Kitchen Design
New This Week: 3 Kitchens Full of Character and Charm
Rich materials, colors that pop and custom features set these spaces apart from the rest
Nobody wants a boring kitchen. Look to these three kitchens for color, style and personality inspiration to help keep yours from being forgettable.
2. Colorful
Designers: Bryn Davidson and Shima Alavi of Lanefab Design/Build
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Size: 130 square feet (12 square meters); 10 by 13 feet (3 by 3.9 meters)
Homeowner’s request: The owner, who is an illustrator and a graphic designer, wanted a bright and open working space that was unique.
Special features: Reclaimed-wood feature wall. Mixed-tile backsplash that gives the effect of “fading to white as it moves up the wall,” designer Bryn Davidson says. Custom table-bar built by Lanefab from a slab of reclaimed live-edge cedar. The table is on wheels and can be tucked under the countertop to act as a peninsula or be wheeled out to become a dining table.
“Uh-oh” moment: “The first iteration of the polished concrete floor was a bit too polished,” Davidson says. “It was too slippery for both the owner and her dog, so we eventually opted for adding a concrete microtopping, which is a type of flooring we had used on a number of previous projects.”
Dishwasher: double-wide, Fisher & Paykel; backsplash tiles: Modwalls; pendant lights: Plumen; countertops: quartz; cabinets: custom with soft-close hardware; windows: triple glazed “passive-house-grade” tilt and turn, EuroLine Windows; prefab wall panels: Insulspan; concrete microtopping: Mapei
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Designers: Bryn Davidson and Shima Alavi of Lanefab Design/Build
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Size: 130 square feet (12 square meters); 10 by 13 feet (3 by 3.9 meters)
Homeowner’s request: The owner, who is an illustrator and a graphic designer, wanted a bright and open working space that was unique.
Special features: Reclaimed-wood feature wall. Mixed-tile backsplash that gives the effect of “fading to white as it moves up the wall,” designer Bryn Davidson says. Custom table-bar built by Lanefab from a slab of reclaimed live-edge cedar. The table is on wheels and can be tucked under the countertop to act as a peninsula or be wheeled out to become a dining table.
“Uh-oh” moment: “The first iteration of the polished concrete floor was a bit too polished,” Davidson says. “It was too slippery for both the owner and her dog, so we eventually opted for adding a concrete microtopping, which is a type of flooring we had used on a number of previous projects.”
Dishwasher: double-wide, Fisher & Paykel; backsplash tiles: Modwalls; pendant lights: Plumen; countertops: quartz; cabinets: custom with soft-close hardware; windows: triple glazed “passive-house-grade” tilt and turn, EuroLine Windows; prefab wall panels: Insulspan; concrete microtopping: Mapei
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3. Custom
Designer: Travis B. Colburn of Modern Organic Design Architecture
Builder: Peder Sunde of Sunde Builders
Location: Satsop, Washington
Size: About 174 square feet (16.1 square meters); 7¼ by 24 feet (2.2 by 7.3 feet)
Homeowners’ request: “The cabin sits on 6.7 acres along the Satsop River in southwestern Washington state,” builder Peder Sunde says. “The space needed to serve as a kitchen, mudroom, laundry and staircase to an upstairs loft area. The homeowners desired an open and bright space, valuing practicality and functionality over a fussy or elaborate design. Economy and sustainability were also major factors.”
Special features: Custom cabinetry made from Europly and plastic laminate. Open shelving and lower deep-drawer storage. PaperStone countertops. Large island with range. Mint-green fridge.
Stools: Ikea
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Designer: Travis B. Colburn of Modern Organic Design Architecture
Builder: Peder Sunde of Sunde Builders
Location: Satsop, Washington
Size: About 174 square feet (16.1 square meters); 7¼ by 24 feet (2.2 by 7.3 feet)
Homeowners’ request: “The cabin sits on 6.7 acres along the Satsop River in southwestern Washington state,” builder Peder Sunde says. “The space needed to serve as a kitchen, mudroom, laundry and staircase to an upstairs loft area. The homeowners desired an open and bright space, valuing practicality and functionality over a fussy or elaborate design. Economy and sustainability were also major factors.”
Special features: Custom cabinetry made from Europly and plastic laminate. Open shelving and lower deep-drawer storage. PaperStone countertops. Large island with range. Mint-green fridge.
Stools: Ikea
See more of this home
More
Your New Kitchen: 7 Tricky Questions You Didn’t Know You’d Ask
From the Pros: 8 Reasons Kitchen Renovations Go Over Budget
4 Kitchen Design Decisions to Spend a Little Extra Time On
Other Resources on Houzz
Search for kitchen products
Find a pro near you
Designer: Celeste Lewis
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 240 square feet (22.2 square meters); 12 by 20 feet (3.6 by 6 feet)
Homeowners’ request: Improve the kitchen as part of a whole-house remodel. The main goals were capturing more of the sweeping view and expanding the size of the kitchen by removing a load-bearing wall and masonry fireplace.
Special features: Oregon myrtle wood cabinets with black grain. Black-and-white cement tile backsplash. Vertical-grain fir windows. Red-toned oak floors. Under- and overcabinet lighting. Decorative track lighting on the support beam.
“Uh-oh” moment: “During construction we realized that although our as-built measurements showed a 16-degree angle between the two halves of the house, in reality it was 13 degrees,” architect Celeste Lewis says. “The smaller angle meant the wall segment by the refrigerator was shorter than originally anticipated. The fix required eliminating a kitchen cabinet to the left of the wall ovens. While the owners do wish they had that cabinet, they also realize that with their kids growing up and their nest emptying, they likely didn’t need the extra cabinet after all.”
Refrigerator, ovens and dishwasher: Miele; range: Wolf; range hood: Vent-A-Hood
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