Kitchen With Double Islands Pleases a Baker and a Smoothie Maker
With multiple refrigerators and ovens, this space easily accommodates a couple of cooks and their guests
Erin Carlyle
July 10, 2017
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes to remodel. Former Forbes real estate reporter. Fascinated by cool homes, watching the bottom line.
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes... More
Photos by Cheryl Silsbe Photography
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Stormy and Jeff Sopp and son Smith, 2
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Size: 194 square feet (18 square meters)
The backstory: Birkholz Homes designed and built this home; the homeowners worked with cabinetmaker Andrew Hibbs of Wood to customize their kitchen cabinetry.
The layout: Stormy Sopp of Duo Design Studios and her husband, Jeff, use their kitchen for entertaining and baking, and find that double islands make the perfect setup. One person can prep a meal at the island near the stove, while the other entertains guests at the second island, which doubles as an eating spot and beverage bar.
Backsplash tile: Venetian Calacatta polished oval mosaic, Marble collection, Daltile; pot filler with two handles in chrome: S665, Moen; 42-inch range hood: PWC422418, Sub-Zero and Wolf; 36-inch dual-fuel range with six burners: DF366, Sub-Zero and Wolf
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: Stormy and Jeff Sopp and son Smith, 2
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Size: 194 square feet (18 square meters)
The backstory: Birkholz Homes designed and built this home; the homeowners worked with cabinetmaker Andrew Hibbs of Wood to customize their kitchen cabinetry.
The layout: Stormy Sopp of Duo Design Studios and her husband, Jeff, use their kitchen for entertaining and baking, and find that double islands make the perfect setup. One person can prep a meal at the island near the stove, while the other entertains guests at the second island, which doubles as an eating spot and beverage bar.
Backsplash tile: Venetian Calacatta polished oval mosaic, Marble collection, Daltile; pot filler with two handles in chrome: S665, Moen; 42-inch range hood: PWC422418, Sub-Zero and Wolf; 36-inch dual-fuel range with six burners: DF366, Sub-Zero and Wolf
The cabinets: A high-gloss white lacquer finish brings a modern look to the space, while flat-cut walnut for the side panels and accent strips provides warmth. The homeowners wanted the kitchen to look “as clean as possible,” says Hibbs, so much of the cabinetry along the wall lacks handles. A hidden electronic system allows the owners to open the cabinetry with barely a touch.
To the right side, the sliding barn door, also in walnut, leads to a powder room, a mudroom and the door to the garage. The clients preferred to keep the area around the range hood free of upper cabinetry, and chose to accent that area with a backsplash that has a glimmering finish.
Engineered white oak flooring: Oak Linen, Kährs; electronic cabinet touch system: Servo-Drive, Blum
To the right side, the sliding barn door, also in walnut, leads to a powder room, a mudroom and the door to the garage. The clients preferred to keep the area around the range hood free of upper cabinetry, and chose to accent that area with a backsplash that has a glimmering finish.
Engineered white oak flooring: Oak Linen, Kährs; electronic cabinet touch system: Servo-Drive, Blum
Hidden amid the wall of white are the refrigerator and freezer. The tall white panel farthest to the left hides the refrigerator; below it are two refrigerator drawers. The middle of the center bay opens up to reveal a rollout tray, designed to contain toasters or blenders. “My husband makes a shake in the morning,” Stormy says. Below the blender garage are two freezer drawers where the clients can stash frozen fruit and other smoothie ingredients. A separate butler’s pantry (not pictured) houses a full-size refrigerator where the family can store large cuts of meats.
The upper oven on this wall is a convection steam oven, the lower one is a standard oven, and a second standard oven is located beneath the cooktop on the range wall. “At Christmastime, it’s great,” Stormy says. “You can put a ham or a roast or prime rib in one oven, and side dishes in the other.” Multiple ovens also come in handy for her large-batch baking sessions.
Ovens and warming drawer: CSO24, SO30-2FS and WWD30, Sub-Zero and Wolf
The upper oven on this wall is a convection steam oven, the lower one is a standard oven, and a second standard oven is located beneath the cooktop on the range wall. “At Christmastime, it’s great,” Stormy says. “You can put a ham or a roast or prime rib in one oven, and side dishes in the other.” Multiple ovens also come in handy for her large-batch baking sessions.
Ovens and warming drawer: CSO24, SO30-2FS and WWD30, Sub-Zero and Wolf
The islands: The countertop for both the working island, where the sink lives, and the entertaining island, where the beverage refrigerator lives, are made from white quartz. The wood of each island is walnut with a clear matte lacquer finish, with the separate pieces carefully matched so that the grain lines up.
The chandelier over the dining table is not a single piece, but rather “a series of pendants you cluster in whatever way you want,” says Nadine Halliday, who does sales and project management at Birkholz Homes.
Chandelier: composed of two 48-inch, three 36-inch and two 24-inch pendants, Vistosi; countertop: Aurora Snow, HanStone Quartz by Hanwha Surfaces; pull-down faucet with dual spray and 360-degree swivel: Diva 400546, Blanco; beverage refrigerator: UC-24BG, Sub-Zero and Wolf; rug: Urban Outfitters
The chandelier over the dining table is not a single piece, but rather “a series of pendants you cluster in whatever way you want,” says Nadine Halliday, who does sales and project management at Birkholz Homes.
Chandelier: composed of two 48-inch, three 36-inch and two 24-inch pendants, Vistosi; countertop: Aurora Snow, HanStone Quartz by Hanwha Surfaces; pull-down faucet with dual spray and 360-degree swivel: Diva 400546, Blanco; beverage refrigerator: UC-24BG, Sub-Zero and Wolf; rug: Urban Outfitters
The home’s floor plan is open-concept, and this angle shows the kitchen from the adjacent dining area.
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Elise: I designed my 7'w. X 2'd maple butcher block counter in 1981, when I built the kitchen. I took my cues from butcher shops and made it thick enough to be able to strip the surface, which I've sanded twice to clear up deeper cut marks, the most recent caused by chopping meat with a heavy cleaver. My prep sink (21"x18"x8") makes this area work central. I scrub it with bleach solution after cutting meats and oil it every two to three weeks or after heavy use (for party prep). How many other surfaces do you know of that can handle this treatment for 36 years. If it were ever to need replacing it's easy, cheap and fast. Can't say the same for all my other counters, which are granite. If properly cared for it will provide decades of service and can look good as new. Wish I could say the same for me....
@Elise Amiot It all depends on how a person wants their counter to look today, tomorrow or next year and beyond. If you want your butcher block counter to look used and worn, then by all means, chop away on the counter. If you are just wanting that beautiful butcher block look today and tomorrow, then pull out your cutting board. The both - used and unused will need maintenance since it's wood.