kuechen

Pole Pass Retreat | Olson Kundig

Kitchen cooking area

The staircase’s open treads and slim, cable railing avoid blocking sight lines outside. A modest material palette, including a concrete floor, wood cabinetry, and charcoal laminate counters, cedes to the views.

Swell lights by Pablo hang above Hot Mesh stools from Blu Dot. The millwork is by J. Spix Fine Cabinets.

dining room/kitchen

The doors mix wood and glass to allow for easy indoor/outdoor living, while the open floor plan keeps things airy.

Eucalyptus is used for the kitchen floor and ceiling slats.

The interior spaces are simple and clean, allowing the panoramic views to remain the center of attention.

The expanded central kitchen occupies the heart of the home. The kitchen island is wrapped in reclaimed Douglas fir and topped with a white granite countertop. The countertops in the rear are black-flamed granite.

Floating shelves with integrated LED lighting provide open storage and illuminate the workspace below.

Spotted gum accents an otherwise white kitchen. The countertop drops down at one end to turn into a breakfast bar.

Bruce and Kirsty loved the idea of a kitchen island rather than traditional work surfaces around the walls. Bruce fancies himself a chef and hates to have his back to everyone when he’s cooking. This island, from the Boffi LT line designed by Piero Lissoni, allows guests to gather around for impromptu sushi rolling or casual breakfasts.

French-born chef, TV personality, and pop-up wizard Ludo Lefebvre says of his kitchen, "My life is based around cooking 24/7‚ so making the kitchen the star of our house was really the only choice. Our previous kitchen was tiny‚ and with two small children it became almost dangerous at times: too many people‚ not enough space. I wanted an open area where family and friends could be part of the experience but also have breathing room."

Oil your wooden kitchen tools and cutting boards. Most mineral oils will do the trick—and they’ll give your wooden widgets a much longer life. Make sourdough bread. If you’ve got some yeast in your pantry, and it’s not too old, get down to perfecting that sourdough bread recipe. You could also start a kombucha culture, or pickle any hearty vegetables you’ve got lying around. Make a pantry meal. If you can’t get to the supermarket, think about making some Spanish rice and beans from canned or dry goods. Perfectly simple. Label absolutely everything. KonMari your entire kitchen, while you’re at it. Know where and what everything is, and get rid of anything you don’t use for a perfectly uncluttered and organized kitchen.

It took six weeks to build the formwork for the poured-concrete walls that make up the first floor. Inthe kitchen the floors are raw European white oak, the countertops are Capolavoro granite with a leather finish by Antolini, and the natural oak cabinets are by Varenna.