On top of Queen Anne hill in Seattle, homeowner's Rich and Robin transformed a poorly-remodeled-in-the-60's home (complete with a pleather wet bar, shag carpet, and an organ) into a home with a hardworking kitchen at the center of the family's living area. Before, the kitchen occupied a small 8'x8' area, barely big enough for the sink and cabinets.
Rather than designing the kitchen based upon the "kitchen work triangle" (the close proximity of sink, refrigerator, and stove which defines the cook's path of travel while preparing meals) the kitchen was designed in zones, moving from one end of the room to the other. The layout borrowed space from what used to be an extension of the dining room and a butler's pantry to create activity zones, moving from food storage, to food prep, to cooking, to clean-up in a linear progression. The food storage area has an integrated refrigerator and pull-out pantry cabinets, fit snugly under the existing staircase. Preparation is made easy by a copper sink and elegant by a custom island that is the showcase of the kitchen. The island was made from an antique credenza and with custom-made set of drawers along the backside and a custom granite slab with ogee edge on top. Stools tuck under the curved overhanging corners, inviting homework-doers and cooks to help each other. The original kitchen nook had a nice territorial view of the neighborhood from the sink, so that location became the anchor for what is now the clean-up area of the kitchen.
Inspired by many visits to France and an inspiration book full of photos collected over the years, the kitchen took on the romance of Paris and became home to many antique French light fixtures. For a touch of whimsy, a small "mouse house" was created below the home's original ice box, as an homage to Robin's favorite childhood book. The robin's egg blue La Canche range was the very first item purchased for the kitchen. Although it may seem like a bold color choice, the architect's advice was, "If you have loved a color all your life, you always will. So, go for it!"
Is that a white marble counter top, coupled with the granite top on the island???
Yes, Crema Marfil marble counters with a seafoam green granite counter.
This is the best kitchen yet. Love the island. Also, it isn't blindingly white. Much softer and easier to see.
Thanks so much!
Who made the cabinets in the Nob Hill kitchen?
Pete's Cabinet Shop in Everett, WA
www.petescabinetshop.com
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This kitchen is beautiful! I love the charming character and materials used. I would love to know which blue paint they chose for the ceiling/walls. Is that information available?
I don't have the exact color, but I can tell you it was a Benjamin Moore color -- and believe it or not, it is from the WHITE fan. Even the slightest tint of color will POP when it is on a ceiling...
Beautiful!! The colors, the credenza island...all of it. I love the idea of the linear activity progression as an alternative to the work triangle.
Thank you! It is helpful to remember the linear progression as an option -- it works really well, and often suits the shape of space (and preferences of the cook) better than a typical work triangle.