Homeowner’s Request:

A kitchen designed in contemporary style. The homeowner also desired multiple seating areas in the great room, which would limit the size of the kitchen work space. The homeowner wanted to mix natural and manufactured materials and finishes. Finally, an appliance garage, kitchen island and microwave placed in convenient locations were primary requests.

Designer’s Challenge:

Create a spacious feeling in the kitchen, as well as more storage space, with limited space to design.

Designer’s Solution:

Cowan addressed the need for more space in several key ways. First, he preserved important preparation space on the countertop area by setting the microwave and appliance garage into the wall. Deep and shallow drawers were also installed next to the refrigerator to house kitchen items of various sizes. A corner cabinet was installed for additional storage. Finally, the new kitchen island houses a cooktop and more counter space, seating for two and pull-out drawer cabinets for utensils.

To fulfill the homeowner’s wish for a more contemporary kitchen, Cowan and his team used glass-front cabinetry in powder blue and espresso stain. He also installed stainless-steel and aluminum-finished appliances and added these finishes to cabinetry hardware as well. An island hood with primarily glass and stainless-steel accents provides a centerpiece, but does not obstruct the viewer’s perception of the space. When it came to one of the most important surfaces, “The golden lighting granite countertops were selected for the beautiful deep-green base and the tan-gold and dark-brown veining that pulls all of the kitchen finishes and wood flooring together,” explains the designer. Finally, bar stools were selected to further complement the modern look.