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All Photos/kitchen/appliances : range/lighting : pendant/counters : metal

Kitchen Range Pendant Lighting Metal Counters Design Photos and Ideas

Don’t underestimate the power of lighting. “I find the most overlooked feature in kitchen design to be efficient, well-designed lighting,” states Risa Boyer of Risa Boyer Architecture.
Sleek cabinetry, space-saving built-ins, and gleaming stainless steel define the kitchen.
Glass blocks allow soft light to enter the kitchen without distracting from the courtyard view.
Whereas others might look at a board-formed cement wall in a basement and see, well, a concrete wall, Jess and Jonathan Taylor, the design duo behind the L.A.-based firm Taylor + Taylor, were inspired. The couple had purchased a virtually untouched 1952 house in east L.A. and that concrete wall became the backdrop for a new guest kitchen in the basement. "It was really the starting point of the whole design," says Jess Taylor. "As designers, our goal is to always try to incorporate the existing surroundings whenever possible, utilize them in practical ways, and be inspired by them."
Black appliances and fixtures blend seamlessly into the cabinetry. The lack of a large fridge helps give the kitchen its streamlined and minimal appearance. The couple carefully integrated appliances to make the small space fully functional for entertaining. Two CoolDrawers are tucked under the counter to chill wine and store enough food for the weekend. Two ovens allow home cooks to bake bread and roast meat simultaneously. “It just works really well for us,” says Daniel. “Our counter space is at a premium, and we just didn’t need a giant refrigerator. This way, we can have the L-shaped counter. That was a very strategic decision—it doesn’t need to be more than what it is.”
The blush-colored Rojo Alicante marble table in the center of the kitchen doubles as a dining table and kitchen island. A Craiglist score for $200, the table is another kitchen hack conceived by the architects. “It was really a diamond in the rough. Originally, it was a rectangle shape, in a weird ’90s, Italian kind of style, covered in a thick, resin-like finish that made it look almost orange,” says Daniel. The table was honed down to soften its color, and its top was reshaped with rounded corners.
The kitchen features hacked IKEA cabinets—Brit and Daniel built custom fronts and side panels out of Valchromat, a recycled engineered wood. The cabinets are topped with black steel, which extends up the wall as backsplash. “We wanted to find an inexpensive way of doing a really terrific kitchen,” says Daniel. “The metal, which is a cold-rolled sheet of blackened steel, is a unique material that will develop a patina over time, but will also be super durable—and again, very cost effective.”
Open shelves balance out the hard-working wall of cabinetry opposite. "In a space like this, every fraction of an inch matters," says Jonathan, and making room for display and a sense of openness is also important.
The designers developed the preliminary schematic for the tile, then refined the layout on site. "We wanted to bring in six or seven different tiles that were all geometric and make it such that there's no pattern, there's no repeat. Everything is unique," says Jonathan. "Once we had the tiles, [we] laid things out and confirmed and made some adjustments. Everything is just a little different when you get it in real space."
The couple installed a window over the sink to brighten up the dark basement space. The counters are stainless steel, so as to cede nicely into the concrete wall rather than compete with it.
"The wonderful thing about this line of tile from Fireclay is that there's no order minimums," says Jonathan. Considering that the designers were dealing with such a small footprint, this meant that they didn’t have to order more tile than what was needed.
"We started to piece together this idea of a floor that's all just geometry and chaos, but that still honors the monochromatic elements of the space and highlights the bluish-gray-green tones of the original cement walls," says Jonathan.
Featuring a timeless black-and-white marble checkerboard floor, the eat-in kitchen receives an abundance of natural light thanks to its huge, six-over-six pane sash window.
A new kitchen supplants former servants' quarters. "The [Beck] family didn't go back in the kitchen much; today, we kind of live in the kitchen," says Bodron+Fruit principal Svend Bodron.
Modern green cabinetry contrasts brightly with the home’s historic shell. Custom triangular brass pulls designed by the architects echoe the brass accents on the nearby threshold between the living and dining rooms. The island top is Marmoleum, while the counter along the wall is stainless steel, which syncs with the Bertazzoni range.
In the Pacana Suite, modern European influences are replicated in the clean lines and exquisite detailing.
Finding the right fixtures to match the style Axboe was looking for was a challenge, but eventually, she was able to achieve a contemporary, yet warm and inviting look.
Kitchen + Stair Detail
Kitchen w/ Custom Steel Bar Top
Kitchen Elevation
New Zealand architect Gerald Parsonson and his wife, Kate, designed their vacation beach home in Paraparaumu with an open-plan kitchen with open shelves, bar light bulbs, and bright orange MDF cabinets.
The kitchen island is topped with PaperStone in slate and wrapped in the same steel used to clad the house’s facade. “We matched the color to create a ‘2001: Space Odyssey’ monolith,” Garlick says. He and his wife, Susan Elliott, a chef, cook at the commercial Wolf range they purchased at a restaurant supply store.
Stainless steel was selected for the kitchen countertops, and the pair relied on a local industrial sheet metal fabricator to help them prepare the material for residential application. The mix of warm and cool adds depth and dimension to the space.