Kitchen Range Hood Dishwasher Refrigerator Pendant Lighting Ceiling Lighting Medium Hardwood Floors Wood Cabinets Design Photos and Ideas

Caroline found the backsplash tile at Los Azulejos in Tecate, MX, while she was on a scouting trip for work. She texted Joel a photo: “He was like, ‘I don’t know, it looks a little terrazzo-y,’” says Caroline with a laugh. “But it turned out to be subtle enough.” The team actually had to install the backsplash twice because the first time, the red grout stained the tile surface. Joel and Caroline drove back to Mexico to purchase a second batch, with which they used white grout.
A skylight was added to bring in more light, and the existing ceilings painted Benjamin Moore ‘Black Tar’ for contrast. The island pendant is the Schoolhouse Ray 17” Pendant and the stools are the Artek Aalto High Chair K65.
Engelsman gave the kitchen an L-shaped layout with a large island workspace at the center, and pushed the tall storage into the garage, to create a wide circulation space to access the dining room and backyard.
Cheng opened up the kitchen to the main living spaces and gave it an uber-functional layout.
“We removed all those walls so that when you walk in, you have these expanded views out into the landscape. We opened up the living area, and made the kitchen virtually three times larger than it was,” says French.
Interior Designer Stephanie Dyer in the completed project.
Dyer Studio custom-designed the island with a black-stained white oak wood base and a walnut and soapstone counter that curves at both ends.
Dyer was inspired by all of the original curved details throughout the home, and wove subtle references into the kitchen’s design, including the scalloped detail in the stone counter and backsplash, the curving walls of the stove alcove, and at the coved ceilings.
Removing the dropped ceilings had a dramatic effect on the perceived size of the room. “I think the ceiling height alone changed how that space felt,” says Dyer.
The team added a bank of windows above the sink to flood the room with light. The ceiling pendants are from Allied Maker and the stool is the Cherner Counter Stool from Design Within Reach.
Per the clients’ request, the kitchen skews to a predominantly white color palette, with the bespoke island providing contrast.
In the kitchen, Ben removed a peninsula counter unit with upper cabinets, which previously separated the kitchen and dining rooms and impeded flow. Ceiling soffits were removed as well to open up the space.
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).
In the kitchen, crisp white cabinets complement a walnut table from Space Furniture. Custom lighting from JD Lighting Tech emphasizes the verticality of the home. The dining chairs are from Industry West.
A new banquette seating area tucked off the kitchen links to the breakfast terrace and has great views. "That's a nice perch to sit in and enjoy the kitchen and the landscape," says Woofter. Carolyn Woofter designed the custom copper hood to sync with the La Cornue stove beneath it.
Black granite counters top fir cabinets, and are accented by walnut open shelving in the new kitchen. The pendants are by Visual Comfort.
The Nickell family, including children Dash and Arli, makes cookies in their new kitchen. "Both Shondi and Jake, being a part of Threadless, have such creative backgrounds themselves," says Suzanne. "The best part was just how seamless and easy it was to work through the colors and the palette and the materials."
A hammered copper farmhouse sink from Sinkology and copper hardware from Decorator Hardware contrast warmth against the blue and green tones of the cabinetry. The existing wood flooring was kept, just sanded and stained to match other areas of the house.
"Where the house sits, it’s sandwiched between these two structures," says Garry. This made accessing good natural light and views a challenge. A breakthrough move in the design consisted of installing windows on the north wall with glass-backed cabinets over them, thereby admitting natural light into the house, but not giving less-than-ideal views of surrounding buildings too much visual weight.
The shape of the kitchen island "reflects the local iconic beachside concrete kiosk building saved by the community," said the architects.
Gray custom cabinetry were created by Shields Custom Carpentry.
Kitchen