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Denver-based interior designer Kate Bendewald specializes in hidden storage. That idea was burned into her memory when she found a photo of a secret spice cabinet somewhere on the internet. “Once I see something, it becomes embedded in the hard drive of my brain,” Bendewald says. His perfect memory came in handy during a recent redesign of the kitchen of an 1880s bungalow. Her clients Tracy Talbot and Meghan King also loved the idea, as did she. “All we had to do was figure out how to build something great,” says the designer.
Some thought (and some prodding by her contractor, Bill Currin of Currin Construction) led her to backsplashes, and more specifically, behind them. “It's a place that no one would ever think to see,” Bendewald said. This is especially true if it is covered with stone chips. The designer used Taj Mahal quartzite for both the walls and the spice cabinet door.
“At first the idea seemed unlikely given the weight of the slabs. We briefly considered switching to porcelain, but Bill came up with a solution using tracks and steel bearings. “It was a dream come true moment when we found the solution,” Bendewald recalls. “It was a miracle of a renovation story!” A sturdy metal device allows his two 3cm-thick stone fronts on either side of the range to slide effortlessly behind the countertop backsplash. can.
When asked if he could have done something different, Bendewald pointed to the round cabinet door handle. “They look better than they feel,” she confesses. “Given the weight of the stone, its roundness doesn't allow for a firm finger grip, so if I could go back, I'd probably choose a different shape.” The storage location may be a secret, but it's not. The thing is, Talbot and King love storage. “This is our favorite kitchen feature,” says Talbot. This couple loves entertaining and enjoys showing it off to their friends at gatherings. “It's like finding a hidden treasure every time,” King adds.
