Kitchen

The smoothly sculpted interior flows organically from room to room.

How a highly productive collaboration among a trio of creative Angelenas—and a good dose of Barragán—turned a dark and beleaguered midcentury house into a family home for the ages. The resulting design acquired its own flow, full of colorful narrative, spirited counterpoint, and anecdote. Now, in place of dark, disconnected spaces, outdoor rooms echo luminous indoor ones, and experimental filmmaker Laura Purdy and her family’s eclectic collections of art and personal artifacts share space with flashes of pattern and interior planes of saffron and pink stucco.

Viola Park ranks high on the list of great, modern kitchen systems and offers a range of kitchen islands. Among the features in their islands is the Pivot Storage System, shown here. Mounted below the counter to preserve counter space, the wood bins can be outfitted as knife block, utensil holder, or garbage bin. The system conveniently keeps your utensils where you need them, without taking up much-valued counter space.

Architect David Anand Peterson designed the custom millwork and shelving in Montague’s kitchen. The stainless steel island is by Bulthaup. The stools are vintage and were designed by Erik Buck. Montague was thrilled to spot the same ones adorning Don Draper’s apartment in the latest season of Mad Men.

The Mandayam–Vohra family gathers under one of Workstead’s signature three-arm chandeliers, shown here in its horizontal configuration. Photo by: Matthew Williams

To keep vases, dishes, and small appliances handy but off the countertop, architect Tamira Sawatzky designed two niches within a wall of deep cabinets. Inset outlets supply power; butcher blocks lines all sides; and Plexiglas doors provide hits of bright orange. Plastic World, a local dealer, custom-cut the Plexiglas for the storage cubby which sits beneath a photo by artist Chris Curreri.

Screened by the sliding door, Rosa cozies up with a book in the bedroom, while across the apartment Robert uses the hydraulic kitchen table as a work desk. “We wanted to explore the power of custom design by creating integrated furniture to maximize both efficiency and aesthetics,” says Rosa.

The kitchen of this Brooklyn brownstone features a brick backsplash with a metal panel connecting the Bluestar range to the Viking chimney wall hood. The mashup of materials preserves the personality of brick with the ease of cleaning stainless steel. The island and cabinets are fashioned from remilled Douglas fir beams salvaged from Upstate New York.

Stainless steel was selected for the kitchen countertops, and the pair relied on a local industrial sheet metal fabricator to help them prepare the material for residential application. The mix of warm and cool adds depth and dimension to the space.

Grade A Maple “For us, the dinner table is huge,” says Katie. The pair met furniture designer Seth Eshelman—whose Rochester-based company Staach produces what she called “environmentally conscientious furniture”—at a teatasting event, and they felt he shared their “vision and values.” Eshelman’s Cain dining set is made from maple. Now Yukimi “The meditation room is where we get our Japanese ya-yas out,” says Scott. “I wanted yukimi, which means ‘snow-viewing,’ shoji screens because they open from the bottom as well as side to side. Glen Collins, a guy in Oakland, California, is the one American I could find whose company makes them.”

A far cry from minimalism, the renovated 900-square-foot Paris flat belonging to Nicolas Roche, a scion of the French furniture company Roche Bobois, is decked out with vivid hues and vintage furniture. A 1960s orange lamp by Luxus is suspended over the Warren Platner dining table and chairs. The 1950s rosewood glass cabinet is from Soriano. Pod Lens pendants by Ross Lovegrove for Luceplan hang from the ceiling.

Coming this fall, the new Bosch 24" kitchen appliances work particularly well in urban lofts and other small living situations, like guest suites. The new line, which includes gas and electric cooktops, will join their already-launched glass door refrigerator and laundry pairs.

The home abuts a river, where the residents enjoy kayaking and swimming in warmer months. This geographic blessing partially inspired the wave-like backsplash. Each tile was hand-cut and individually placed by artisans from New Ravenna.

A movable island, set on stainless steel casters, sits in the center of the kitchen. The Panasonic microwave is built into the cabinetry and the August pendant lights illuminating the island are by Uberhaus.

Here, laminate kitchen cabinets are topped with Corian in Glacier White for a fresh and fun color-blocked look.

Hawkins removed walls and swapped outdated storage for floor-to-ceiling African mahogany cabinetry.

Pros: Laminate is at the low end of the price range for countertops, is scratch- and stain-resistant, and comes in a tremendous range of colors. It’s also easy to install, making it a viable DIY option for the handy crowd. Cons: Because laminate countertops are created by layering pieces of plywood and plastic, edges can chip off easily, and the surface can even melt if too much heat is applied directly.

BSC designed suspended powder-coated and walnut open shelves to demarcate the kitchen from the rest of the living space. The detailing on the cast-iron columns inspired the perforated pattern of the semi-transparent screens.

Get the whole family involved in the kitchen, whether it be teaching young ones a tried-and-true recipe or exploring a new dish together.