This cooks + looks combo has unique style and everything desirable in 2010-11.
As someone who wrote about food for many years, it’s difficult for me to resist a kitchen created for serious cooking that also scores high points for aesthetics. It’s an unbeatable combination we don’t see often enough – at least not for me.
When great space and a generous budget are also part of the cooks + looks equation, then you get what I call a “teachable features” kitchen like this Bay Area beauty designed by San Rafael’s Joann Hartley. Our pal and cofounder Jane T first sent me the photos of this kitchen since Janie likes to keep up on designers in and around San Francisco.
This kitchen has all the current touchstone features: banquette seating (far end), Cornue Fe French dual-fuel range, stainless steel apron-front sink, eating bar, island with lighting and storage, cabinet panels on the refrigerator, chalkboard doors, butler’s pantry, mixed color cabinets, flat-screen TV, task lighting and wine refrigeration.
Cornue Fé is the hottest range for high-end kitchens these days. While less costly than the custom-made La Cornue it has gas power, electric side-opening ovens and traditional styling that French rangers crave. This one is handsomely bumped out and installed beneath a built in hood though what contribution the fern motif on the hood makes seems a bit of a mystery. More interesting is the way the eating bar is set adjacent to the stove yet remains unfitted.
The support base of the eating bar is a super stylish industrial French vintage piece with stools that coordinate. It also refers to the style of the island. Unfettered by anything that needs to be opened below, the eating bar also acts as a great staging area and landing area for the stove. Beyond, a small butler’s pantry includes open and closed storage plus a bar sink. A flat door handily converts to a chalkboard.
Mixing cabinet finishes on the long kitchen wall breaks up the monolithic look some kitchens acquire and it’s very intelligently done. There is no shortage of equipment either – a speed oven, microwave supplement the double ovens of the Fé. The kitchen’s leitmotif, however, comes from the riveted, industrial style steel work table in the center with its double-tier chandy-shelf. Counters and backsplash are kept wisely low key and look very much like white blizzard of Caesarstone fame. Indulge me, please, while I drool.
That stove is a dream and I love the idea of the chalkboard on the door!
While I found this kitchen initially aesthetically pleasing, on more study I question some of the design choices. For instance, why have a design where the range juts out several inches beond the cabinets to the left of it. How do they open the lower cabinets to the left? I guess they only open 90 degrees? It would have been easy to place the range on the opposite wall and cleverly recess it so that it appeared at the same depth as the surrounding cabinetry. Plus that would have broken up the huge wall of cabinetry. Secondly, good luck to guests looking for the bar. It’s recessed around a corner and can easily become a congested area. And those legs on the peninsula…sure hope the cook doesn’t trip over them when removing something from the oven. Speaking of which, is the peninsula supposed to be the desired “landing spot” for dishes taken off the stove? Hmmm. Maybe pretty to look at, but I question whether this is a good, workable layout. I usually love your postings and agree with your observations, but this is one I just don’t “get.”
Kitchen chalkboards seem to be a big thing right now. They were in that ultra-chic Elle Decor concept house, too.
@nclakehouse – you know, I had some of the same thoughts but here is where I landed. I think, overall, the kitchen space is a bowling alley. And it looks to me that there’s some type of structural bump out behind the range–likely an old chimney.
The range looks to sit out at least 8 to 10 inches proud of the cabinets. So there’s room for the cabinet doors to open — 90 degrees as you say. I actually had the thought that the right oven door would bump into the island pedestal but decided there must be enough clearance. I don’t see the tripping — it appears to be tucked far enough underneath to me. But I get what you’re saying, for sure.
Another thought I had was why did that worktable stick out like that? I decided it was a visual stop — again to visually widen the room and then create a little pocket in back for the butler’s pantry.
I actually think the long wall is broken up very well — for a long wall. The 2 color cabinets help a lot and I like that.
Also, anyone note how narrow that center “island” looks? Bet it’s just 24″. That gave me a clue to the width. I think that’s the key to the layout.
A lot to love about this kitchen (drooling over mixed cabinet finishes on the long wall), but would definitely want more counter/workspace around the stove! Still cool to see.