Kitchen of the Week: Making the Most of the Water Views
A designer blends brick, walnut-and-white cabinets, glass and steel to create a kitchen with sophisticated rustic style
When building their new home on the north shore of Long Island, New York, these homeowners wanted to make the most of the spectacular views of Northport Bay. So they knew they preferred expansive windows to typical upper cabinets in the kitchen. In fact, they knew they didn’t want anything about their cabinetry to be typical, and they hired Bakes & Kropp Fine Cabinetry to create a showstopper of a space.
“They were very specific about wanting to make the most of lower cabinet drawers,” says kitchen designer Mary Dimichino, who led the design team. She used a mix of walnut, white, polished metal, quartz and brick to create an elegant yet inviting kitchen with transitional style.
“They were very specific about wanting to make the most of lower cabinet drawers,” says kitchen designer Mary Dimichino, who led the design team. She used a mix of walnut, white, polished metal, quartz and brick to create an elegant yet inviting kitchen with transitional style.
The expansive views of the bay drove the design. The layout keeps the exterior wall open for a long row of windows. Well-appointed cabinet drawers provide plenty of room for storage underneath, with a countertop for working with a view. Two seats on the end of the cabinet run are the perfect perch for coffee, breakfast and calming water views.
These homeowners preferred the ease of cabinet drawers over doors. The drawers have walnut fronts that add warmth and bring in beautiful wood grain patterns. The white around them adds contrast and a light feeling.
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These homeowners preferred the ease of cabinet drawers over doors. The drawers have walnut fronts that add warmth and bring in beautiful wood grain patterns. The white around them adds contrast and a light feeling.
Browse counter stools in the Houzz Shop
A custom range hood incorporates polished stainless steel accent bands over walnut. The white cabinet boxes and white quartz countertops blend together beautifully, allowing the walnut drawers to stand out.
The homeowners chose the brick veneer backsplash themselves. The variety of tones in the brick works well with the warm wood. The combination is a sophisticated take on rustic style that adds an inviting texture to the room. The bricks also provide a pleasing backdrop for the walnut floating shelves. Dimichino recessed LED puck lights under the shelves to create an extra layer of light.
The designer outfitted the cabinets around the range for cooking utensils, spices and potholders.
Countertops: Smithfield, Cambria
The homeowners chose the brick veneer backsplash themselves. The variety of tones in the brick works well with the warm wood. The combination is a sophisticated take on rustic style that adds an inviting texture to the room. The bricks also provide a pleasing backdrop for the walnut floating shelves. Dimichino recessed LED puck lights under the shelves to create an extra layer of light.
The designer outfitted the cabinets around the range for cooking utensils, spices and potholders.
Countertops: Smithfield, Cambria
Dimichino placed a farm sink beneath the angled wall’s windows so that whoever is on dishwashing duty can enjoy the view. The sink is inset into the quartz countertops. The faucet has a wheel pull-down that adds an elevated rustic touch to the space. To the right of the sink is a panel-front dishwasher that blends right into the cabinetry.
Wheel pull-down kitchen faucet: Waterstone
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Wheel pull-down kitchen faucet: Waterstone
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“It was important to our clients to keep the countertops clear of clutter, so they keep the small appliances in a walk-in pantry,” the designer says. The opening to the pantry is located just out of frame on the left.
“Along the back wall, they wanted something really different,” Dimichino says. “All the ‘talls’ are on one wall.” She bookended beautiful tall display cabinets of glass and polished stainless steel with a tall Sub-Zero freezer on the left and a tall Sub-Zero refrigerator on the right. These units have walnut doors, and Dimichino chose icebox hinges to add another elevated rustic detail.
All hardware (including icebox hinges): Armac Martin
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All hardware (including icebox hinges): Armac Martin
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The tall glass cabinets provide a spot for displaying china and serveware while protecting them from dust. The polished metal frames play off the metal on the range hood and cabinet hardware. “We also set LED tape lights inside the display cabinets,” Dimichino says. “It’s so pretty at night. And by placing the lights down the sides of the cabinets, it allowed us to use walnut shelves instead of glass shelves inside. When you place the lights at the top of the cabinets, you need glass shelves that will let the light pass through.”
Lower white cabinets inside the display cabinets house less display-worthy items such as linens.
Lower white cabinets inside the display cabinets house less display-worthy items such as linens.
This photo was taken from an adjacent room that includes a seating area oriented toward a fireplace. The expansive windows continue into this space. “This is not a large house, so my clients did not want to place a separate dining table in this adjacent space,” Dimichino says. Instead they wanted to replace a dining table with an island that would seat six. So she split the island in two — a work zone on the work triangle side and a dining zone on the other. “Everything in the house is simple yet elegant like this,” she says.
The contemporary chandelier is also simple and elegant. Its glass shades nod to marine floats. Its silhouette is interesting but not too distracting, and it leads the eye down to the focal point of the range wall.
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The contemporary chandelier is also simple and elegant. Its glass shades nod to marine floats. Its silhouette is interesting but not too distracting, and it leads the eye down to the focal point of the range wall.
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The island measures 9 feet, 10 inches by 5 feet. The work side has six more drawers for storage and a microwave drawer, while the dining side offers more legroom and a handsome walnut base. The work side has a quartz counter that matches the perimeter countertops, while the dining side has a walnut counter.
Overall, the room has elegant transitional style that leans contemporary, with loads of warmth added by the walnut and brick accent wall. The elevated rustic touches make it an inviting space. “Our clients told us that they love the casual dining experience in here,” Dimichino says.
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Overall, the room has elegant transitional style that leans contemporary, with loads of warmth added by the walnut and brick accent wall. The elevated rustic touches make it an inviting space. “Our clients told us that they love the casual dining experience in here,” Dimichino says.
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Northport, New York
Size: 400 square feet (37 square meters)
Designer: Mary Dimichino of Bakes & Kropp Fine Cabinetry
Contractor: Ahmes Construction
The homeowners hired the firm to complete the kitchen design early on in the process of designing their new home. “The wife had seen photos of a project that we’d completed with walnut drawer fronts mixed with white in the cabinetry and wanted to do something similar here,” Dimichino says.
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