Though this empty-nest Odessa couple no longer has children living at home, family dinners are still a regular occurrence and the kitchen is still the prime gathering spot when family and friends come to visit. Homeowner Cheryl Bender loves to cook and this kitchen design, with farmhouse and country-style influences, was custom designed to fit all her needs.
The spacious, hardworking room is separated from the comfortable family room and breakfast area by granite counters with bar height seating, providing a perfect way for the cook to participate in the activities in the home while keeping traffic flow out of the kitchen.
The ivory colored cabinetry has raised panel doors with fine detailing in the crown molding and a criss-cross mullion pattern in the upper glass cabinet doors. However, closer inspection reveals much more depth to the finish than initially meets the eye. “Many layers of distressing, crackle glazes and finish techniques were used to create a custom look,” explains Jeff Wallace of Park Avenue Designs, the company that did the work on this kitchen. “We had the colors created custom for this job.”
The cabinetry also features turned leg styling on either side of the stove and on the center island for a more furniture feel. The majority of the cabinets around the perimeter of this kitchen are the ivory tones, but the center work island deviates from this with a dark walnut stain. Turned legs and special corner detailing in the granite countertop really enhance the sense of the center work island as a piece of furniture.
This kitchen boasts several different special features including pullout spice drawers flanking the large Wolf range.
Another special feature is vertical racking above the microwave specially designed for cutting boards, cookie sheets, and other large, sometimes awkward cooking pans.
A unique element in this room is the finish of the center island granite. While the perimeter counters have a traditional smooth polished, high gloss finish, the center island has a brushed granite finish, also known as “antiqued finish” according to Wallace, which gives it a rougher, more rustic texture. The nubby texture invites investigation.
Copper is a key element in this kitchen as evidenced by the dramatic copper hood over the range. “Being a country house, the main part I wanted was the copper sink and the copper hood. I always thought copper was so pretty,” Cheryl explains. “The hood and the sink were the first two things I picked out and we worked around that.” The gleaming copper hood anchors the room and draws the eye to the colorful, mosaic tile backsplash.
The large, copper farmhouse sink keeps the copper theme going and balances that weight on the opposite side of the room.
Recessed LED can lights illuminate the general spaces of the kitchen, while various types of specialty task lighting were also incorporated into the design. All the upper cabinets feature under-cabinet lighting to light up the work counters as well as up-lighting tucked behind the crown molding to make the space glow. Handsome pendant lights highlight the eat-in counters, and a finely detailed pot rack of black iron with copper accents houses three spot lights that specifically target the center island. “This is one of the nicest kitchen designs I’ve ever had,” Cheryl says. “Everything is right at my fingertips. It’s definitely my favorite room in the house.”