Neutral Zone
Erin Johnson and Michael Schmid’s kitchen was relatively small (8½ feet by 14 feet) in proportion to their 3,000-square-foot Lyon Park house, built in 2002, and it lacked functional storage space. Also, its builder-grade finishes had seen better days.
Sure, those shortcomings had to be fixed, but the plans for their kitchen remodel started with a range—specifically, a sleek Lacanche unit, handmade in Burgundy, France. “It was the first thing we decided on after visiting their New York City showroom,” says Johnson, a real estate broker. “The other design elements flowed from there.”
The team tasked with righting their kitchen’s wrongs—and making sure the rest of the space was on par with that fabulous stove—included Tanya Smith-Shiflett, owner of Unique Kitchens & Baths in Great Falls; interior designer Alison Giese, whose eponymous firm is based in San Antonio; and Carrmichael Construction in Oakton.
The first order of business was enlarging the space, which was easy because the kitchen had an adjacent sitting area that allowed the construction crew to elongate the room. “We had to move windows around and add walls,” Smith-Shiflett says. But in the grand scheme of kitchen makeovers, it was a relatively simple solution.
As Giese explains it, the revamped culinary space is now organized into zones, with the sink, fridge and storage on one side; the range (with its custom hood) and island occupying the center; and a coffee and wine bar on the other side.
Aesthetically, the owners wanted a mixture of styles and finishes incorporating inspiration from their travels. Smith-Shiflett specified a combination of painted, stained and white oak cabinets with a lime mineral finish that enhances the wood’s natural characteristics. Vertical planks on one wall and the ceiling create depth and dimension.
“We prefer a neutral, nature-inspired palette,” Johnson says. “The varied cabinet finishes are tied together by Calacatta quartzite countertops that have a flowing, organic veining. I love the patina of unlacquered brass, so that was incorporated in the cabinet knobs, handles and lighting hardware. The wood paneling detail on the ceiling helps the space feel cozy.”
Smith-Shiflett attributes the project’s success to the homeowners’ collaborative energy and high level of engagement. “The clients were lovely,” she says. “[Erin] knew what she wanted. I think being in real estate, she sees many kitchens, so she has an eye for certain things.”
The result is a dramatic yet quiet space that brings the couple joy. “It’s our favorite room of the house,” says Schmid, who works in finance. “We wouldn’t change a thing. We smile every time we walk into the room.”
Cool Vermilion
In the 15 years after they bought their Arlington home, a postwar rambler built in the 1950s, Melanie and David (last name withheld for privacy) made various improvements, but the kitchen stayed more or less the same. “The kitchen was functional, renovated sometime in the late ’90s,” says Melanie, who works in public affairs. (David is an entrepreneur.) “The layout was cramped and a bit awkward. The style was very generic and not our taste at all. It was very beige.”
Its dated finishes, lack of storage and oddly angled sink left much to be desired, she adds. But the space did have some redeeming qualities, including its sunny, east-facing orientation and prime location in the center of the house.
To build on these positive attributes, the couple turned to TriVistaUSA, a design-build firm in Arlington. “We like midcentury style and wanted any upgrades to the house to be consistent with the original design,” Melanie says.
The home’s original narrow kitchen was little more than a hallway with cabinets. To create better circulation and sight lines inside the house, TriVistaUSA co-owner Michael Sauri reconfigured various aspects of the layout, relocating a kitchen pantry and removing wall casings that were making the interiors feel cramped.
The intervention preserves a straight view from the front door into the kitchen, while opening up the main floor connections between the living room, kitchen and bedroom wing.
With the exception of one wall, the kitchen is now largely free of upper cabinets. “It opens into the dining room and a newly covered deck with views to the backyard,” Sauri says. “They have this beautiful backyard that looks out into the trees. It’s a gorgeous area because of the topography.” Obstructing that view would have been a crime.
Tomato red cabinets by Wynnbrooke dominate the design, but not in a bad way. Because most of it is below eye level, the color does not overwhelm.
To make up for the lack of upper cabinet storage, Sauri added a pantry (not shown) behind the refrigerator wall. “This space was 10½ feet,” he explains. “It was much larger than the hallway that was needed, but not wide enough or big enough to do anything with. We couldn’t turn it into a breakfast area, so we made a pantry.”
The kitchen’s other surfaces and materials, such as quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and champagne bronze and satin brass metal finishes, play a supporting role to the red. Together they create an aesthetic that brings the wow.
“We love it,” Melanie says. “The red almost feels neutral. It goes with everything. We have more than enough storage space and room for entertaining. The design reflects our style and also the original design of the house.”
Double Duty
When Yuri Sagatov’s clients approached him to design their custom home in Clarendon, they requested an open plan and an industrial vibe. “The goal was to design the house to feel like an old urban space that was reimagined,” says the designer and principal of ODE Kitchens in Falls Church.
To fulfill their wishes, Sagatov drew material inspiration from cities—using brick, steel and glass to inform the aesthetic of the house. Similar elements continue this theme in the kitchen.
“The kitchen is a blend of matte black and a bleached natural wood, which is actually a high-grade laminate,” Sagatov says. “The black cabinets are a nano material that is matte and fingerprint proof, and the countertops are quartz Caesarstone. The goal was to create a complex mix of textures applied in a monochromatic arrangement.”
The owners cook and entertain frequently, so the kitchen had to function for everyday use as well as for catering situations. “They have big parties, but they didn’t want the kitchen to be overwhelmed with food and [dirty dishes],” Sagatov says.
The problem: Open-concept floor plans don’t make such disappearing acts that easy. Given that this kitchen is open to the adjacent living spaces, they needed a way to hide countertop appliances and everyday clutter.
The answer: A hidden back kitchen that serves as a supplemental prep zone, pantry and cleanup area.
Tucked behind the main kitchen, this secondary culinary space provides storage for countertop appliances, plus a second oven, sink and dishwasher. This frees up the main kitchen to be open and functional during parties without putting the mess on display.
“The biggest challenge with this space, given its location, was bringing natural light into that side of the house,” Sagatov says. “The solution was the steel-and-glass wall to separate the back kitchen from the front kitchen. It allows the light to penetrate all the way into the house.”
Nigel F. Maynard recently renovated his mother’s kitchen in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He is a writer, woodworker and DIY remodeler based in Hyattsville, Maryland. Follow him on Instagram @products_hound and @custom_home_hacker.