Oost Kitchen

The expanded kitchen has a large central island, with room for prep, seating, storage, and cooking. The cabinetry is a mix of wood, Shinnoki Milk Oak, and white fronts, Fenix NTM Bianco Kos. The terrazzo counters are by Concrete Collaborative. There are two types of tiles: the Mutina Rombini fluted tile on the island and Cepac Krave Sugar Tiles on the backsplash. “It looks very mid-century modern,” says Blaine of the backsplash tile. “But in this application, it also adds that little touch of depth that I think is really important to making the house feel interesting.” The counter stools are from Hay.

The existing black granite kitchen countertops were initally kept, but floor damage from an upstairs apartment's water leak prompted the couple, while choosing new floors, to also add white quartzite countertops.

The kitchen cabinets are clad with black walnut, with a black steel built-in bookshelf nearby.

David likes to cook and entertain so the architects designed a full-scale kitchen with Forbo Marmoleum flooring, white oak cabinets, ceramic tile backsplash, and Richlite counters.

The kitchen was designed to be functional, for a family of five that likes to cook. Cabinetry and countertops resemble the colors of the wall panels and metal framing.

Biontina Fazliu, a colleague of Mentor’s, arrived ahead of dinner to help put things together.

Ali Fraenkel and Mentor Dida prepare for one of the many gatherings they host in their penthouse in Prishtina, Kosovo. Self-described “changemakers,” they regularly open their home to 20 or more people for get-togethers with live music from local artists or guest speakers like Uta Ibrahimi, the first Albanian woman to climb Mount Everest. The couple worked with designers Fitore Syla and Njomza Havolli of local firm Muza to create a balance of open and intimate spaces. “Gathering people is our shared calling,” says Ali.

"Anthony and Sherry love to entertain, so they wanted something that felt a little more austere from the street and then became warm and cozy on the interio,” says architect Eric Hughes.

Mixed materials work in this kitchen because of the expansive and generous island, which allows for the material's textures to shine.