Kitchen of the Week: Marrying Past and Present in Los Angeles
When it comes to designing and building a house to sell on spec, the kitchen is important. Potential buyers need to be able to imagine themselves cooking, gathering and enjoying meals in the heart of the home.
While some developers might go for a blank-slate, all-white look, Sheryl Schey, a principal at White Picket Fence in Santa Monica, California, took chances, blending reclaimed boards, classic Shaker cabinetry, modern metallic tiles and a big dollop of deep blue in a recent Pacific Palisades project. The unique and harmonious mix of traditional and modern elements has an appeal that’s hard to resist, no matter what your favorite style is.
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: This speculative project was recently purchased by a young family with 2 children.
Location: Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles
Size: About 360 square feet (34 square meters)
When designing a kitchen that will make potential buyers feel right at home, Schey is inspired by the way she cooks at home. “My approach to kitchen design is based upon my own experience as a home cook, and how I am most comfortable working in my surroundings,” she says. In this kitchen she went for a transitional style, boldly combining the best of traditional and modern touches.
Styles aren’t the only things she mixes liberally, either. “I like mixing up materials and using dark and light colors against each other,” she says. While a wedding-day theme was not part of the inspiration, I noticed she happened to balance something old and something new, something borrowed and something blue.
Something old: Schey used reclaimed boards as accents throughout the house. “The entire kitchen inspiration came from finding the right reclaimed wood boards used in the ceiling,” Schey says. Eight-inch-wide white oak floors add a classic touch; wide floorboards are often found in older homes.
Tip: Use the ceiling to define a space in an open floor plan. The reclaimed vintage boards define the kitchen’s main work area overhead, from the island to the countertops.
Something new: Silestone countertops, with their strong and clean look, contrast the rustic nature of the rough-hewn boards overhead. A metallic backsplash is a modern touch that reflects the light.
Tip: Use reflective surfaces to lighten up a space. “I always incorporate some glass cabinets in the kitchen, because they feel like they open up the space,” Schey says. Glass cabinet doors, appliances and a vent hood of stainless steel, and metallic tiles bounce the light around. Caged pendant lights and polished hardware add extra shine.
Backsplash tiles: Lucien Metallics Silver Glass Bricks, Ann Sacks; hardware: Rohl; pendant lights: Ralph Lauren; range: Wolf; refrigerator: Sub-Zero
Something borrowed: Savvy furnishings like the Lucite counter stools, glass kitchen table, contemporary chairs and cowhide rug were placed by a staging company. The clear and white materials don’t distract from the major elements like the ceiling and the island.
Tip: Mix modern and traditional looks in one element. The classic Shaker cabinets have modern accents, like the toe kick and sleek hardware.
Something blue: The large island grounds the space, providing a pleasing focal point. The kitchen is oriented around the bold blue piece.
Tip: Make color count by using it on just one large object.
Boards: E and K Vintage Wood: island paint: Deep Space, Dunn-Edwards
A butler’s pantry is a traditional architectural touch with fantastic modern-day functionality. It’s a great spot to store beverages and china, and a useful transitional zone between the kitchen and the formal dining room.
A couple with two young children has purchased the home, and they’re all busy making memories here.
More: Kitchen of the Week: Into the Blue in Melbourne
