Kitchen Design Case Study: Awkward Angles

Every time I think I've seen it all  I'm challenged to create a kitchen design that seems impossible! Such is the case with this recent project.  This home is located in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and features not only a stunning view but also the strangest shaped kitchen! Sometimes I wonder what architects are thinking.  

coastal kitchen watercolor render blue island chief architect kitchen design

Step 1- Let there be walls

(to scale and correctly angled)

I can't even begin to design until I can get the walls drawn to scale.  I had a physical blueprint which (after some quick research) I was able to trace over in my design program (Chief Architect).  Once I did this I discovered those angles are 30 and 60 degrees, not the typical 45!  There was no possibility of changing the shape of this kitchen.

blue print kitchen with angles

Step 2- Embrace the Space

One thing I have learned is that you will never win by trying to fight the space you're designing.  Honor it, whatever it is, if you can't change it. That is the only way to end up with a design that is timeless and looks like it has always "lived" in the space. In this case, that means embracing the angled main wall while allowing ample and efficient flow.

Step 2- How to make it better

Once I had the walls accurately represented I evaluated the current layout keeping my client in mind.  He loves to cook and he and his girlfriend love to entertain.  Here are my observations:

-Cabinets are too low, not taking advantage of the high ceiling and limiting storage

-The big POINT on the island has to go! That just jumped right out at me and called for correction

-We are in need of an update and new appliances that are up to the task of my client's cooking endeavors

-The shape of the island does allow for lots of storage but also lots of walking.  The sink is pretty far from the main wall.

-With the boat docked outside and observing everything else about the home I knew my clients' style is casual, Florida-Coastal and they are much more "comfortable" than contemporary.

a boat in the back with pool and canal palm beach gardens

Step 3- The Solution

The first thing I did was the back wall.  I knew it had to accommodate the refrigerator and the new wall oven my client selected.  The fridge and stove were already there so no need to reinvent the wheel.  Remember it saves money when you can keep your major appliances in the same, or close to the same location.  In the new design cabinets are now eight and a half feet high plus crown molding.  The upper, hard to access area, features glass doors to add a bit of style and aesthetic appeal which incidentally the homeowner mentioned he wanted.  This is the perfect spot for showcasing a collection and you can change the flavor by changing the contents when the spirit moves you.  Versatility is always an important aspect of my designs.  We've also got generous counter space next to the fridge, on each side of the stove and next to the ovens, a must!  That was the easy part.

white kitchen Palm Beach Gardens coastal style white cabinets blue accent kitchen design

Now for that island.  Hmmm.  Since I'm updating that means I'm simplifying.  I'll honor that angle but I think simplicity will calm the "angle noise".  It's a popular trend these days to keep an island all at one height but I didn't think it was the right solution for this project.  It turns out I was right and my client was so relieved!  This island is really a serious cleanup and prep space and with such an open space a little buffer was needed.  The raised bar also makes me think of the captain behind the wheel, it's sort of boat-like. Pulling the island closer to the main wall (still allowing 48") not only reduces the chef's steps but discourages unwanted traffic from congregating behind the island and getting underfoot. Now our island contains all the essentials but, not gonna lie, we've lost a little storage.  To compensate I added a section of full height cabinets to balance out the kitchen. Glass panes at top reference those on the main wall.  We're keeping these at 15" deep to keep the space open.  Another benefit of shallow tall cabinets is that you will do just fine with adjustable shelves whereas, in a deeper, 24"cabinet, you'll probably need roll outs or stuff gets lost and is hard to access in the back.  Roll outs really add to the price of your cabinets too. 

Step 4- More About Those Aesthetics

Now that the layout is solved I think, what can I do to make this kitchen design stand out and fit my client's personality? A deep nautical blue island and coordinating hood of course!  I also loved the idea of creating a spot for an ocean scene front and center on the hood itself.  This is a great place to add a painting you love and, again, you can change it up! Voila

awkward angle kitchen floor plan view kitchen design

What do you think of this kitchen design? Are there any elements here you can apply to your own situation? This project is now underway and I look forward to sharing the outcome!

