Text by: Tiffany Carboni, editorial contributor

Atherton, CA is the heartland of Silicon Valley’s venture capitalism. And as you’d expect, residents here don’t follow the Joneses—they design their own standard of living.

This modern, minimalist kitchen, part of a newly constructed house by the Pacific Peninsula Group, surely reflects this notion. A collective vision of the company’s architectural and interior design staff, the project was spearheaded by principals Steve Ackley and Jude Kirik, who helped guide the large family to discover their own unique kitchen style. The sleek, light-filled space is comprised of natural finishes and textures, including rift-sawn white oak paneling, a motif repeated throughout the house. What appears to be columns leading into the kitchen from the family room are precursors to built-in cabinets. On one side of the kitchen, a large built-in hutch serves as a display case for family heirlooms; on the other, a butler’s pantry full of china, crystal, and silver leads into the formal dining room.

Cabinets running along the kitchen’s perimeter are made of strips of rift-sawn white oak topped with honed Seagrass limestone from Da Vinci Marble in nearby San Carlos. The counters’ bright, clean look (along with the glass of the hutch) helps bounce sunlight from the windows. To draw in as much light and surrounding views as possible, the team decided to forgo upper cabinets on the sink wall. In the same vein, numerous French doors in the adjoining breakfast room open up to the mild outside temperatures to create an enviable indoor-outdoor experience year-round.

When the sun goes down, recessed lighting and custom designed frosted-and-transparent glass pendants take over providing just the right ambiance. Thanks to the pendants’ casting glow, the custom white glass-and-iron hood appears to be lit from behind providing a dramatic backdrop for those watching the cook at work from the antique stools found at Antique and Interiors in Los Gatos.

Appliances include an integrated Thermador refrigerator and freestanding freezer as well as a Wolf range and microwave hidden under the island. Three sinks (one in the island and two at the window) allow other cooks in the family to help without getting in the way. Equally handy are the two Miele dishwashers that provide additional flexibility for the busy family that loves to entertain.