Design the Perfect Kitchen

Client Profile:

After graduation from UC Berkeley where they met, Samantha Byrnes and Jeremy Styles moved to San Francisco to be close to their very demanding, high-tech jobs and the foodie culture they found there. They purchased an Edwardian overlooking Dolores Park because of all the activities in the Mission, and it is close enough to work to ride their bikes. Jeremy loves to find new ethnic restaurants and replicate the menus from taste. Their invitation for dinner is known among their friends as THE party to attend.

The Challenge:

While both Samantha and Jeremy love anything contemporary, they also wanted their kitchen to be compatible with their cherished Victorian, and to be a practiced balance of new technology and elements of the original architecture. Since they work non-stop hours, they wanted a kitchen that worked hard, yet brought simplicity to their lives.

The Solution:

Bosch appliances were specified because they were easy to use and technologically advanced. The contemporary flush aesthetics worked well with their kitchen design. The long wall with the baking center called for attractive, flush-mounted appliances, as the wall is partially visible from the main living area. This hard-working, beautifully eclectic space mirrors the owners and their busy, vibrant lifestyle.

A mid-high cabinet supporting the open table establishes the kitchen area but is shared by the surrounding living area. There is shallow storage on the back of the cabinet and the drawers open to the side, making it multi-use. The lower demeanor allows for light transfer and longer sight lines from the living room, visually expanding the space. Bi-fold lift doors at the cooking center allow for the cabinets to remain open while cooking and a touch button control closes the door automatically.

Increasing the height of the backsplash area makes it easier for taller cooks to work at the counter. Make sure the cooks can reach the wall storage easily before using this technique.

With avid bakers, it is a great asset to have a bake center next to the oven that holds multiple tools: a heavy-duty mixer, baking pans, utensils and ingredients such as flour, sugar, etc. This center is covered with a communication blackboard that is framed in stainless steel to mimic oven details. It slides vertically to reveal the countertop and shelves with all the needs conveniently ready. Side swing door ovens opening to this center make this the ultimate bake zone.

The low-profile 30" cooktop holds 5 burners, with the largest burner packing 20,000 BTU of power in a stacked system. This gives the greatest amount of flexibility in cooking from fast boil to low simmer in a smaller footprint, a great tool for every cook.

When planning a swing-out accessory in a blind base cabinet adjacent to a dishwasher, be careful to select a dishwasher that builds in completely flush, including the handle. Every fraction of an inch is important to make that corner storage accessible.

SideOpening oven doors allow for complete access to the oven cavity for people of all abilities. Make sure there is counter space available on the opening side of the oven.

In a home with heritage, it's important to juxtapose old and new. The gold-colored marble countertops reflect the restored original front steps, and the new hand-scraped white oak flooring (a nod to the original floors) is common throughout the first floor. The wall-mounted faucet is an example of this combination of new technology and the original architecture of the Edwardian home. It’s wall-mounted like the original faucet but wholly contemporary in form and function.