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click photos for larger imageWhile Randee Askin appreciated her kitchen’s modern appliances, she didn’t want them to be focal points. “I didn’t want to sit in the living room and stare at the refrigerator,” says Askin of the Federal Hill townhouse she shares with her husband, Kenneth Shuman. “I wanted to make the kitchen part of the living area— to create a really beautiful living space.”
Askin and Shuman enlisted David Naill and Karen Lemmert of Manifold Design to transform the “1980s cookie-cutter kitchen” into the modern living space they’d envisioned. Manifold began by tearing down the walls that divided the previously compartmentalized area. Now faced with more than 30 feet of open space, Manifold installed full-height custom cabinetry to establish continuous, clean lines. The cabinets, made by Erik Rink of Artisan Interiors, boast book-matched anigre wood, giving the space “a furniture-like feel,” says Naill. Subtle angles and changes in elevation maintain smooth transitions from one room to another, creating an elegant flow from the breakfast nook into the dining area. While the space preserves an airy feel, separation between the front entrance and the kitchen area is maintained by the careful location of the built-in refrigerator, whose backside is faced with mirror-back frosted glass by Bendheim Home. The same glass provides a slightly transparent view of both the front and back of the upper cabinets. “Randee wanted open cabinets, but she didn’t want to show everyone her cereal boxes, either,” says Naill.
On the walls, Manifold designed a pattern that combines two types of Walker Zanger glass tiles, each individually hand-set by David Sonn of Creative Finishes Ltd. “Everyone in Federal Hill has that exposed brick,” says Naill. “We wanted to create an intelligent play on that urban texture.” —M.M.
Resources Design: Manifold Design, Baltimore, 410-225-0037; Tile installation: Creative Finishes Ltd., Lutherville, 410-823-0759; Cabinets: Artisan Interiors, Baltimore, 410-243-1045; Frosted glass: Bendheim Home, New York, N.Y., 800-606-7621; Tile: Walker Zanger Stone and Tile, Perth Amboy, N.J., 732-697-7700.
A no-frills kitchen was the obvious choice for architects Virginia Navid and Brian Oster, who are raising three active boys ages 7, 10 and 12. “The kitchen is meant to be very minimal and not use any trim or moulding,” Navid says. “We wanted it to feel completely open and act as an eat-in kitchen.” A sense of spaciousness is achieved through large windows overlooking the back and side of the house, as well as an open floor plan consisting of streamlined concrete countertops and a single island. The kitchen has immediate access to the dining room, front entry and rear of the house. “The kitchen is the hub of our house, and it is critical that when you are in the space you see all the views and can orient yourself with the house easily,” says Navid.
An emphasis on materials and their inter-connection takes center stage. Gray concrete counters meet clear maple cabinets in angular formations, while sand-blasted glass-front upper cabinets provide style and functionality. Low-voltage recessed lighting illuminates the entire kitchen, as stainless steel pendant lamps drop light over the island and countertops. “We think it’s important that the materials reflect what they are,” Navid says. “The design for us comes by the joining of the materials.” —C.C.
Resources Architects: Virginia Navid and Brian Oster, ; Cabinets: Mill
Valley Kitchens, 410-366-1655; Contractor: Owings Bros. Contracting, 410-781-7022; Installation:
Bell and Moynihan Contracting, 410-531-7050; Countertops: Concrete Jungle,877-874-0909.
Bright, crisp and airy, the Heinz family kitchen is ripe with country charm. Designer
Robert Berman, of Johnson-Berman, teamed up with Cindy Myers, of Keener Kitchen, to create a cheerful yet functional space for the family. “The house is an old Victorian, and the client wanted to retain some of that old kitchen appeal,” Berman says. “The client wanted the look of individual furniture pieces.” A wooden floor with wide, textured boards gives the kitchen an aged appearance, while a large armoire encasing the refrigerator and freezer adds distinctive country flair. Berman and Myers integrated beaded-board wooden cabinets in gloss white and painted wood cabinets in apple green to enliven the room. All wood was treated with a natural pine finish in keeping with the bright color palette. Two islands, one with a synthetic marble Caesar Stone top, and the other with a butcher-block top and farm sink, provide the family with plenty of prep space.
“The kitchen was part of a large addition to the house, and we wanted it to feel like an enclosed porch,” Berman explains. Florida ceiling and side windows invite natural light into the area during the day, while recessed and decorative lighting warm the room at night. The eat-in kitchen opens into the family room area, allowing the owners to watch over their children with ease. “It’s a place that the family tends to spend much of their time,” Berman says. With this much ease and style, who could blame them? —C.C.
