Archipelago designers pulled the earthy colors from the golden lightning granite countertop and ran them through the open living area. Combined with a warm interplay of woods, the result is an eclectic, yet contemporary space.

BEFORE

When your aged oven is making strange noises, your cabinetry is splintering and your countertop is a yellowed Formica, it’s probably time for an overhaul. The owner of this 1970s-era apartment decided it was time to bring his appliances into the 21st century, and he wanted to redo everything else, too.

Michelle Weeks, of West Pacific Designs, drew up the preliminary plans. Then, she brought in Rick Cowan, CKD, of Archipelago Hawaii, refined island designs, for the detailing and finish work. When Weeks relocated to the Mainland, the team at Archipelago took over the project.

This kitchen gained some roomy new storage through the use of intelligent cabinetry placement and design. The designers left some areas cabinet-free and used the glass wall unit to help keep the feeling of spaciousness.

A key part of the remodel was removing a dividing wall that blocked off the kitchen at the apartment’s entrance. Taking that wall away revealed the apartment’s good bones.
“The whole place has an architectural look with lots of angles and levels, so we decided to take that a step further,” says Archipelago’s Tiare Cowan, CKD, Allied ASID.
The kitchen is a deft interplay of levels, lines and curves, from the ceiling soffit to the glass bar that floats on hefty wenge columns above the countertop.

Tiare created more geometric play with rectangular wall panels of stretched fabric. The panels add a splash of fun and color to the open living space, but they also serve an acoustic function—one holdout from the past in this bachelor pad is the owner’s much-played collection of vinyls.

The yellow Formica is long gone and the countertop now sports a rich stretch of green granite. While the kitchen is moderately small, Rick didn’t hesitate to use strong materials in the countertop and cabinets.

“It’s a misconception that you can’t use darker cabinets in smaller spaces,” he says. “The key is to use a combination of darker cabinets and lighter materials. That’s where we brought in things like the glass bar top and backsplash and the stainless appliances.”

Working in an apartment building presented some challenges with wiring and plumbing, but Archipelago was able to turn possible headaches into creative solutions. A potentially inaccessible corner, created by the location of the washer, dryer and water heater, was turned into valuable storage space with the installation of a new shelving product from Kesseböhmer. The peanut-shaped shelves rotate smoothly in and out of the cupboard, granting easy access to everything stored inside.

“It’s unbelievable,” says the homeowner, standing in his newly finished kitchen with new top-of-the-line appliances. “I never thought it would be like this. I plan to cook more.” Pointing to the new wine storage unit, he adds with a laugh, “I plan to drink more, too.”