash, Caesarstone counters, parchment-colored Laminex laminate cupboards, and wood accents in Victorian ash veneer from Fethers.

A bright new kitchen is the highlight of the renovation. The pattern behind the stove call to mind traditional Persian motifs. A row of windows provides a light-filled alternative to a backsplash behind the sink.

Kitchen