Project: Remodeling a 90s Kitchen Reducing Angles

project details

the ask

A 1990’s white and black kitchen was a look our client was enjoying. See before pics below. But the dark wood floors were beautiful so that would be the only element left untouched during this luxury kitchen remodel.

The Tiburon, CA, homeowner asked our eggersmann Los Angeles team to design a modern kitchen to replace the original kitchen in a 1990s home. The original kitchen installed by the builder was a traditional, locally made, framed-door kitchen with lots of molding and pilaster details. The ceiling had layered soffits with several steps and moldings. The room was very angular with builder’s original design highlighting the angles with an island that added more angles and a column.

The owner’s primary objective was to minimize the angles and “clean up” the space with a modern design with minimalist aesthetic. Another feature they were eager to incorporate was better functioning cabinetry with organized inserts and drawer options because their builder-grade cabinets did not work very well for them.

The ask: Simplify and modernize the eat-in kitchen.

Luxury German Kitchen by eggersmann for Tiburon CA Owner

the solutions

Grey Luxury German Kitchen by eggersmann

The space was redesigned significantly though we worked with the existing footprint moving no walls and keeping the dark wood floors. The supporting column in the original island was removed to eliminate the weighted feel of the kitchen area’s ceiling and soffits. The ceiling of the kitchen area was elevated eliminating most of the soffits. While the ceiling was open, new LED square can lighting was added.

Though the perimeter walls of the kitchen and footprint did not change, the ceiling changes and column removal created the visual appearance of a much bigger, open space offering a simpler room ready for contemporary cabinetry.

kitchen finishes

The client wanted the space to feel different and much more contemporary than the old kitchen finishes.

So when selecting finishes we veered away from white cabinets and black tops to a fresh tone-on-tone cabinetry palette of soft and warm neutrals using 2 cabinet finishes: Nano Grigio Matte Laminate and Fineline Grigio Wood Veneer. These two cabinet finishes compliment each other and provide a subtle variation in the space with the wood cabinetry on the island and tall cabinetry and the Nano-laminate cabinetry on the rest of the perimeter base, wall cabinets, and hood.

To keep the palette soft and simple, we decided on Calcutta marble with a honed finish for all work surfaces and backsplash for continuity and visual simplicity.

The large island with seating for 4 has a thicker top detail than the perimeter to coincide with its thick waterfall legs that symmetrically frame it in the space, being centered on the 60” range with hood behind. A bronze chandelier above the island takes center stage.

Bronze pulls added to only tall cabinets added just the touch needed to tie in with the island chandelier, breakfast table light fixture, table base, and stools. The rest of the kitchen base and wall cabinets all were kept minimal with our handleless “E-sign” channel system.

kitchen functionality

The perimeter of the kitchen includes a 36” fridge and 36” freezer paired with a 24” pantry cabinet. A large 60” Wolf range is centered on the wall across from the island. We placed a prep-sink to left of the range.

Staying with the theme of simple and understated, we selected to build a custom matching cabinetry hood-box above the range which houses a 60” Wolf hood insert. We framed the unit with intentional negative-space around the hood by bringing the stone backsplash up to the ceiling to give some breathing room around this cooking zone.

To the right of the range is the clean-up zone of the kitchen featuring a large 4’ sink flanked by two Miele dishwashers and trash compactor integrated behind matching cabinet fronts. Continuing to the right of the main sink area, we added tall, shallow depth cabinetry to the breakfast area of the kitchen.

This tall cabinetry features pantry storage as well as a hidden station for a coffee bar and small appliances. A worktop inside the first set of double door cabinets so that the main perimeter countertops are kept clean from small appliances sitting out. The center double door section of this area features a hidden TV inside for viewing when seated at the breakfast table. To balance the design in the room having the large square island that was determined first, we decided on a large round breakfast table that flowed best with the floorplan. In the island, we fit a Wolf 24″ steam oven on the side hidden from view of the dining and living areas.

The appliance side of the island is full of all-drawer storage. The backside where the bar stools create a convenient informal dining area, the cabinets below are extra-deep with roll-out shelves for storage of rarely used items.

Other storage added to the room was an additional row of flip-up doors of stacked height cabinetry above both tall and wall cabinetry which was gained when the room’s ceiling height lifted by removing the soffits.

the results

The homeowner’s vision brought to life by our eggersmann LA design team achieved the goals of simplifying the angles and lines of the space, while modernizing the room and adding more storage and function that suits how the family works, plays, and entertains in the kitchen.