We are excited to reveal one of the most anticipated rooms in our first-ever spec home. “Everyone's favorite room in the house is always the kitchen, and there's so much to talk about here,” exclaims Shea as she explains kitchen considerations, combining hardware, layering lighting, and more. , provides expertise in kitchen layout design. Web video below.
In the kitchen, Shea created symmetry by surrounding the hood with a frame. “This is an opportunity to make a statement,” says Shea. We also added floor-to-ceiling cabinets that look more like furniture than a kitchen feature staple. It’s the chest,” Shia explains. Recessed handles distinguish it from traditional kitchen cabinets used elsewhere in the kitchen.
“Another really unique part of this layout is the long cabinetry that runs from the kitchen to the pantry,” she explains. “Instead of having pocket doors or partitions, everything is connected, so when you're standing in the great room, you have this beautiful view.” We built our corner cabinets to always look great, placing unsightly food storage around the corner with a mix of open and closed shelves. Wooden walls “are a nostalgic look that we've incorporated into many of the homes we've designed,” says Shea.
Cabinetry throughout the kitchen is a mix of styles, including flat inset panels on the drawers and raised beaded outlines on the doors, but all finished with antique brass knobs and handles. Accessible Beige by Sherwin-Williams is used on all cabinetry and is paired with the natural matte stain of island wood.
Two different backsplashes are used throughout the Spec home kitchen. “It's a thoughtful combination that makes it feel like a high-end kitchen,” says Shea. Cream-toned Moroccan zellige tiles adorn the space behind the stove. Soldier course detailing (when tiles are pasted vertically at the bottom to create a border) helps “shake up the mood, create interest, and add a glossy feel to the whole thing,” explains Shea. Masu. The wall behind the pantry side of the kitchen features the same stone used in the rest of the house, carried all the way to the ceiling. “It’s textural and organic and adds a really earthy feel to the space,” she added. “This house feels like it's in the mountains.''
A good design tip for kitchen lighting is to utilize multiple sources such as ambient, task, and accents to create a visually and functionally balanced space. The spec home's kitchen combines a brass island pendant, three antique brass flush mounts, and articulated sconces with associated cabinet hardware.
A last-minute structural change to flip the main sink and prep sink turned out to be one of the best decisions we made in our kitchen. “We are very happy, we [changed them]” says Shea.
Check out the web video below to see every detail of the home kitchen's specifications and get a peek into Shea's design process as she puts all the final touches on this Studio McGee-designed kitchen. To see previous web videos of the Spec Home project, visit our YouTube channel here.
In interior design, symmetry is achieved when both sides of a composition mirror each other and the visual weight of the design is completely equal.
“Perhaps the most important feature of the kitchen is the plaster hood with limestone trim and corbel detailing that traces back to the great room mantel.”
“The wood tones tie this piece together with the rest of the kitchen; [recessed pull] The hardware sets it apart and makes it feel like every detail has been thought out. ”
“I love the combination of cream and beige to give the kitchen a tone. It ties in with the stone in the rest of the house.”
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