Design News Cover Kitchen!

"The kitchen and its island [provide] an interaction of the vertical stainless steel and etched glass screen wall with the horizontal granite countertop, and the mass of the curved maple cabinetry," notes Knoetgen.

He adds that, "The body or mass is clear-finish maple. It has the absolute black granite countertop, a horizontal plane on top. Then we intersected the maple and granite with a stainless steel and etched glass vertical grid. The result is play of form and material." The last move was to apply a black rubber base to the kick of the Wood-O-Rama custom cabinetry to visually separate the cabinets from the floor.

All kitchen storage is in the immediate area for added convenience, according to the design team. A large pantry-style cabinet facing the dining area holds the fine china, crystal and flatware, while a panty for all of the extra grocery shopping purchases is placed opposite the island.

Since contemporary design that highlighted function was a high priority for the clients, a number of time-saving appliances were also included in the kitchen. A Sub-Zero side-by-side refrigerator and a Viking Range cooktop, range, warming drawer and dishwasher provide added convenience, while the custom stainless steel range hood provides added visual interest.

Lighting concerns were addressed by maintaining the large windows in the front and back of the 'loft', as well as the high ceilings. Apricot cone pendants create a visual draw toward the kitchen, where under-cabinet lighting highlights the countertop, and spot MR-16 halogens in the soffit accent the natural maple cabinets.