Coast-to-Coast Kitchen

A Tudor house in suburban Minnesota was the ideal compromise for this young couple to start a family and blend their different backgrounds. His East Coast upbringing imprinted his desire for practicality, comfort and tradition and her West Coast rearing caused her to yearn for a more transitional space sparked with color and whimsy. Our goal was to blur the seams between the two points of view and reflect the personality and values of both. We created a kitchen that was comfortable and practical, yet spontaneous and creative. With no straight remodeling path, we conquered set back issues, upheld neighborly relations, and managed construction challenges. The hierarchy was maintained; preserve oak floors with walnut stain, embrace the arches, an architectural signature, and plaster new walls with a “linen” texture to complement the original stucco, and create a family gathering space.

The kitchen, built on old ideas, captivated and inspired new ones. The punch of paprika lifts the spirits of the sedate, practical kitchen. Artisan hand forged iron cutlery hardware embellished the cabinets and vivid awning stripe valances crown the room. Bold red rattan stools add flair to the stoic kitchen island. Exaggerated scale comes alive with the Cubic iron lantern over the breakfast table and the Gothic iron chandelier sways proudly over the island. Overlay mosaic stone, a custom mix of tiles, takes center stage, behind the Wolf stove. These “interlocking bracelets” were symbolic of our East and West Coast blending. This graceful tile, paired with the bold bronze hood, is another unpredictable choice. Tile fragments are set in a soldier pattern behind the backsplash, giving hints of age-old design. The quartz countertop was a low maintenance surface for the house chef and cabinetry plans were masterly detailed. Efficient home-office utilized cork inside cabinet doors for calendars and trellis inserts allowed for “easy to find items.”

Our design feature for the kitchen, the antique map collection showcased the Coast-to-Coast heritage of both families. From the Eastern shores of New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, to Missouri and West to California, the clients’ settled comfortably in their suburban home in Minnesota. We created a self-portrait, by recalling childhood settings and memories while defining their blended style.