Kitchen

"Functionally, we have so much more countertop space for prep,

Super-matte white p-Lam upper cabinets blend with the walls to give the illusion that the space is wider than its 16 feet. Lower cabinets are a rich walnut veneer, topped with Glacier White Corian countertops. Concealed sockets from Bocci add to the sleek, minimalist effect, while a soapstone slab on the island adds a welcoming warmth. “The island is where everyone sits, for breakfast, for snacks, for working,” says Bader. “You don’t want a surface that’s polished and cold.”

Shands paired maple wood kitchen cabinets with veined marble countertops to provide character to the space without overwhelming it. "These materials, complemented by the open shelves with stacked ceramics, are key to the experience," she says. Sub-Zero undercounter refrigerators and freezer opened the kitchen up to allow for more counter space.

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.

The galley-style kitchen is fitted with custom Black walnut cabinets, which pop against the marble countertops and backsplash. The sun-filled dining room is located just steps away.

New white oak cabinetry in the expanded kitchen was designed with midcentury-inspired detailing and hardware.

My kitchen—where all the magic happens—is galley style, which makes maneuvering easy-peasy. Through the doorway at the end of the galley is my pantry (where the wall oven and microwave live) and my tiny, sweet (pun intended) office, complete with Farrow and Ball’s Calamine-colored trim (pink is my favorite color).

Lee helped the couple source lighting, like the Nuura Anoli pendants above the kitchen island. “We're constantly having meals at home,” says Serena. “We get a CSA and I like to cook, so it's nice to have a lot of space in the kitchen, and have it be really functional for cooking and entertaining.”

Local artist John Bisbee created a decorative screen out of nails for the end of the base cabinet. Stuart built the drawers using traditional wood-on-wood slides and proportionally spaced dovetails, which operate differently in summer and winter. “Those idiosyncrasies effect the way you interact with it,” Stuart notes. “The kitchen is experiential in that way.”

The insides of the carcass are as beautiful as the exposed faces. “You can’t capture a piece of solid wood in a frame or it will expand, contract, and crack, so we re-assembled our leftover walnut strips to infill the framework,” Stuart says.

“I like the darkness of walnut. Other woods tend to yellow if you don’t stain it, while walnut stays true to itself,” Caleb says. The white glass tile backsplash melds with the wall.

“Using only wood to form a cabinet results in artistic moments. Diagonals read as decorative, but these strong triangles are necessary when you’re not using plywood,” Caleb says. “It’s pure joy to use the kitchen, knowing that all parts of it are built with meaning and without compromise.

In the kitchen, a pair of Swell LED pendants by Pablo Pardo from Design Within Reach hang above an island lined with Industry West stools. The appliances are from KitchenAid.

The renovated kitchen is open, airy, and connected to the rest of the main level. Plum Projects used Bedrosians Magnifica Luxe polished white porcelain for the island, countertops, and backsplash. The black upper cabinets are made from Richlite: a durable, sustainable material made from recycled paper.

The design team specified durable, easy-to-maintain, nontoxic, recyclable, natural, and regenerative materials. The kitchen island is engineered quartz and the cabinets are from a local cabinetmaker.

The kitchen has Landslide pendants from Twenty One Tonnes and a curved concrete island.

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