Reston, VA

In the midst of renovating bathrooms at this residence a serious fire occurred. The modest project became a total house redo. Nothing was untouched from top to bottom. The floors, worn oak and pine became hand scraped wide plank walnut, to the ceilings with recessed halogen fixtures and 3 piece crown molding. The kitchen was enlarged with french doors opening out to a secluded garden and patio. The powder room was relocated from opening into the middle of the kitchen to the newly created butler’s pantry. Walls were covered in V groove paneling, painted Farrow & Ball Old White, and ceilings became wooden tongue and groove. The clients were very involved in the design of the kitchen as one is a gourmet cook and both love to entertain friends and family in their home. They wanted a traditional kitchen with some unique details. We selected a 1 1/4″ thick door for the cabinets (3/4″ thick is typically used) which allowed the doors to appear very rich with a deeper center panel and a wider detail around the inside frame of the cabinet door. They wanted the refrigerator to be hidden and appear to be a piece of furniture, so, we used a Sub Zero 700 TC all refrigerator on the left combined with a Sub Zero 700 BFI (base refrigerator drawers) with a pantry above it to match the refrigerator. Inside this pantry is a microwave with acounter below and storage above. The hood was custom designed by me after getting to know one of the clients and what style would fit best with his “BIG” personality. It needed to be large, dramatic and have a big presence but yet traditional enough to fit into the kitchen style. We came up with this curved hood with a Cape Cod style arch and a simple molding detail to give it some interest. They needed a butler’s pantry, and, when I first looked at the space, I thought this would be impossible. The kitchen was actually smaller with the entry past the basement door, more into the kitchen. When I realized that we could take that doorway out, this allowed enough room to continue the kitchen just far enough to incorporate a butler’s pantry! The cabinet with glass doors was also designed to look like a piece of furniture, but, what attracts the eye is the American Formal Colonial piece made out of tiger maple and stained in a cherry color. Having “furniture” in this kitchen really compliments the older, traditional row house that these clients live in. A comfortable faux leather banquette, fabricated by Al Soussan, Custom Furniture & Wall Upholstery, provided seating at a Custom table with hammered metal base from Wright Table Company. Mercury Glass Urban Smoke Bell creates elegant lighting for dining. Kitchen Counter Tops, Vermont Soapstone, gourmet appliances, fabulously detailed cabinets from Premier Cabinets and a custom cabinet designed by kitchen and interior designer to replicate a Tiger’s Eye Maple antique cabinet that was in the one client’s grandmother’s home Recently the clients decided to sell their house. The new owner gutted and redesigned the entire ground floor with one exception- she didn’t touch the kitchen.

Designed by #JGKB. Photography by Bob Narod.