Collection by Kimberly Cavender Ayars
Kitchen research
In the sleek kitchen, the white Ikea cabinet uppers seem to disappear into the wall, while the bases get a distinctive custom walnut wrapping. Flanking the cabinets are open bookshelves, which provide secondary function as a spacial divider for the children’s play area. A Dornbracht faucet sits on a slab of Vermont Olympian White Danby marble, which is also used for the island and backsplash.
Though the home’s common areas are largely white and monotone, the kitchen introduces a pop of red, the owner’s favorite color, through the glossy AGC kitchen backsplash. Stone pietra cardosa counters are used on the center island, along with white Corian around the perimeter. A Miele range, Sub-Zero refrigerator, and Piston stools by Shin and Tomako Azumi complete the space.
For the renovation of this Portland midcentury kitchen, Risa Boyer started by removing a wall and converting the former galley kitchen into an open plan that shares space with the living and dining areas. Now, the centerpiece of the kitchen is a generous island with plywood cabinetry veneered with vertical-grain Douglas fir and a Caesarstone counter with a waterfall treatment at one end.





