Turquoise Mexican Tile Kitchen
By Jane F ~ December 16th, 2009. Filed under: Blue, Kitchens.
The spirit of Mexican and rustic California Mission architecture is embodied in this kitchen which combines vivid turquoise – declared the “color of the year” for 2010 – with the warm reddish browns of Mexico’s natural Saltillo tiles.
The centerpiece of the room by Chicago-area designer Jean Stoffer, who also provides the custom cabinets, is a 10-foot long, turquoise-painted island with a walnut top and round, copper prep sink.
Opposite is a Wolf range below a sculpture chimney hood supported by wood corbels with a knockout turquoise glazed-tile range guard incorporating a herringbone pattern medallion. Perimeter cabinets of knotty alder have wrought iron pulls and are topped with a granite that incorporates the rust and aqua palette.
Wrought iron sconces mix easily with oil-rubbed bronze sink faucets as well as the double, hand-hammered Mexican farm sink.
Pantone, the company which provides color standards to the world, cites the soothing, tropical aspects of turquoise, their hue #15-5519TCX. Long a fashion color that evokes the water and sky, it is not often seen as such a bold leitmotif, even in blue kitchens.
To complete the overall look, the designer used mineral stucco to create the earth-tone textured walls. Colored tiles, set into the step-down area just outside the kitchen, are often seen in Spanish colonial homes built in California during the 1920s and 30s. (Photos via Jean Stoffer Design)
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December 16th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Turquoise in all its various interpretations is an extremely versatile color. It can summon many positive color associations; 1980’s ‘teal & mauve’ mode is not an instant association for everyone. Nice to see an example that showcases how it can be used beyond cheesy, theme-y southwest too — that’s a beautiful kitchen.
December 16th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
I love that kitchen. I prefer the earthier turqoise in some of the pics to the lighter, more aqua color that it also is photographing, as well. Would love to see it in real life.
The hood looks to be a thin painted metal, to me. Interesting! It really doesn’t read that way overall, just when looking at it’s thickness along the front and its very straight lines.
Turquoise and mauve never occurred to me! I have been loving seeing turquoise around again in its current recreation.
Those floors are stunning, too. And would love to see the granite that was used, close up.
December 16th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
I wear turquoise quite a bit and it’s one of my favorite colors. I doubt I could live with that much of it unless some day I inherit a house in the tropics.
I’m rather sure the hood is not painted metal — it would have a metal liner, though. The walls are done with colored stucco — I found some wonderful videos in Italian on that process — turns out it’s a first cousin to Venetian plaster.
The attention to detail in this kitchen is terrific and what I think helps put it over is the fact that the turquoise tiles are glazed — that almost gives the entire thing a jewel-like quality.
December 16th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
There doesn’t seem to be any thickness to the arch of the hood. Similar ones seem to be rather thick. What do you think it might be made of? I was just using ‘metal’ figuratively, so to speak, as it’s thin, non-combustible, and often used for hoods.
That tile is so beautiful. Clay and tile are some of my favorite things! I like that it’s a shiny glaze, also. Herringbone has such great texture and interest. I’ve always loved it.
Love those headers over the windows, too! Spanish Colonial and California Mission — also two of my favs!
December 16th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Custom chimneys like this one can be constructed of wood or perhaps a heatproof cement board. The stainless liner fits under and inside with the blower. The outside must be primed and then the stucco is applied. The stucco is quite durable and not especially thick. As it looks the same to me as the walls, that’s what I expect. It’s not all that different from wooden hoods we see all the time, just that those are veneer, stained and sealed instead of stucco. One of my friends did one this way as a DIY but she wanted even more texture so they mixed straw into the stucco. My best guess.
December 17th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Love that bronze farmhouse sink!
January 8th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
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