Kitchen Design
A Modern Take on Spanish Design for a Sacramento Kitchen
Round archways, a curved range hood and original floors are among the classic touches in this white-and-wood kitchen
A large center island features a Calacatta marble countertop with built-in drain grooves to the left of the sink. “The kitchen has two dishwashers, but they still like to do some of their dishes by hand. These drain grooves are so much better than an ugly drying rack,” Littrell says. The cabinets and outer countertops are made out of mahogany. The mahogany countertops received a coat of marine-grade varnish to protect it from water.
Browse Calacatta marble slabs
Browse Calacatta marble slabs
The team copied the mitered-edge detail on the custom wood shelves from a wall of shelves found in the home’s library. “We love having little details that run throughout a home. It ties everything together,” Littrell says.
The custom wood shelves are supported by black powder-coated brackets that attach to the ceiling at the top. “The homeowners have a great collection of colorful servingware and fondue pots,” Littrell says. “Having a sturdy way to display them adds some color to the kitchen.”
The recessed handles that cut into the cabinets are another designer detail. The design team considered many types of hardware for the cabinets, but in the end, they found that using no hardware at all allowed the other elements in the space to shine.
The custom wood shelves are supported by black powder-coated brackets that attach to the ceiling at the top. “The homeowners have a great collection of colorful servingware and fondue pots,” Littrell says. “Having a sturdy way to display them adds some color to the kitchen.”
The recessed handles that cut into the cabinets are another designer detail. The design team considered many types of hardware for the cabinets, but in the end, they found that using no hardware at all allowed the other elements in the space to shine.
The Aga range is a gas-electric hybrid. The two burners and ovens below it are gas, and the griddle to the left of the burners is electric. The range features Aga’s new Total Control feature that allows each individual oven to be turned on for use when needed.
Above the range, the design team created a custom hood out of white plaster. “We almost never use a big stainless steel hood in our projects,” Littrell says. “One, they draw too much attention and two, it’s actually cheaper to build your own hood and add a ventilation insert.”
The white hexagon tiles covering the backsplash are from Heath Ceramics. “The tiles are handmade, so there’s just a little bit of variation in each one that we really like,” Littrell says.
Above the range, the design team created a custom hood out of white plaster. “We almost never use a big stainless steel hood in our projects,” Littrell says. “One, they draw too much attention and two, it’s actually cheaper to build your own hood and add a ventilation insert.”
The white hexagon tiles covering the backsplash are from Heath Ceramics. “The tiles are handmade, so there’s just a little bit of variation in each one that we really like,” Littrell says.
The design team converted an alcove — where the refrigerator used to be when the room was the kitchen — into a stylish niche. The niche has two floating shelves that feature the same mitered edge found on the kitchen shelves. The built-in buffet at the bottom of the niche is made out of mahogany and topped with Calacatta marble. “It’s another example of keeping the same design and materials throughout a home,” Littrell says.
The dining room furniture and all of the artwork are pieces previously owned by the homeowners. The light fixture, which features two smoked-glass orbs, is the Modo pendant light from Roll and Hill.
The breakfast area remains in the same location as it was in the previous design, but instead of being adjacent to the kitchen, it is now right off the dining room. “It has become more of a homework and crafts room for the three kids,” Littrell says.
The design team added a custom curved banquette that hugs the back three walls of the room. The base of the banquette is made out of mahogany and features two storage drawers on each end. The banquette cushions are covered in a durable upholstery from Maharam.
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The design team added a custom curved banquette that hugs the back three walls of the room. The base of the banquette is made out of mahogany and features two storage drawers on each end. The banquette cushions are covered in a durable upholstery from Maharam.
More
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A family of five
Location: Sacramento, California
Size: 320 square feet (29.7 square meters)
Architect: Dustin Littrell of Littrell Architecture + Design
Project Designer: Curtis Popp of cpopp workshop
When it came time to renovate their home, these owners wanted it done in a timeless manner that would honor the architecture of the house. They reached out to architect Dustin Littrell and project designer Curtis Popp to give the entire house a major refresh, but it was the kitchen and adjacent dining room and breakfast area that required the largest overhaul. The previous kitchen and dining room swapped locations in the new floor plan, allowing the kitchen to go from a galley design to an open space with doors on both ends that lead to the backyard pool and front courtyard.
The house is a 1930s Spanish bungalow located on a leafy street in Sacramento, California. “The house had great bones, but it had some updates over the years that detracted from its architecture,” Littrell says. “It was our goal to bring that original character back.” They gave the new doorways thick, rounded archways, refinished the original wide-plank wood floors and concealed the new range hood behind a curved layer of plaster.