Open Shelves Add Function and Style

Open shelves, especially floating shelves happen to be all the rage at the moment, should you or shouldn’t you?  I often hear concerns about neatness.  Do we really want to see it all? Maybe we do.  Open shelves can greatly increase efficiency in the kitchen. Having our most used dishes, utensils and ingredients displayed and at our finger tips is very tempting!  This is how the chefs do it and there is even a term for it in French. Mise en place is a French culinary phrase which means "putting in place", as in set up. It is used in professional kitchens to refer to organizing and arranging the ingredients and items that a cook will require for preparing the menu items of the day. We can also apply this concept in our own kitchens. Here's an interesting story I came across on NPR about Mise en place. Listen and you will discover the perfect French pronunciation!Usually storage space in the kitchen is too dear to squander on an area strictly for show so I urge you to incorporate an open shelf  or open cabinet only if it will be useful as well as visually interesting.  When you get right down to it, kitchens are comprised of boxes and row after row of doors can get pretty boring.  I like to add some variety with open shelves and glass doors.That said, if you do have a collection that you love to gaze upon and showcase , open shelves are perfect is hard to reach areas such as high up or on the far side of a peninsulaThis client is a talented potter.  What better way to show off her work?  Easy to get to for dusting when you’re on the other side of the peninsula but this area is not really accessible when you’re on the working side of the kitchen.http://www.shelterness.com/pictures/open-shelves-on-a-kitchen-30.jpeg

A New Way to Organize Your Kitchen

Technology is a great thing but what about the inevitable "cord spaghetti"?  There is a very cool solution for that. Check out this little video by Adorne.  They've got you covered for all types of under cabinet magic including lights, outlets, music and more.  High function with a lovely aesthetic. 

Poggenpohl, Ultimate Form and Function

Whether your in the market for a new kitchen or you're in the business of selling kitchens one of the first questions that comes up is, “what’s your style?” Are you traditional, transitional or contemporary?  If the answer is contemporary, the elements to look for include seamless integration, totally efficient function and clean sleek lines.  These happen to be the standards at Poggenpohl, founded over 120 years ago as the first German kitchen brand and now  the best known kitchen brand in the world – present in more than 70 countries around the globe.  Poggenpohl can show you what true European contemporary design is all about.Today they continue to think outside the box (pun intended) to offer some of the   most cutting edge cabinetry in the industry.          

Behind the scenes storage is also a Poggenpohl hallmark.  A wide range of  available drawer inserts can be customized to your needs.  These kitchens are not designed, they’re engineered!  This includes not only cabinets but thin counter tops, offered in glass or stone, and even integrated glass front cooking appliances!  One can be sure that their kitchens are as pleasurable to look at as they are to work in.  I also love that although the elements are integrated they seem to also stand alone as individual sculptural statements.  (Spoken like a true kitchen designer channeling her inner artist.)A modern European kitchen utilizes the easy to reach back splash area under the upper cabinets.  Other elements to notice include horizontal graining, mid-height cabinetry and a mix of texture and materials. I enjoyed learning about Poggenpohl and their design philosophy as a part of the Modenus Blog Tour New Orleans.Next up:  We’re gonna get steamy at KFL!  Adding luxury and health benefits to your bathing experience with Mr. Steam

NAUTICAL ZEN KITCHEN

Ta daaaaa!  Another beautiful kitchen is complete, and yes it’s white with Shaker doors.  Surprise!  Not.  There were two main challenges about working in this home.  First of all the architecture is very unique and is an integral part of the space.  It’s comprised of posts and beams, angles and open lofts which remind me of a ship.  The second challenge was a lack of unity with way too much going on visually.  The existing kitchen had three different types of counter tops, two different types of cabinets and more stuff than space.  In addition, hinges and drawer slides were failing and paint was chipping.The homeowners came equipped with the most valuable of traits, an open mind.  They were willing to see their kitchen and laundry area in a new way.  Every step of the design process we would ask ourselves “does this unify and simplify”?  Think “nautical zen”!First off I decided to make peace with the posts and beams.  The layout remained the same and we didn’t even change the door style or color!  What we did was improve the fit and function.  Using all white counters unified the space and allowed the blue granite back splash to be the star of the show.  Here are some “before” pix and “after” solutions which will pave the way for smooth sailing in this new kitchen.

