Kitchen of the Week: Whimsical and Modern in Houston
The greatest priority for this particular kitchen in Houston, Texas, would be to design a space that combined style, eco friendly elements and work for a family with three growing women. The family had a distinctive whimsical style, and they needed their kitchen to reflect their fun-loving characters. The clients called to help them accomplish this. The group also had the challenge of designing this new house for a LEED houses pilot program. The careful design unites the family’s quirky look with the revolutionary use of sustainable materials.
RD Architecture
The family needed their home to be designed in a”Texas, Deco and industrial style.” It required some time for the couple to find a good grasp of the odd request that was aesthetic. After a few meetings, they came up with a plan that implemented bright colour, bold shapes and a clear perspective of the front yard.
Designing the island has been one of the most difficult tasks in the kitchen. The island is curved and canted, which made it difficult for the cabinet designer to work with. “He had been used to making islands in a box shape, and he had to believe in curves and in angles,” Reardon says. The stainless steel metal bar was built as a footrest, much like what you would see at a bar.
Tile on pillar: Black Penny tile
Countertop: Silestone
Island: Caesarstone in Apple Martini
RD Architecture, LLC
The group was inspired in part by the family’s preceding kitchen, which had a huge window overlooking front yard. “They wanted to maintain the window and the total feeling of their previous kitchen, actually thought it had been in a outdated 50-year-old home,” Reardon says. “But this brand new kitchen actually does have the memory of the old home in it.”
Sink: Blanco, Contempra Single Handle faucet
Lighting: Tech Lighting
Backsplash: Silestone
RD Architecture, LLC
Since this house was certified LEED Gold, there are numerous sustainable elements in this kitchen. Quartz — one of the most abundant materials in the world — has been used for the countertops as an alternative to natural stone.
The lighting is all eco-friendly fluorescent lighting — the group worked hard to elevate the lighting in this kitchen beyond the typical idea of fluorescent lighting. The kitchen also has plenty of natural lighting: the large window was developed to face north, in order that additional lighting would not be necessary through the daytime. Bamboo flooring and Energy Star appliances round out the eco friendly facets from the space.
Dishwasher: GE Profile 24″ Built-In Dishwasher
Oven: GE Monogram Double Electric Wall Oven
Cabinetry: IKEA
RD Architecture, LLC
The ceiling is Reardon’s favorite part of the kitchen. “We had to drop the ceiling to run air-conditioning duct function. Furring it down gave an opportunity to play with curves and circles in the ceiling,” she says.
The dining table is an oval-shaped granite table the clients had in their first property. The surfboard-shaped island was inspired in part by the table, but was meant to be a whimsical accent. “The rest of the kitchen is relatively simple, so the island really takes centre stage,” Reardon says.
Flooring: Bamboo flooring by Mannington
Hood: Wave Range Hood
More Kitchens of the Week:
A Beautiful and Eco-Friendly Update
Bright Mid-Century Remodel
Creative, Colorful, and Modern