Written by: Tiffany Carboni

The owners of this Las Vegas home found the property, not as the dream house it is today, but as a lifeless foreclosure halted in mid-construction. “It was nothing but a slab with wood sticks,” explains project interior designer Taylor Borsari, principal of Taylor Borsari Inc. “It had potential, but needed heart.” 

What the house lacked in a formal living room, Borsari had to make up for with an elegant kitchen that would fluidly transition into adjoining living spaces. Branded by Borsari as “traditional contemporary,” the hybrid-style kitchen she devised spins the two distinct looks into one by using conventional materials in unconventional ways. The custom walnut cabinets, for example, reinvent the typical format thanks to its use of horizontal planks. The modern twist is tempered with traditional white bronze pulls from Rocky Mountain Hardware.

From the ceiling hang two 1940s French oxidized aluminum-and-Plexiglas pendants from Orange. The pendants, in tandem with the brushed stainless steel-and-brass hood made by Martin Metal Designs further punctuate Borsari’s unique look. “This kitchen is all about reinterpreting traditional aesthetics by using layers of textures and colors to make every facet interesting,” she says.

She limited the amount of upper cabinets to let the space take advantage of the airy vaulted ceilings. The oversized island more than compensates with its endless storage possibilities on every side. “From the main area of the living space,” notes Borsari, “all you see are clean lines. But hidden away on the stove side is a large, open bookcase that keeps cookbooks accessible.”

Like the perimeter cabinets, the island is topped with Mariana soapstone from Walker Zanger. Over time the well-used soapstone takes on a patina, but its original luster can be quickly restored with some oil and a little old fashion elbow grease.

The flooring is made from Brazilian cherry. The custom stain color Borsari chose counteracts the wood's natural reds and, in turn, highlights the intricate grain pattern of the exotic wood.

In the adjacent dining room, Borsari further pushed the style pedal to the metal with her rendition of a built-in hutch. “It’s a walnut cabinet, the doors of which are wrapped in gun-metal finished steel,” says the designer of the masterpiece also created by her trusted artisans at Martin Metal Designs.

So long as you’ve got the creative moxie—and the right craftspeople to back up your cutting edge ideas, there’s no stopping two seemingly opposing styles from living together companionably under one roof.