Light and Lovely Marble Kitchen
Light and Lovely Marble Kitchen
Written by Amy Elbert
Photography by Werner Straube
Produced by Hilary Rose
Days after having her third child, Cindy Razeghi faced the daunting task of designing a kitchen for the home that she and her husband, Andrew, were building in Winnetka, Illinois. I was at that crazy phase of no sleep, and I knew the kitchen would be the most overwhelming area to plan, she says. I had no clue what to do.
Cindy enrolled in a class taught by Chicago-based kitchen designer Mick De Giulio, hoping to pick up a few hints. Instead, she hired the teacher. Mick mixes traditional and contemporary, and I knew my husband would love that, Cindy says. My husband leans toward the contemporary, and I pull toward the traditional. After seeing some of Micks work, I thought, This guy is going to be able to make both of us happy.
Short on time (as well as sleep), Cindy was more than happy to turn over the bulk of the planning to De Giulio, who quickly sized up the familys needs. The general idea was to create a kitchen that would be central to everyday living, De Giulio says. They love cooking and having their family in the kitchen, so this is really the hub.
With three children, who are now ages 8, 4, and 2, there is plenty of bustle in the room. While De Giulio factored in the demands the busy family would make on the kitchen, he didnt sacrifice beauty or function. Mick does a very good job of making things useful. Our kitchen looks elegant, but its definitely not dainty, Cindy says, adding that storage is plentiful and thoughtfully placed so the kitchen functions efficiently.
There were some tough decisions along the way: Should they install marble countertops, which are inclined to stain? (My older son is always concocting some potion out of seven different ingredients, observes his mother.) How about full-length glass cabinet doors? (I could just see a ball going through them.)
In the end, the Razeghis followed their stylish instincts and trusted in De Giulios selection of durable materials. We felt marble is more beautiful than anything else, so it would be worth the marks and stains, Cindy says. And no ball has yet cracked the thick door-quality glass on the cabinets, where the Razeghis show off some of their favorite dishes and glassware.
De Giulio satisfied Andrews modernist preferences with a sculptural vent hood custom-crafted of polished stainless steel. Countertops on each side of the range are brushed stainless, which develops a warm patina with age. The countertops waterfall down cabinet side panels, also fabricated of stainless that is polishednot brushedto a mirror finish. Some other cabinet bases are trimmed with strips of stainless steel for durable toekicks. One of the most modern elements is the polished stainless steel, which is like the jewelry of the space, notes De Giulio.
Cindy got her traditional fix with marble countertops, a vintage-style faucet, and a crystal chandelier in the window-lined breakfast nook. Its definitely a classical kitchen, but theres an edginess to the design, De Giulio says. We wanted to think differently about the style and not do a typical traditional kitchen but rather one that really has a modern feel to it.
The table in the breakfast nook is a good example of the kitchens modern-traditional mix. Cindy and Andrew ordered it after admiring a similar one in De Giulios showroom. (The handcrafted tables are favorites of the designer, who has one in his own home.)
The bronze base with its contemporary lines is topped with a handmade fired terra-cotta surface featuring an intricate compass-like design. The method used to make the top is the same as that used by the Romans 2,000 years ago to make their aqueducts, De Giulio explains. The table has a really great texture and is finished with beeswax. And like the aqueducts, it stands up to plenty of use. We eat on it every day, and the kids sit there all the time to color and build things, Cindy says.
While Cindy fussed about creating a kitchen that would accommodate her three youngsters, De Giulio reminded her about the importance of planning for the long term.
We built the future into the kitchen, both stylistically and functionally, De Giulio says. From an everyday-living standpoint, that kitchen is a room they can morph into as their kids get older.
Kitchen designer: Mick De Giulio, DeGiulio Kitchen Design, 1121 Central Ave., Wilmette, IL 60091; 847/256-8833, www.degiulio.org.
Table (steel base with bronze patina, custom designed cottopesto top): DeGiulio Kitchen Design, 847/256-8833, www.degiulio.org.
Chairs (BABA Side Chair): Design Within Reach, 800/944-2233, www.dwr.com.
Chandelier (Renaissance): Schonbek, 800/836-1892, www.schonbek.com.
Sconces: owners collection.
Television: Samsung, 800/726-7864, www.samsungusa.com.
