By creating a successful blend of Old World and New, the Nukitchens design team delivered a kitchen that honors the history of this classic Colonial and the homeowners’ love of contemporary design.
“Their international background increased their awareness for how historic architecture can coexist with modern design in a harmonious manner,” says Nukitchens owner Joe Najmy. “They wanted a space with a stronger relationship to adjacent rooms that are filled with the husband’s family-heirloom Dutch antiques and to their property that has stonework by the wife’s Italian father.”
Lead designer Paulo Seixas first sketched a basic layout of where the sink and appliances could go to improve the flow and function of the space. “The space is long, and we didn’t want the cabinetry to accentuate that aspect,” notes Najmy. “To focus the space, we placed the white cabinetry in the core area of the kitchen and the gray wood-grain on the edges. The pantry/freezer and coffee stations read more furniture-like as auxiliary elements on the ends of the kitchen.
“The homeowners were drawn to the Poggenpohl display in our showroom,” Najmy continues. “They were able to see how the glossy white cabinets reflect the light and architecture that surrounds them. At times, it’s as if they are a background element constantly changing as the light changes throughout the day.”
Additional Resources:
Cabinetry, Poggenpohl. White countertops, Cambria. Gray countertops, Neolith. Chairs and stools, Philippe Starck. Table, Eero Saarinen. Light fixture, Leucos.
For his own kitchen, architect Rich Granoff of Granoff Architects partnered with Chuck Wheelock of Wheelock Design Associates to create a clean modern space that’s also warm and user-friendly. “After raising my family here and now being an empty nester, I decided to completely rebuild a new modern kitchen,” says Granoff. Adds Wheelock, “The kitchen was conceived to better complement the Granoffs’ current lifestyle and their growing contemporary art collection.”
The plan was to create a clean open space “with a killer piece of art at one end and an aquarium in the corner,” says Granoff. “I had the concept of removing an existing fireplace and creating a 10-foot-long wall that would be the location of a great horizontal piece of art. I designed the lighting to accent this wall before we found the piece.”
“The Granoffs saw a kitchen in our portfolio that combined finishes and styles that became the directive for this kitchen,” notes Wheelock. “Also, we had a limited-edition exhaust hood with a matte silver automotive finish designed by F.A. Porsche that we took from one of our displays to add a unique sculptural element to the cooking elevation.”
In designing the wine service station, Wheelock, an avid amateur yachtsman, was inspired by the Maxi Dolphin, an award-winning yacht designed by Luca Brenta. Glassware and decanters are stored in the smoked-glass section; below are Perlick beverage centers.
For that piece of “killer art,” the architect and his wife commissioned a piece from artist Markus Linnenbrink, whom they discovered at the opening of Weber Gallery (another Granoff design). “We absolutely love it, and it makes the entire room,” says Granoff.
Additional Resources:
Countertops, PentalQuartz. Fish tank, House of Fins. Pendants, Hubbardton Forge. Backsplash, Artistic Tile. Vent hood, F.A. Porsche. Range, Miele. Chairs, Knoll. Table, Cattelan Italia.
An open floor plan with a focus on cooking, entertaining and wine storage were a high priority for this homeowner, who is a certified sommelier.
“It would be a reflection of the owners’ love of family, cooking and wine with an eye toward seamless integration with new outdoor entertainment spaces,” says architect Scott Soper of Soper Babcock Associates. “Schoeller + Darling Design, in addition to providing the furniture layout for the house, performed the landscape design for the outdoor entertainment spaces.”
By incorporating the former dining room, the new design captured views of Greenwich Cove. Removing bearing partitions of the first floor necessitated the installation of steel beams in the ceiling to achieve clear spans of floor space. Floor framing was structurally reinforced to support the large island countertop and the weight of modern appliances.
Schoeller and Darling worked with the homeowner to select the Arclinea kitchen. “We wanted to create something that is familiar yet fresh looking,” say Joanna Darling and Michael Schoeller.
“While the house is largely traditional, they love modern design, so everything we chose was to blend—we used classic materials with modern profiles.”
A wine-storage cube straddles the space between the kitchen and living room reinforcing an air of sophisticated informality. “I planned the wine storage area as a space that could be lived with and appreciated as art,” says Soper. “I thought it would have the most impact as a glass cube, allowing the bottles to be appreciated three dimensionally. It was the ‘project within the project’ that makes the kitchen unique.”
Additional Resources:
Barstools, Desiron. Pendants, Flos and Artemide.
A contemporary kitchen with simple lines and neutral colors is the perfect match for a newly constructed home by architect George Dumitru. “The kitchen needed to fit the home while extending George’s vision and spatial goals,” says Klaffs kitchen designer Nick Geragi. The homeowner requested minimal clutter and natural materials. “They wanted to create a socializing space within the kitchen,” notes Geragi. “They love to cook as well as entertain both indoors and out.”
Space constraints in the galley kitchen created a few challenges. “The design of the space and particularly the cabinetry had to be well executed,” says Geragi. “Door and drawer alignments had to be precise; the viewer’s eye had to have rhythmic relief. We needed to bring a level of intimacy by visually distracting your eye from the very high ceilings.” High gloss acrylic cabinets stacked to a 10-foot-high ceiling are minimized by the horizontal rhythm of the mirrored upper row stack giving both a vertical and horizontal feel. “This repetition of shapes helps reduce the towering effect of a high ceiling while making the space feel more intimate,” says Geragi. Aluminum toe spaces with accent lighting give the kitchen a sense that it is floating, which also adds a horizontal base line to the space.
The island, which is illuminated with Louis Poulsen pendants and topped with quartzite, houses Electrolux beverage storage. One end doubles as a seating area alongside large sliding doors. The homeowners’ favorite aspect? “When you are standing in the kitchen, you feel as if you were as easily standing outdoors as you are indoors.”
Additional Resources:
Beverage storage, Electrolux. Vent hood, Miele. Pendants, Louis Poulsen. Cabinets, Klaffs Professional Series.