kitchen

Beneath the postcard-like backdrop of La Concha mountain, a previously abandoned Spanish villa received a modernist revamp for a couple and their young child. Natural, earthy interiors connect the living spaces to the lush surroundings, with the light-filled kitchen opening directly onto an outdoor pergola and pool.

Natural materiality is displayed through crafted timber furniture.

A pocket door may be closed to distinguish the living/dining area from the adjacent corridor and eat-in kitchen, and to separate the home’s climate zones.

“Dan and SAW came up with a brilliant way of opening up the kitchen, family, and dining rooms by creating a diagonal kitchen and island,” shares Tamara. “It took me several looks at the design to be convinced of going with something that seemed so unconventional, but I’m thrilled,” she says of the unorthodox design solution.

Parlor floor kitchen looking out to rear garden terrace

Unsurprisingly, the home comes complete with a restaurant-grade kitchen. In addition to a full range of appliances, the space features wooden doors from a Spanish monastery and an expansive picture window along one wall.

The large pantry allows all the food to be in one place, visually out of the way, yet still super convenient to the rest of the kitchen.

Previously, a small bathroom was located off the kitchen space. By relocating the bathroom elsewhere in the home, this freed up space for a large walk-in pantry where all the food and clutter could hide, and even the fridge.

A tiled niche sports cutting boards from the local Steelwood Design.

Gardiner Architecture ensured that flexibility, practicality, comfort, and spaciousness were all present in Elm Street House, as well as natural connections to the oft-used backyard and the surrounding neighborhood. The kitchen units are composed of blackbutt veneer and have a matte finish; the counters are Caesarstone. A pass-through window at the sink connects to the yard and makes for easy entertaining.

Custom un-lacquered brass shelves with hidden lighting help to illuminate the kitchen's work surface. The Moroccan Zellige tile-clad hood is integrated into the backsplash for a more streamlined look.

The kitchen countertops and backsplash are Carrara marble slabs, while the cabinetry is crafted from vertical-grain white oak, which adds warmth while contributing to the brightness of the interior palette.

In the kitchen, an oak counter warms white lacquered cabinetry and a marble backsplash. "The kitchen was one of the trickiest parts of the flat to design," Petillault says. "[It was located] in the center of the floor plan, one room away from the windows, [so] we decided to blend it into the living room."

A Southern California kitchen features oak timber cabinetry and quartzite countertops.

Breccia Capraia marble continues from the countertop to form the backsplash and open shelving.

A close-up of the kitchen countertops, which are made of three-inch board-formed solid concrete finished ultra smooth and sealed.

The kitchen's white palette allows the bright blue cabinets and gold hardware to stand out.