          

FIVE LOW COST KITCHEN UPGRADES

You’ve heard of Snakes on a Plane.  Well yesterday we had snakes in a Kitchen Design Studio.  Ok I exaggerate.  It was one snake, a juvenile black snake (according to Trevor’s iphone Googling).  I think he slithered in to tell me it’s high time I write a blog post so here I am with a topic that is especially near and dear to our hearts nowadays, saving money.If you don’t have thousands of dollars to invest in a new kitchen, there are some small tricks that can make a big difference.   Whether you just seek to make your tired dysfunctional kitchen great looking and user friendly, or you want to up the appeal for a potential buyer, these smaller upgrades fit the bill.Consumer Reports’ latest tests offers the home owner a variety of low investment ideas to freshen up the kitchen.    Here's my twist on what they had to say.Paint!“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.”- Henry Ward Beecher (Love the quote and was going to find a way to work it in here no matter what) SO, how about painting your nature in your kitchen?  Paint is the most inexpesive low-risk investment you can undertake to make a dramatic difference.  Most of us can even tackle the walls ourselves.  You can be bold as there typically isn't a whole lot of wall exposed in a kitchen (except this one!).  Don't forget to consider adjoining rooms and how colors will work together.  I prefer a satin or even a semi-gloss finish that is easy to wipe clean in the kitchen.  If you’re more ambitious and want to paint your cabinets, do it right.  Remove the doors, drawers and hardware, clean all surfaces, sand or de-gloss, use a primer and take your time! Make it work! (As Tim would say)You know what I’m talking about.  Are you tired of falling spice containers? Do you yearn for a convenient trash  receptacle?  If you’ve lived in your kitchen for a while you will probably have a few functional pet peeves.  Many of them can be addressed without breaking the budget.  There are all kinds of ways to store those unruly spices. Check out my previous post Spaces for Spices.     If you have a 15” to 21” wide cabinet to spare you can install a pull out trash container.  I’d say this is the number one accessory for a kitchen and every kitchen needs one!  How about roll out trays?  You can also purchase these and install them yourself if you’re handy. Counter solutionOne of the most visible elements in your kitchen is the counter top and a new one can make a world of difference.  Unless you’re going with a laminate, and there are some really nice selections out there,  you’re going to spend more than $1,000.  If that’s the case make sure your cabinets are worthy.  Check for damage, especially for water damage in and around the sink cabinet.  If the integrity of your cabinetry is compromised you certainly don’t want to set a butt load of money on top!  Did you know that once granite or quartz are installed no one will guarantee it can be removed without breakage? Create a splashThe back splash is another visible element with a lot of impact.  Here you can get even more creative than with the counter top because it’s purely decorative!  Other than being cleaner- friendly it doesn’t have to do anything but look pretty.  Tile, tin panels, or even wine bottle corks can make a unique statement on your back splash. Floor itWood flooring is hot at the moment and that’s because it’s a great look and it goes with almost everything but here’s the best kept secret in kitchen flooring.        Traffic Master Allure Ultra Resilient Flooring. It looks great, it’s pet proof, kid proof and water proof.  It’s really easy to install.  I know, my hubs installed it for us and it still looks great after five years!No excuses.  I find that even the smallest project completed yields such a sense of accomplishment.  These are even things you can do to tide you over until you have saved enough for the full Monty!  (At which time you will call me) In the meantime, send me pix.  I want to see what you can do.