The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where we cook our meals and grab a snack. Here, we gather in the mornings and evenings and the holidays with friends and family, sipping wine and sharing time together. So why settle for some drab space with outdated cabinets, ripped linoleum, and an oven that just won’t cook right? We talked to local designers on their biggest kitchen redesign takeaways.
Designer: SWOON | Architect: SHM Architects | Builder: Newport Group
The Takeaways: Organic materials like richly veined stone, unglazed ceramic tile, and bleached white oak create a soulful and serene feel for a Preston Hollow family rebuilding after the 2019 tornado. Open shelving displays neat stacks of dishware and other special finds, while a butler’s pantry contains additional storage. The lack of hardware on the millwork provides a clean look. —Jessica Otte
Architect: Smitharc Architecture + Interiors | Designer: Jean Liu Design | Builder: Kienast Homes
The Takeaways: This beautiful space is actually a hard-working, back-of-the-house scullery to complement a guest-friendly front kitchen. The continuous skylight casts a sunbeam across the warm, rift-sawn white oak cabinets, utilizing light as an artful element. —JO
Designer: Traci Connell Interiors | Architect & Builder: RGD+B
The Takeaways: Let there be light! The corner of this Kessler Park kitchen eschews uppers entirely for two rows of floor-to-ceiling windows. The choice to forgo window treatments keeps the space from becoming cluttered, directing your eye to the outdoor views instead. A muted color palette also pleases. —JO
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Jennifer Fordham Blanco’s clients don’t lead with the word “wellness.” “They’re just aware that when a space doesn’t work, they’re unhappy,” says the Cantoni kitchen design director. “It’s my job to figure out how they live, what annoys them, and then avoid repeating those mistakes for their mental well-being.” For gourmets, she creates meaningful zones for prep, cooking, and cleanup with multiple trash cabinets, so things stay neat with minimal steps. But if, say, a client uses a kitchen primarily to reheat food and make coffee, she’ll keep the microwave handy and relocate a coffeemaker from the dark recesses to a custom coffee bar near the dining table where the homeowner takes her paper. And while Fordham Blanco’s kitchens are state-of-the-art, she advises efficiency comes before aesthetics, no matter the budget. “Everything has to be distanced and work correctly,” she says. “If you have a 20-foot-long island, how are you going to get around that thing?” —Laura Kostelny
Architect: Smitharc Architecture + Interiors | Designer: Collins Interiors | Builder: Coats Homes
The Takeaways: Indiana limestone walls and Bulthaup aluminum cabinets in a satin finish provide a soothing palette. The cylindrical pendant blends harmoniously with the lines of the space, while a hint of sunlight peeks through courtesy of a 93-foot-long skylight. —JO
Designer: Traci Connell Interiors
The Takeaways: What makes a space relaxing is when it works for your specific needs. For javaphiles, an integrated coffee station, like this one in designer Traci Connell’s own home, is the ticket. —JO
Designer: Carrie Hatfield Interior Design | Architect: Maestri Studio | Builder: Greenwell Homes
The Takeaways: Soft edges—like the arched ceiling and doorways in this Clifford D. Hutsell home—feel more organic than sharp corners. Shiny subway tile reflects light and is easy to clean in the event of a culinary disaster, while pocket doors hide a butler’s pantry, keeping mess to a minimum. Custom height counters better accomodate the six-foot-tall woman of the house. —JO
Authors
Jessica Otte
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