Rich in luxury and intricate detail, this Sykesville kitchen is a feast for the eyes. Contractor Michael Owings and designer Tina Wojtal joined forces to create this stately kitchen, with enough room to house the entire king’s court. “What is truly unique about this kitchen is its octagonal shape,” Owings says. “The shape of the island, as well as the mosaic tiles inlaid around the island, echo the shape of the room.” The island, with vibrant cherry-stained panels, has an aisle through the middle, providing guests with greater mobility in the kitchen. Commercially styled state-of-the-art appliances are the perfect tools for entertaining.
The eat-in kitchen, equipped with custom cabinetry, Venetian gold granite countertops and delicate stained-glass windows, sparkles beneath a large chandelier. The chandelier, which can be raised and lowered by a remote control, hangs from a hand-painted vaulted ceiling.
“The island itself has an Old World feeling, and we wanted to crown it with this beautiful opening,” Wojtal says. A scene of painted treetops lines the octagon-shaped cutout, which raises the ceiling an additional 6 feet. Underfoot, a fanciful mosaic of colored marble in a rich floral pattern was designed by New Ravenna. Buttery gold walls encase the kitchen, which also includes a fireplace, dining area and sitting area. “This kitchen is for food preparation, gathering and large-scale entertaining,” Wojtal says. “It is truly the heart of the home.” —C.C.
Resources Johnson-Berman, 410-752-2030; Keener Kitchen, 717-244-4544.
As parents of four young children, including a set of 6-year-old twins, Randy and Stacey Getz know that efficiency is key. That was the objective when the Getzes decided to remodel the kitchen in their colonial-style Pikesville home. “We wanted to update it to our needs,” says Stacey, “and make it a place where the kids could be comfortable.”
Marie Schwartz, owner of Studio One Kitchens, wanted to tailor the kitchen to the Getz family’s busy lifestyle, while staying true to the age and style of the traditional country home, built in 1911. “The kitchen was cramped,” says Schwartz. “Terrible space planning made organization difficult.”
Studio One began by installing custom cabinetry that extends from the kitchen into the adjoining breakfast room. Originally an addition built by the home’s previous owners, the breakfast room was “totally disjointed from the kitchen,” says Schwartz. “The kitchen now flows easily into the attached room, creating a more open and cohesive look. “Now the two rooms function as one,” says Schwartz.
Glazed a pale lemon, the cabinets and wood paneling lend a warm yet contemporary feel. The island, which had previously housed a six-burner cook-top, was replaced with a more kid-friendly granite counter space. “Now it’s an area where the kids can sit and do homework,” says Stacey. In addition to all new appliances, the remodeling created space for a large rectangular table, where the family can casually dine.
“We are so pleased,” says Stacey. “It’s bright and spacious— much more user-friendly for all of us.” Including the kids, who now “have plenty of space to display their artwork.” —M.M.
“The old kitchen was awful,” Eleanor Landauer explains. Metal cabinets, brown appliances and a mirrored backsplash made for a less than appetizing appearance. “We wanted something light, pleasant and functional,” Landauer says.
Designer Allison Gibbs, of Cox Kitchens and Baths, swooped in to transform the kitchen from drab to fab. “The original kitchen was cramped into four small rooms,” Gibbs says. “The client wanted to open up the area, and make it a space for entertaining.”
A large retaining wall and several smaller walls came down to open up the space. A butler’s pantry area, equipped with rich cherry-stained cabinets, now flows into the cheerful eat-in kitchen. Stained hardwood floors blend the kitchen into other areas of the Georgian-style home, while buttery yellow walls reflect light. Granite countertops contrast with creamy white glass-front cabinets along the room’s perimeter. A functional island, with cherry-stained cabinets to match the pantry area, provides additional seating and prep space for both chef and guests.
“I wanted the kitchen to highlight my blue-and-white china collection,” Landauer says. Hanging vividly against the back wall, Landauer’s china creates a personalized focal point for the kitchen. A sunny yellow wingback chair upholstered in silk moiré invites guests to relax and take in the aromas of the kitchen. “Now, my husband, Peter, has a place to sit and talk to me while I cook,” Landauer explains. “And finally I am not embarrassed to have friends gather around in the kitchen as they inevitably do.”
Resources Design: Cox Kitchens and Baths, Baltimore, 410-296-4700.
