A Fresh Take on a Modern Farmhouse Kitchen
Crisp contrast and clean lines will keep this Canadian kitchen from feeling dated anytime soon
The palette: Large stuck with a contrasting palette of white cabinets (painted in Pure White by Sherwin-Williams) and military green with accents of black and blonde throughout. To stay cohesive and not get carried away with limitless options in a brand-new home, Large clad all the ceilings in white shiplap and all the floors in Canadian white oak. The designer feels the oak planks’ “matte finish and wide width give them a soft modern feel.”
Flooring: Canadian white oak, Antique Impressions
Flooring: Canadian white oak, Antique Impressions
Trim: The designer used black paint (Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams) for the doors and window trim, because he finds the color obstructs views less than white. “It also emphasizes architectural elements in a primarily white home,” he says.
Countertops, backsplash and range hood: Deeply veined white-and-gray quartz backsplash and countertops punctuate the white cabinetry. Canadian soapstone in a flamed finish for texture tops the island. The hood is done in acid-washed cold steel, because the designer felt the dark hue and straight lines help anchor the range.
Quartz: Calacatta Natura, Zodiaq; soapstone: Astro Design Centre
Quartz: Calacatta Natura, Zodiaq; soapstone: Astro Design Centre
Island: To create an island that looked like a piece of furniture, Large started with a 4-foot workstation. Then he changed the cabinetry style slightly to give it an L shape, with seating at one end near where the cook would be and storage as well. The bar top is done in the same European oak as the floating shelves that flank the hood.
Island: The Galley
Island: The Galley
Military green: Both the pantry on the right and the island are done in a custom military green. It’s a more muted dark hue than pure black.
Wall sconce: Alice by Suzanne Kasler for Visual Comfort
Wall sconce: Alice by Suzanne Kasler for Visual Comfort
Cabinet pulls: “We opted for integrated hardware on the cabinet doors for the island, so as to not draw unnecessary attention to it,” Large says. “We wanted a visually calm effect.”
Shop cabinet knobs and pulls
Shop cabinet knobs and pulls
Prep station: The sink system is a large trough that can be used for prep and presentation in addition to cleaning. Chalkboard cutting boards add interest, and the sink comes with food-safe chalk for writing, which makes a good conversation piece. “All of the details were kept very sparse, but the ones that are there were meticulously thought through,” Large says.
Sink and accessories: The Galley
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Sink and accessories: The Galley
More
Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Kitchen
Find a kitchen designer
Shop kitchen products
Kitchen at a Glance
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Size: 300 square feet (27.8 square meters)
Designer: Dean Large of Astro Design Centre
The backstory: For this new-construction home, the key to lasting design was keeping the look fresh and current without time-stamping it through popular materials.
“The kitchen and entire home were dreamt up to have soft modern farmhouse feel,” designer Dean Large of Astro Design Centre says. “We wanted the space to have a sense of permanence, which we reflected in the materials. We didn’t want the space to ever feel as though it was built at a certain point in time.”
Cabinetry: Avenue collection, Aster Cucine; bar stools: Astro Design Centre (find similar ones here); chandelier: bistro, Ian K. Fowler for Visual Comfort