The Un-Kitchen

Simple and elegant, a clean-lined kitchen becomes one with its surroundings

The total renovation of this Boulder home began with the kitchen, which is an extension of the great room and the entertaining space that encompasses the entire level. “The homeowners wanted all the ‘kitchenesque’ parts to go away and for the kitchen to appear as a gallery,” says kitchen designer Angela Otten of William Ohs Showrooms. “The house is set up with white walls to show off the art collection.”

Otten reconfigured the kitchen, adding and subtracting walls, to create a floor plan that flows gracefully through two opposite-facing peninsulas and a center island. She chose a high-impact neutral color scheme: warm walnut cabinetry that matches the floors, gloss-white accent cabinetry, white marble countertops and a mix of brushed bronze and stainless steel metals.

Instead of emphasizing the range and hood as the focal point of the kitchen, Otten created a sleek cooking station with floating white cabinets, a low-profile induction cooktop and a stand-out backsplash that looks like a piece of abstract art. It is actually a slab of textural, leathered granite framed with mitered white marble that fits precisely into the space.

Otten used similar framing techniques throughout the custom kitchen, allowing the island’s white waterfall countertops to frame the walnut base on one side, and using walnut to frame the white gloss drawers on the other side. “The island is very simple and as clean as possible to draw attention to the lines and mitered frames,” she says.

The designer also employed attractive solutions to hide typical kitchen elements. Paneled walnut cabinet doors are lightened up with white, while painted panels conceal a refrigerator and freezer on one side of the range and a coffee center on the other. Stainless steel tambour doors above the double ovens open to reveal a baking center; a second set of tambours and drawers near the sink hides dishes, silverware and table linens.

“The homeowners host a lot of special events, parties and art openings,” says Otten. “With its clean lines and simple color scheme, the kitchen allows the whole floor to read as one.”

Get the Look

• It’s okay to mix metals. Brushed bronze faucets and hardware happily co-exist with stainless steel appliances and doors.
• A clear island, with no sinks or cooktops, enhances the minimalism of the kitchen and is versatile for entertaining.
• Art works in the kitchen; don’t be afraid to create a space for it.

Design Details
Kitchen Designer
Angela Otten
William Ohs Showrooms
wmohs.com